Launched in 2006, the Denver Preschool Program provides tuition assistance for all 4-year-olds and some 3-year-olds in Denver who are enrolled in participating preschool programs. Despite the program’s universal eligibility, about 40 percent of eligible families do not participate.

In partnership with the Denver Preschool Program and the Colorado Evaluation & Action Lab, we are conducting an implementation and process evaluation to understand what challenges keep families in the program. Based on our findings, we recommend evidence-based policies that could alleviate these challenges.

To ensure all communities in Denver are heard and included, we are

• partnering with a community advisory board that guides our work and will provide context for our findings;
• breaking down analyses by neighborhood and family characteristics, such as income level, adults’ English language proficiency, housing status, and structure (i.e., single-parent, grandparents caring for grandchildren);
• translating materials and offering ways for limited English speakers to engage in the study; and
• examining the ways the Denver preschool funding system may be limiting which families participate in the Denver Preschool Program.

We are conducting a mixed-methods study—or a study that includes both quantitative and qualitative data—that will draw on the following:

• Interviews with leaders responsible for designing and implementing the program
• Focus groups with early care and education program providers and other working with young children in Denver
• Interviews and focus groups with families participating and not participating in the program
• Administrative data that captures program applications, enrollment, and use

If you are interested in participating in this study or would like to learn more, contact our team at [email protected]

About the Denver Preschool Program

Denver Preschool Program providers must be licensed, participate in Colorado Shines (the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System), and serve families who live in Denver. Families with lower incomes receive greater amounts in tuition assistance, but all Denver families are eligible regardless of income. Eligible families can combine their Denver Preschool Program tuition credit with assistance from the Colorado Universal Preschool and Colorado Child Care Assistance programs.

About This Project

This project is funded by the Denver Preschool Program. We are grateful to them and to all our funders, who make it possible for Urban to advance its mission. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders. Funders do not determine research findings or the insights and recommendations of our experts. More information on our funding principles is available here. Read our terms of service here.