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UPK FAMILY REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!


The new year of Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) means lots of information is coming and updates are being made often. The frequency of our newsletters may increase during this time and are important to keeping everyone in the loop. Thank you for all you are doing to support UPK and the benefits it brings to families in our community!


AGE REQUIREMENT FOR UPK

To be eligible for UPK support, the child must be 4-years-old (and not 5 years old) by October 1, 2024, or their applicable school kindergarten eligibility cut off date if different than October 1st.


  • Family registration: upk.colorado.gov
  • To register, the family must have an email address.


THREE UPK CATEGORIES FOR CHILDREN REGISTERING:

  1. Continuity of Care: Children who have Continuity of Care with a UPK provider (child currently attending, sibling currently attending, or has a family member currently employed with a UPK Provider) may view the FAMILY HANDBOOK to learn how to register and next steps if the child has Continuity of Care (also known as pre-registration). If you need help assisting your families with Continuity of Care to fill out their application correctly, click here to view a HOW TO VIDEO to be sure that they match with their known provider.
  2. New to UPK: Children who are not currently attending at a UPK provider and would like to attend in the fall of 2024 may view the FAMILY HANDBOOK to learn how to register and next steps.
  3. Child with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Families may view the FAMILY HANDBOOK to learn how to register and next steps for registering a child with an IEP.


REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS

  • ONLY three-year-olds with an IEP will register in the UPK system at upk.colorado.gov. Families register as if they were a 4-year-old and the next steps will be the same as a 4-year-old child with an IEP.
  • ALL other families registering their three-year-old child who will be two years out from kindergarten in the fall (generally 3-years-old by October 1, 2024, but not four by this date) will apply directly to their home school district and will NOT register in the UPK system.
  • Visit this SEARCH TOOL and enter your address to find your home.
  • Click HERE for a list of preschool contacts for each school district. 


Please note that families with 3-year-olds who do not wish to be served by their school district can go directly to the provider of their choice and access a tuition-based seat (if available) with that provider.


NEW PROVIDER GUIDE + DEADLINES

The UPK Provider Guide was expanded and revised on March 1st. The guide contains a frequently asked questions section so please take time to review! It is also posted on the UPK web page.


▶ NEW 2024-25 UPK PROVIDER GUIDE | 3.1.24


Provider Office Hours:

  • Tuesday, March 5, from 6-7 pm via Join the Meeting or by Phone: (US) +1 470-268-2407‬ PIN: ‪349 042 810‬#
  • Friday, March 8, from 3-4 pm via Join the Meeting or by Phone: (US) +1 413-471-2417‬ PIN: ‪494 614 242‬#


Key Provider Deadlines:

  • March 7, 2024: You will be able to sign in and begin reviewing your “known student” continuity of care enrollments. You will be able to accept or decline each enrollment.
  • March 6, 2024: Applications from “known students” (Continuity of Care applications) will be processed in a batch each night.
  • March 28, 2024, at 5:00 PM: Pre-registration will close. The final nightly batch will process the evening of March 28.
  • Mid-April: Following the matching round, you will be able to begin processing “new family” registrations. No provider steps are necessary during the Family Matching phase, until after the first matching round in April.


NEW UPK PROVIDERS

New UPK Providers should consult with Noreen prior to completing their Provider Setup Form. Please email nglt@mac.com to set up an appointment or call 719-338-7223.


QUESTIONS?

UPK providers who have questions about this process can direct them to Noreen at nglt@mac.com 

Families who have questions can direct them to the Foundations Family Navigators by emailing upk@jointinititives.com or by calling 719.828.1514 during business hours.

MARCH 21st ROUNDTABLE

Joint Initiatives offers Roundtables to keep early childhood providers informed about guidance from the Colorado Department of Education (CDEC), provide time for Q+A, and provide expert business consultation and training. Roundtables are at 11 am for School Districts, 1 pm for Centers, and 6 pm for Family Child Care Homes.


🔗 Register HERE for March 21st

All Roundtable information is on the UPK Info Hub and all recordings are also available on JI's YouTube channel.

FAMILY REMINDERS

IMPORTANT: Families only need to complete ONE UPK application per child for the 2024-25 year. If you need to make changes or are having trouble logging into your original application to make changes, please contact UPK@jointinitiatives.org. Do NOT create a second application.


NEW UPK FAMILY HANDBOOK | 3.1.24

CONTACT + WEBSITE

SUPPORT

Our UPK team is here for questions and support. For assistance, please contact us at UPK@jointinitiatives.org or 719.828.1514.


SUBSCRIBE

If this newsletter is being forwarded to you, you can subscribe HERE.


BOOKMARK OUR PAGE!

The UPK team is constantly updating the information on the JI UPK page. Click the link below and bookmark the page to visit often for the latest news.

VISIT JI'S UPK PAGE HERE

ABOUT THE UPK NEWSLETTER

This email is sent to ALL licensed early childhood programs in El Paso County and individuals/families subscribed to this specific newsletter. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please select the option below to UPDATE your profile and uncheck the UPK Newsletter. If you select the UNSUBSCRIBE option, it will remove you from ALL emails, including the EC News, PD Update, and any emails sent only to providers with important information.


If you would like to invite anyone to subscribe, especially families you serve, please share our Subscribe to UPK Newsletter link.

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