In November of 2006, voters approved a landmark program to fund the Denver Preschool Program (DPP).  DPP provides tuition credits, based on a sliding income scale, for parents to use at participating preschools.  The voluntary program is open for all Denver children in their last year of preschool before kindergarten.

The groundbreaking program makes early childhood education a reality for many children whose parents would otherwise not be able to afford any preschool.

Currently, 3,800 children who live in the City and County of Denver are enrolled for next fall with 42 different providers participating, including Denver Public Schools.  Each provider is encouraged to meet high quality  standards based on the expertise of staff, materials available to the children, the scope of the curriculum and the physical site of the preschool. 

DPP will address the startling statistic that 59 percent of children in metro Denver region under the age of five are not enrolled in a formal pre-kindergarten setting.  DPP is expected to have 6,500 children enrolled by the fifth year of the program.

“Support for DPP has been overwhelming from Governor Ritter, Lieutenant Governor Barbara O’Brien, Mayor John Hickenlooper and the metro Denver foundation community.  We are proud to support this program through our School Readiness initiative,” said Diana Romero Campbell, Director of School Readiness for Mile High United Way.

Pre-kindergarten is paramount in the success of a child – 80 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five.  Local and national research shows that young children who participate in high-quality early care and education programs not only do better when they begin school, they continue to succeed throughout their school years.

Studies show that children enrolled in a preschool program are:

• More likely to own a home
• Earn $5,000 more a year than those who do not attend
• More likely to graduate from high school
• Less likely to be arrested or incarcerated
• Lead healthier lifestyles  

Click here to donate to Mile High United Way’s School Readiness initiative and help grow early childhood education in metro Denver.