UPK

Colorado's Universal Preschool (UPK) program provides up to 15 hours per week of tuition-free preschool for children in the year before kindergarrten, as defined by the local school district. The goal of UPK is to ensure all children have access to high-quality early learning, supporting school readiness, social-emotional development, and long-term academic success. 

Families may qualify for additional hours based on certain factors such as income, dual-language learner status, IEP services, foster/kinship care, or homelessness. UPK covers only the state-funded preschool hours. Families may still pay for wrap-around care or extended hours. 

All policies, procedures, expectations, and standards outlined in this handbook apply equally to UPK-funded children and non-UPK children.

To support your child's healthy development, our program either offers or coordinates access to provides information on voluntary developmental screening services. Please speak to the director or email sargentearlylearningcenter@gmail.com for information on obtaining any of the following:

 Developmental or Health Screenings

 Vision, Hearing, or Dental Screenings

 Social-emotional, Cognitive, or Language Screenings

 Mental Health or Special Education Referrals

 Translation Services

We believe you are your child’s first and most important teacher. Our program is committed to partnering with you in the following ways:

Language Support: We provide opportunities to utilize interpreters or other language resources as needed to ensure clear communication.

Cultural Sharing: We invite and encourage you to share your home’s cultural and social practices within our classroom community.

Goal Setting: We will partner with you to set individual learning and development goals for your child.

Program Decision-Making: We offer opportunities for families and community partners to engage in our program's operational decision-making processes.

Transitions: We will actively involve you in your child’s transitions between classrooms or when moving to a new school.

Feedback: We value your perspective and provide opportunities for you to give feedback on the quality of program-family and program-staff interactions.

Each spring, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) conducts an annual family survey. You will be notified of the opportunity to participate and share your experiences regarding your meaningful and culturally appropriate involvement in our program, as well as the healthy development supports provided.