Preschool FAQs

UPK: Universal Pre-K (UPK)

TSG- Teaching Strategies Gold

IEP- Individualized Education Plan

OT- Occupational Therapy (fine motor)

PT- Physical Therapy (gross motor)

SP- Speech Therapy

QRIS- Quality Rating Improvement System

In the 2022 Legislative Session, HB22-1295 established the Colorado Universal Preschool Program to offer voluntary, high-quality universal preschool to every Colorado child in the year before kindergarten. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is charged with operating the program to enable families to choose from a mixed-delivery system of high-quality preschool settings, including licensed community-based programs, school-based programs, and licensed home providers. High-quality preschool has demonstrated positive outcomes for children and families in the short and long-term. All children in Colorado can register for up to 15 hours of free, high-quality preschool in their year before kindergarten through Colorado’s Universal Pre-K (UPK) Program.

Families may qualify for more hours based on a number of qualifying factors. Ellicott Preschool offers a 12 hour a week program to all preschool students enrolled.

3 Year Old's should contact their school district for preschool services. Students wanting to enroll in Ellicott Preschool must meet at least 1 qualifying factor.

Preschool aged children with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) should work with their Special Education Administrative Unit (AU) to enroll.

Qualifying factors include:

• Child is identified as homeless and/or unhoused.
• Child is a multilingual, meaning a child who is learning two or more languages at the same time, or a child who is learning a second language while continuing to develop their first language.
• Child is eligible for special education with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Child is “in poverty,” defined as household income less than 100% of the federal poverty guidelines. 
• Child is currently in the custody of a state supervised and county administered foster care home or in non-certified kinship care, meaning a child is being cared for by a relative or kin pursuant to 19-1-103(102), C.R.S., who has a significant relationship with the child in circumstances when there is a safety concern by a county department of human or social services and where the relative or kin has not met the foster care certification requirements for a kinship foster care home or has chosen not to pursue that certification process.
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Currently the district cut-off date is October 1st. Students must be 3 or 4 by October 1st to be eligible for preschool, and 5 by October 1st to be eligible for kindergarten. Students do not change classroom mid- year regardless of birthdays.

Parents are welcome to fill out the district volunteer form at the administration office with a background check. Once the application has been approved, parents can volunteer in the classrooms. Ellicott Preschool also has parent volunteers on the Preschool Advisory Council.

To be eligible to enroll in our preschool program, all 4 year old families (or families with a 3 year old on an IEP) must first complete the initial enrollment application through UPK

https://upk.colorado.gov/

then be matched with Ellicott Preschool. After being matched and accepted, families will need to enroll their child through the district enrollment process and provide  the following forms to be kept in the child's file:

• Current Immunization record Or Exemption form as required by the Dept. of Public Health
• Health Physical
• Copy of Birth Certificate

Families with 3 year old children (not on an IEP) will contact the preschool directly to set up an appointment to see if the 3 year old meets at least 1 qualifying factor, and then complete the district enrollment process.

Preschool classes are 4 days a week (Monday-Thursday). Morning sessions are 8-11am and afternoon sessions are 12:45-3:45pm. Ellicott school district provides transportation to and from school for both preschool sessions.

Miscellaneous Items: Once a child has been accepted into the program, parents will receive another packet and handbook that includes information about: Attendance, drop off and pick up, illness and emergencies, inclement weather, discipline, conferences, dress code, holidays, snacks, supplies, preschool schedules, and licensing information.