The
Denver Preschool Program: Supporting Equitable Access to Quality Preschool During the COVID-19 Pandemic1
The Denver Preschool Program (DPP) supports Denver families through universal tuition credits to subsidize the cost of preschool. DPP also works to improve preschool quality in Denver and is a leader and advocate for early childhood education. The Butler Institute for Families evaluates DPP’s program operations, and this brief provides an overview of evaluation results related to DPP’s tuition credits for families. Results are based on a survey completed by a representative sample of 319 DPP families, follow-up interviews with 12 families, and program records from September 2020-August 2021.
Family hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic
During the pandemic, families have faced significant threats to their financial well-being. Overall, 70% of DPP family survey respondents faced one or more of the following:
§ reduced hours,
§ temporary layoff or furlough from work,
§ reduced pay, and/or
§ permanent layoff from work.
Financial hardships disproportionately affected Hispanic families (88%) and families with lower incomes (80%).
The pandemic has also been a source of psychological stress for families. Temporary preschool closures affected about half of survey participants, and these closures were difficult to manage; for example, it was challenging “adjusting to everyone being home,” especially while working remotely, juggling work and family life simultaneously.
Pandemic-related stressors experienced by parents and guardians
Working during preschool closures: “It was wild. I'm not going to lie … to work, and to parent at the same time is a ridiculous concept. I don't even understand how we've decided that that's a thing.”
Increased social isolation: “It was very stressful… There was like no end in sight. … I was just an emotional rollercoaster, to be honest. And it was really hard without another adult to talk to in our home because I felt just even more isolated. And then I was worried that my stress was affecting my children, and I'm sure it did.”
DPP’s preschool tuition credits for families matter more than ever. DPP has been a key support to families during the pandemic, making preschool access a reality despite financial hardships.
§ Most families felt that DPP tuition credits made it possible to access a quality preschool of their choosing (see box, right)
§ Families who identified as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) tended to perceive the greatest impacts of DPP tuition credits. They were twice as likely as white families to report that: 1) DPP tuition credits made it possible to increase their child’s preschool hours, and 2) their child would be unable to attend their current preschool without DPP
Figure 1. DPP tuition credits make it possible for my family to...
Afford preschool
Send my child to a high-quality preschool Enroll in our preschool of choice
§ This year, 94% of all DPP families attended a high-quality preschool, defined as a Colorado Shines rating of 3 or higher.
1 Recommended citation: Wacker, A., Delap, S., & Roberts, A. (2022). The Denver Preschool Program: Supporting Equitable Access to Quality Preschool During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Butler Institute for Families, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver
DPP’s tuition credits directly support preschool affordability for families, and in doing so, support families’ access to positive preschool experiences, including culturally responsive interactions and support with at-home learning during COVID-related closures, as described by families below:
§ Preschool affordability: We were at a place where we had to cut back pretty significantly on our spending. And obviously preschool was the last thing that we wanted to cut back on. We didn't want to take our kids out of preschool, but [DPP] came at just the perfect time.”
§ Supporting children’s growth and development: “Thank you for the opportunity to send my child to full time preschool. He enjoys it very much and is growing in his education every day!”
§ Culturally responsive preschool experiences: “One of her teachers has family that's from the same place in Mexico that she's from and has been so phenomenal in reaching out and trying to figure out how to support her very unique situation, being a foster kid.”
§ Support during in-person preschool closures: “[E]very two weeks, the teachers would put together a themed packet of worksheets. And that was a lifesaver.”
Beyond Preschool Access
For many families, DPP has a “ripple effect” beyond providing affordable preschool access for their child who received DPP tuition credits.
§ Preschool/child care access for other children. More than three-quarters (76%) of survey participants indicated that DPP tuition credits helped families send another child to child care/preschool, and more than 50% reported that it helped them send another child to a higher quality program 2
§ Making ends meet. About half of DPP families reported that DPP tuition credits made it possible to pay bills and afford basic needs, such as food, housing, clothing, and adequate shelter.
§ Tending to other responsibilities. Having a child in preschool also made it possible for parents/caregivers to participate in the workforce, go to school, and/or or take care of someone who is sick.
Conclusions and Implications
Figure 2. Having a child in preschool allows parents/guardians to…
is sick
DPP is a crucial lifeline to preschool access, particularly for BIPOC and low-income families who have been disproportionately impacted by pandemic-related hardships. DPP’s tuition credits not only provide the opportunity for families to afford preschool, but also help families access early care and education for siblings, afford basic needs, and participate in the workforce. Implications for future efforts to support families with preschool-age children include:
§ Increase collaboration across family-serving organizations. Given that many DPP families experience psychological and financial stressors, DPP and other organizations that serve children and families in Denver should explore collaborations to ensure that children and families have access to basic needs and social-emotional support to help them thrive during their preschool years
§ Inform Universal Preschool (UPK). As an established mixed-delivery system that supports equitable preschool access, DPP could serve as a useful model in upcoming efforts to implement statewide UPK in Colorado.
2 Percentages are based on families for whom this was applicable.