Copyright Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder Valley’s preschool enrollment is up as the school district settles on a half-day, five-day-a-week schedule in the third year under the state’s universal preschool program. The school board heard a report at this week’s meeting that shows enrollment rose from 770 students last fall to 832 students this fall. Enrollment of students outside the district also is steadily increasing, from 49 students three years ago to 93 students this fall. Along with a schedule that works for families, district officials said, preschool community liaisons have been essential to enrolling students. They actively recruit year-round and support families with what can be a confusing enrollment process through the state. Colorado provides up to 15 hours of free preschool for all 4-year-olds and up to 30 hours for 4-year-olds with certain risk factors. Parents who enroll can choose from school-based programs, community-based programs and home providers. But while more 4-year-olds now attend preschool in the state, the program isn’t without implementation challenges and trade-offs. One of those challenges for Boulder Valley has been how to configure its preschool program within the universal preschool parameters and reimbursement rates. The district tried offering a full school day of preschool on either Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays, giving families two days totaling 15 tuition-free hours a week. But teachers said that model didn’t provide enough consistency for young learners. So last school year, the district moved to half-day preschool five days a week, for three hours a day, in the morning or afternoon. Many schools also offer a half-day enrichment session five days a week, for four hours a day. Families who don’t qualify for 30 hours of preschool through the state pay tuition for enrichment sessions. One school, Lafayette’s Alicia Sanchez Elementary, is piloting a full-day model for a second year. Many of the school’s families with 4-year-olds qualify for the full 30 hours through the universal preschool program. For those that don’t, Impact on Education provides scholarships. The main difference at Sanchez is the preschoolers spend their entire six-hour day with the same teacher — who is certified in both early childhood and special education — instead of switching to enrichment. All the district’s preschool teachers during the regular sessions are required to be dual-certified, but teachers for enrichment sessions don’t need the same certifications. Theresa Clements, Boulder Valley’s early childhood director, said the goal is for students to enter kindergarten with strong foundational skills. When comparing results on a kindergarten readiness assessment from the previous year before the pilot to last school year, she said, the results are promising. Students at Sanchez saw improvements mainly in the areas of social emotional, language and literacy skills. “There are some big celebrations,” she said. An ongoing challenge is the statewide freeze on new enrollments in the Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP. To help families who need that assistance either for 3-year-olds or for an extended day for 4-year-olds, Impact on Education has stepped in to provide tuition waivers for 70 of the district’s preschoolers. Sanchez families receiving waivers reported increased financial status and food security, said Emma Herzog, Boulder Valley’s executive director of academics. She said parents also shared that many of their children were exposed to English for the first time in preschool and had more self confidence and ease at school. “The waivers are truly making an impact,” she said.
