Colorado’s universal preschool program to launch Fall 2023

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (KRDO) -- Southern Colorado families will be able to save thousands on early childhood education after the Early Childhood Leadership Commission approved key recommendations for a new universal preschool program this week.

"This opportunity for us to support children and families in these preschool years is just phenomenal," said Diane L. Price, President and CEO of Early Connections in Colorado Springs.

For Diane L. Price, the installment of a new preschool program, known as the mixed delivery system, means children can receive child care through a school district, a head start program, or while at home.

"When proposition EE was passed overwhelmingly by the voters in 2020, stakeholders and early childhood leaders thought we really have an opportunity with universal preschool to really think about the broader universal system," said Pamela Harris with the Early Childhood Leadership Commission.

Childcare leaders say this is an opportunity to reach more households across southern Colorado.

Any additional funds are slated to go to extra hours for children experiencing poverty or any other factors.

"What this will do is that there will be no boundaries, so if a family that lives in Harrison District 2 and wants to attend one of our centers that is in the downtown area, which is District 11, we will be reimbursed and able to help out that family," added Price.

Colorado families will have the opportunity to access 10 hours of high-quality early care and education per week per child prior to entering kindergarten.

"And I think that is what we want to get to, how do we support young children, how do we support their families in order for them to go to work and school and advance their lives?" said Price.

The new early childhood leadership commission says it's now working on creating the infrastructure to help make the program a success.

It is set to launch in the fall of 2023.