Programs and Services for Families with Young Children
Mission: 
We empower our community's eligible children and families to build a foundation for learning, as measured by their readiness for kindergarten and beyond.
Announcements:
- PSD PreK is currently taking applications for the 2024-2025 school year.
- REENROLLING FAMILIES: UPK applications open December 17 ONLY for UPK for reenrolling families, parents who are staff, or have a sibling at one of our sites
- NEW FAMILIES: ECE application opens January 6 and UPK application opens February 10
ECE offers:
- No-cost and tuition-based Preschool programs for children
- School age 3 years old ( 2 years prior to Kindergarten) and 4 years old ( the year prior to Kindergarten)
- Must be 3 years old by Oct 1 of the enrolling year
- Children with Integrated Services may enroll upon their 3rd birthday
- School age 3 years old ( 2 years prior to Kindergarten) and 4 years old ( the year prior to Kindergarten)
- Classrooms are located in 21 district elementary schools and 7 community sites
- Highly-qualified licensed teachers who partner with families to offer the best services specific to each child.
- Programs and learning environments that help our young children become emotionally strong, skilled and ready for kindergarten.
- Prenatal, infant, and toddler home visiting program offering parent education and mentoring for families
- Screenings
- Evaluations through Integrated Services
- Services for families expecting a child and/or with children from birth to age 3
- Resources and community referrals
Enrollment area, cost and availability
Family must reside within PSD boundries for preschool. PSD staff that reside out of PSD boundries may apply for PreK. Determine if you reside in PSD attendance area here.
Family must reside within Larimer County for Early Head Start.
Many options are available to meet family schedules and needs, including:
- Full and half-day no-cost spaces for families that meet admission criteria
- Unlimited no-cost spaces for children who qualify for special education services *number of hours varies based on identified needs.
- A limited number of half-day, four-day-per week tuition spaces
- McKinney-Vento Program Eligibility
Early Head Start
Calling all families with children ages 0-3, and all pregnant people! PSD enrolls year-round in our Early Head Start Program. Our Early Head Start Program has many benefits for families:
- Monthly PACTs (Parents and Children Together)
- Family mentor that provides educational materials to parents and child at home visits
- Center-based and home-based options
- Support for growth and change
- Learn about child development and risk factors
- Connection to community supports
Currently slots are open for families expecting a child or whose child is not yet preschool age! Complete an Early Childhood Program Application or Prenatal Application and return it to Fullana to get the application process started. You do not need to complete an enrollment packet for Early Head Start until you have been accepted to the program. PSDs Early Childhood Education Department keeps all information gathered for purposes of eligibility and enrollment or personally identifiable information strictly confidential. Families can rest assured that information regarding their situation is not shared outside of the ECE Department or Poudre School District unless the family gives permission.
Eligibility - Early Head Start
- Family resides within Larimer County
- Family with a child aged 0 -3 and pregnant women
- Family income is within 100% of federal poverty guidelines ( Federal Income Guidelines-below) - or -
- Family categorically qualifies with at least one of the following situations:
- Family is homeless, doubled up due to financial hardship, or living in substandard housing
- Family provides foster/kinship care
- Family receives public assistance (SSI, TANF, SNAP/EBT)
Head Start
No cost federally funded grant based on family income and categorical qualifiers.
- Family income is within 130% of federal poverty guidelines – or -
- Family categorically qualifies with at least one of the following situations:
- Family is homeless, doubled up due to financial hardship, or living in substandard housing
- Family provides foster/kinship care
- Family receives public assistance (SSI or TANF or SNAP)
- Children are eligible on their 3rd birthday for Early Childhood Special Education/Integrated Services and Head Start. Children who are school-aged 5 or age 5 by October 1 are not eligible for preschool services.
For more information, visit the Head Start website here
Preschool Special Education
- State and Federal mandated program for 3, 4 and 5-year-olds who are eligible when they receive a diagnosis of developmental delay or other disability designation
- The significant delay can be in one or more areas of development such as communication, adaptive, motor, cognitive or social/emotional
- The Child Find Specialist and/or the PSD Assessment Team will meet with parents and the child to determine eligibility
- Children are eligible on their 3rd birthday for Early Childhood Special Education/Integrated Services
Tuition-based
2024-2025 tuition rates:
10-hour preschool rate: $4832.96 (for 10 hour sessions)
15-hour preschool rate: $6093.73 (for 14 to 15 hour sessions)
30-hour preschool rate: $10,821.62 (for 28 to 30 hour sessions)
Children must be 3 years old by October 1 of the year of enrollment for tuition-based program.
2025-26 Tuition subject to a minimum 2% increase based on the state reimbursement amount
Universal PreK (UPK)
Complete the information in the Universal PreK Portal: upk.colorado.gov
Families with 3 or 4-year-olds may qualify for Universal PreK funding. Spaces are limited. Families should complete the EC application and then complete the UPK application when it opens up to families.
For more information on UPK, check out their 2024-2025 Parent Handbook!
Connect with Colorado Universal Preschool:
Submit questions HERE
Call at 303-866-5223
Hours and locations:
School sites: Hours at early childhood school sites vary by location
Fullana Learning Center: Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday; Blue locked drop-boxes are available for families to drop off paperwork when the center is closed.
Location: 220 N. Grant Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521
ECE offices follow the school district's calendar for fall, winter and spring breaks.
Learn more about us!
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ECE Instagram
ECE FacebookCurious about our attendance policies? Check out this video below with information pulled straight from our parent handbook.
¿Tienes curiosidad por nuestras políticas de asistencia? ¡Mire este video a continuación con información extraída directamente de nuestro manual para padres!