Pre-K
A significant aspect of Metro Denver's focus on preparing students for the workforce involves Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) education. The region invests in preschool education to close achievement gaps, better prepare young children for learning, raise graduation rates, and further build its well-educated workforce.
In the 2006 election, Denver citizens passed the "Preschool Matters" ballot initiative, a 0.12 percent sales tax increase to make preschool education available to all four-year-olds. The tax raises $11 million annually to support the Denver Preschool Program, which sends up to 4,000 children to preschool. The program provides tuition credits for families to use at the preschool program of their choice.
The state of Colorado also provides a broad preschool program. The Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) launched in 1988 to help address dropout rates. The program primarily supports half-day, comprehensive Pre-K programs for at-risk children. Districts offer services directly or subcontract with Head Start or community-based child care providers.
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