STATEWIDE ~ Colorado's Universal Preschool program has seen a surge in family engagement during the opening of enrollment for the 2026-27 program year. This marks a new record for application submissions, system traffic, and user participation since the program's launch in 2023.

As of December 22, 2025, families have submitted a total of 12,886 applications for the upcoming school year. On the first day of enrollment alone, there were 5,913 applications submitted. This is a significant increase from last year's opening day, which saw only 3,977 applications. In fact, this represents a 48.7% uptick in applications.

The first hour of enrollment on December 9th saw over 4,200 visitors accessing the Universal Preschool system. Throughout the day, there was a sustained peak of approximately 1,700 concurrent users. These numbers reflect the growing awareness and trust in Universal Preschool as well as improvements made to the enrollment experience. Currently, user satisfaction stands at an impressive 84%, highlighting the program's commitment to accessible and family-centered design.

Governor Jared Polis expressed his excitement about the high level of participation in Universal Preschool: "Free preschool has helped more than 100,000 families in Colorado save money and give children the best possible start. We are thrilled to see so many families signing up for the next school year while saving more than $6,300 per year. I look forward to visiting this new class of preschoolers."

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Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), also commented on the record-breaking enrollment activity: "Families across Colorado are clearly planning ahead and engaging early to secure preschool options that work for them...Our team continues to strengthen the system so it can meet families where they are and support children during this critical stage of development."

While enrollment for the upcoming school year is underway, Universal Preschool is still serving tens of thousands of children during the current 2025-26 program year. So far, there have been 46,708 applications submitted for four-year-olds and 42,862 children are currently enrolled statewide. These numbers demonstrate the ongoing demand for high-quality preschool in Colorado and the program's role in expanding access to early learning opportunities for families across the state.

Universal Preschool is based on the belief that all Colorado children deserve access to high-quality early learning. The program aims to support families by providing clear information, meaningful choices, and a reliable enrollment experience that helps children get a strong start before kindergarten. Families interested in applying can visit UPK.Colorado.gov for more information. The application period will remain open until February 2, 2026.

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