Lewis-Palmer School District participates in Colorado's Universal Preschool (UPK) program that offers free, voluntary PreK for children the year before they are eligible for kindergarten and qualified 3-year-olds. Students who turn 5 years old by October 1 are eligible for kindergarten and are not eligible for the PreK program.

Preschool is for children two years before they are eligible for kindergarten. Children must be 3 by Oct 1 of the school year.

PreK is for children the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. Children must be 4 by Oct. 1 of the school year.

Multi-age classrooms serve children both one year and two years before being kindergarten eligible.

How to Enroll: 

To enroll, your family must complete the Universal PreK Family Application. Please select the Lewis-Palmer site you wish to attend. We recommend selecting several D38 programs in case a program fills. When we receive your UPK application, we will contact you with enrollment information.

You can find more information about Universal Preschool at the following websites:

• Joint Initiatives & Universal Preschool 

• Department of Early Childhood & Universal Preschool

Early Childhood Program Priority Placement Guideline:

Lewis-Palmer Early Childhood program provides equitable enrollment for all D38 families. The fact that preschool programming is not offered at each of the elementary schools was a consideration when developing this guideline. The program prioritizes enrollment for students using the following guidelines.

For students who qualify for special education with an IEP, recommended program placement is determined with parents during the IEP meeting. For transfers, after reviewing the IEP, the Child Find Coordinator collaborates with district personnel and the family to determine placement.

For general education students who qualify for UPK, enrollment is prioritized according to the following:

1. Students currently enrolled in the early childhood programs at Bear Creek Early Childhood Center, Lewis-Palmer Elementary, and Kilmer Preschool.

2. Students with siblings who will continue enrollment in the early childhood programs at Bear Creek Early Childhood Center, Lewis-Palmer Elementary, and Kilmer Preschool.

   • We cannot prioritize families with elementary-grade students (K-6) since preschool programming is not offered at each elementary school.

3. Families who live in the Lewis-Palmer School District and children of staff members.

4. If space is available, consideration may be given to out-of-district families.

For tuition-paying families, enrollment is offered based on space availability and parent preference. A waiting list is maintained.

Tuition: 

Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, limited space may be available for 3-year-olds whose family pays tuition. Tuition spots are offered first to families who did not receive a 3-year-old UPK spot, then to families on a waiting list. When a family is offered a tuition spot, a $250 non-refundable deposit is required within one week to secure the seat. Tuition is $415 per month and is due on the first of each month from August through April. If tuition is not paid by the 10th of the month, the child will be disenrolled from the program.

To add your name to the 2024-2025 waiting list complete the LPSD Early Childhood Program waiting list.