Universal Preschool Roll Out and Funding Information

Please refer to the information below for Steamboat Springs School District families and community members who have questions about the rollout of Universal Preschool in the District. 

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The Steamboat Springs School District Preschool is a public early childhood program committed to serving children ages 3 through 5 years old in an inclusive preschool environment. Each classroom of no more than 15 students is led by one qualified early childhood instructor along with at least one teaching assistant. The curriculum is based on active learning, which encourages children to explore and learn from their environment.

Timeline towards 2023-2024 school year 

January:

• Based on perceived need from community and request from SSEA, decided to expand programming to 5 days a week beginning in the 2023-24 year, allowing enrollment capacity of 90 students across our 6 classrooms in 3 buildings.

February:

• UPK application opened for family enrollment. District profile, amongst other things, required the daily rate of tuition. District indicated 2022-23 rate of $60/day.

May:

• May 22, all preschool families matched via UPK were sent letter informing them that their cost of tuition in 2023-24 would be $900 per month, equivalent to $48/day.

June:

• Preschool families were sent Tuition Financial Responsbility Forms for signature, indicating that their cost of tuition for the 2023-24 year would be $900/month.

July:

• CDEC confirms only a limited number of families qualifying for 30 hours of funding per week.
• District works with Routt County Department of Social Services to make Child Care Assistance Program available for qualified prechool families.

August:

• Colorado Association of School Executives file law suit alleging that a lack of access to enrollment information and continued changes to funding have resulted in complications running preschool programs that meet the needs of families and comply with federal and state law.

The preschool schedule and calendar now matches the K-12 calendar, consisting of 169 days per year, approximately 7 hours per day. We currently have about 20 preschool slots available for Child Find or new interested students to enroll.