Universal Pre-K
(UPK) In Logan, Phillips & Sedgwick
The Early Childhood Council for Logan, Phillips, and Sedgwick Counties (ECCLPS) is thrilled to be your Local Coordinating Organization (LCO) for Universal Pre-K (also known as UPK, universal pre-kindergarten is universal preschool). We will continually be updating this page with opportunities to collaborate and learn. We are determined to ensure that UPK is of benefit for all families in Logan, Phillips, and Sedgwick Counties. That means we will do everything that we can to make sure that everyone impacted by UPK, including families, early care and education providers, community partners, government, and local organizations have a voice/say in how UPK rolls out in Logan, Phillips, and Sedgwick Counties.
We are here to help!
Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a one-on-one meeting.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 970-526-2440
Watch This Video for more information
Additional Information
Families Resources:
Colorado Department of Early Childhood
Application Link
Find a new UPK Provider
Provider Resources:
Provider Guide
Funding Questions
Seat adjustments
UPK FAQs
What is Universal Pre-K (UPK)?- 10-15 hours a week of no cost (to families), high-quality, voluntary preschool to every Colorado child in their year before entering kindergarten.
- Allows families to choose the right setting for their child, whether it is in a licensed community-based, home-based, faith-based, school-based or home-based preschool setting.
- A result of the voter-approved 2020 Proposition EE
- Launches in the fall of 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Who is eligible for the UPK program?
- Children are eligible for UPK in the year before they become eligible for kindergarten.
- CDEC uses a cutoff of October 1, meaning that a child who turns 4 before this date will be eligible for UPK.
- 3-year-olds or who will be 3 by October 1st may qualify for 10 hours of funding per week. These students will only be serviced through their home school district or an already contracted community provider.
- While LCOs will strive to ensure that every family is served, enrollment will depend on the availability of a suitable provider to meet the family’s needs, therefore slots are not guaranteed.
- Yes! The UPK application will initially be available in English, Spanish, and Arabic.
- The UPK application will remain open for new families to apply throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
- A mixed delivery model allows parents to choose among different program types (i.e., centers, homes, preschool – private and public) and select one that best meets their needs.
- Children can participate in a program that meets their developmental needs and learning style.
- Universal preschool will replace the existing Colorado Preschool Program, which provides 10 hours a week of preschool for at-risk students and is administered by school districts. Some children will qualify for more than 10 state-funded hours based on risk factors that are still to be decided.
- Yes. UPK is designed to be layered with CCCAP, Head Start, and local programs; LCOs are expected to support families in the process of blending and braiding state funding to augment provisions for eligible children.
- Families can choose to pay for more hours of preschool based on their needs.
- Children also will continue to qualify for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, Head Start, and other funding sources, which can be stacked on top of the 10 universal preschool hours.
- The Colorado Universal Preschool Program will be coordinated at the local level through “Local Coordinating Organizations” (LCOs).
- With support from CDEC, LCOs are responsible for coordinating a mixed delivery system of Universal Preschool in their community, with the longer-term expectation that they will coordinate all 0-5 related services within their community.
- Families looking for assistance navigating preschool services will be able to contact their LCOs for assistance.
- LCOs have recently been designated and will be trained and provided with resources over the coming weeks and months. Click here to find the LCO in your community.
- Local Coordinating Organizations (LCOs) will be responsible for the coordination of Universal Preschool at the local level – this includes supporting families in navigating enrollment, tracking, and reporting on seat availability in preschools, communicating with and supporting providers, and ensuring the smooth rollout of at least ten hours of free voluntary preschool for every child in the year before they are eligible to enter kindergarten. In time, CDEC will work with LCOs to broaden their areas of coordination, building a cohesive system among all early childhood service providers in their catchment area.