State officials expect about 30,000 children to opt into the universal preschool program in its first year. That’s about half the number that will be eligible.

Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat Colorado
Senior reporter — Chalkbeat Colorado.
Email: aschimke@chalkbeat.org Twitter: @annschimke
Colorado is recruiting providers for its new free preschool program. Parents are next.
More than 250 preschool providers, offering a total of 12,000 seats, have signed up for the universal program so far
Free meals will be offered in most Colorado school districts next year. Is yours one of them?
Of two dozen districts surveyed by Chalkbeat, 16 plan to offer universal free meals next year. But some districts remain undecided, including two of Colorado’s largest districts — Denver and Douglas County.
A look inside Colorado’s yearslong push to change how schools teach reading
The hope is that better curriculum materials combined with a recent statewide teacher training effort will transform reading instruction — and boost reading achievement — across Colorado
Denver school district changed its reading curriculum to better reflect students
The district stripped out units it felt perpetuated a whitewashed version of American history, and it added several books in each grade intended to add a wider variety of voices.
Colorado backs off plan to offer 10 extra hours of preschool — for now
It’s possible, but not certain, the 10 additional hours will be reinstated
More Colorado districts screen for dyslexia, exceeding state mandates
The 29,000-student Boulder Valley district will screen all kindergarteners for dyslexia this spring, after piloting the screening tool at some elementary schools for two years
Colorado schools, child care centers must test water for lead, make fixes
A new state law will require about 5,800 Colorado elementary schools and child care centers to test their drinking water for lead and install filters or do repairs if they find elevated levels. Schools and child care facilities will have until May 31 to test their water and will have to make fixes if lead […]
With universal preschool, can Colorado boost workforce pay?
Chrissy Simmons, the director of a child care center in the western Colorado city of Montrose, was one of the presenters talking about career paths at a local high school this spring. Students were visibly excited when speakers discussed potential earnings for jobs in welding and health care — wages of $20, $30, even $50 […]
Life is hard for middle and high schoolers who struggle to read. This Colorado public school aims to help.
Kaylee, an eighth-grader in a light blue hoodie, read a list of words, one by one, to teacher Jessica Thurby. She stumbled on a few: Debate came out “deblate,” sacred turned into “secret,” and defend became “define.” The pair went over the missed words. As Kaylee took another stab at “sacred,” she said, “It looked […]