Colorado Universal Preschool Program Updates

The next Triad Bright Futures Provider Support Session is Wednesday, June 17, 2026 from 1-2pm. No need to register. Click HERE to join.

May 2026 Support Session slides

April 2026 Support Session slides.

UPK family preregistration for the 2026-2027 school year is open: Colorado Universal Preschool | For Families. We are in the direct enrollment period.

Family Timeline 26-27

Provider Timeline 26-27

Current year (25-26) direct enrollment is still in place. Families should contact the providers directly.

New for Providers! This UPK overview and calendar tool  includes important information and links related to UPK. As we receive additional information about Quality Standards and CDEC communications, we will update this tool so you can access all UPK-related content in one place. 

Provider Expenditure Reporting Resources

If you have additional questions about this process, you can email Enroll Metrix directly coupkpayments@metrixiq.com.

IEP Direct Enrollment Open Through End of 2025-2026 School Year

IEP Direct Enrollment runs through the end of the 2025-2026school year.

Special Education Administrative Units (AUs) and school districts will request placement of students with IEPs. Providers will accept matches within 2 weeks of receiving a match.

Quality Standards Updates

The (UPK) quality service standards include program requirements in Instructional Practice (IP), Healthy Development (HD), and Family & Community Engagement (FCE). 

For updated information about quality service standards, please see the Provider Handbook, pages 74-75, and The Universal Preschool Quality Service Standards Guidebook. Note these document are live so be sure to consult the table of contents to confirm pages.

Mark your calendar for upcoming CDEC Provider Office Hours on Quality Service Standards, open to all providers each week. There will be provider-specific presentations at office hours as follows:

May Office Hours Schedule

  • Tuesday, May 12th from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm: Family Childcare presentation
  • Tuesday, May 19th from 11:00 am-12:00 pm: Community-based presentation
  • Tuesday, May 26th from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm: General standards questions.

Office Hours Recordings

April 28, 2026 Recording

May 5, 2026 Recording

Interested in Joining UPK as a Provider?

Providers can start registration and provide contact information for an Authorized Signer to be sent the Provider Agreement for signature. See this guide for instructions on completing your program setup form.  If you have questions about provider agreements, please contact CDEC directly at cdec_procurement-contracts@state.co.us.

Tools to Promote Your UPK Program to Families

The materials in this shared folder are designed to help providers promote their program to families.

Resources include printable flyers that you can share with families to let them know that you are a participating UPK provider and how they can enroll their child. There are also emails that providers can customize and send to families.

(CDEC created a marketing toolkit for UPK providers and partners to promote UPK in multiple languages.)

UPK Materials

Universal Preschool Handbooks & FAQ

Family Handbook

Comprehensive information to help families understand the UPK program, sign their child up, and rank their providers of choice.

There are also answers to common questions, a tool to check age eligibility, and more.

LEARN MORE

Provider Handbook

Check this link frequently for the most updated version of the UPK provider handbook. This is a live document and new information is added regularly.

Includes detailed instructions how to enroll, how the matching process works, answers to common questions, and more.

LEARN MORE

UPK Help Desk

The Triad Bright Futures Help Desk can help families and providers navigate the UPK portal, assist with reviewing rosters, and make requests to CDEC for seat adjustments.

The fastest way to get support is to submit an online ticket.

Submit a Ticket

Need help with submitting a ticket? Here are how-to documents to guide you through it: 

If you cannot submit a ticket, you can email universalpreschool@state.co.us or call 303-866-5223. Please do not submit multiple requests for the same issue as it increases the volume of tickets and delays our ability to respond.