Our Results

Our Results

How do we know our work makes a difference?

To prove that high-quality preschool programs pay off, we look at how well children are prepared for kindergarten, as well as how they perform in third grade.

Our evaluation team includes:

  • Butler Institute for Families – University of Denver
  • National Opinion Research Center (NORC) – University of Chicago
  • Denver Public Schools

Kindergarten Readiness Report

Are children who attend preschool better prepared for kindergarten?

Conducting assessments on a representative subset of DPP children near the start and end of their preschool year, we work with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC) to evaluate how children progress in vocabulary, literacy, math, social-emotional development and executive function.

Our results show that more DPP children than expected scored “ready for school” compared to their national peers in the spring before their kindergarten year regardless of their native language, or economic background.

Child Outcomes Reports PDFs: 2009/20102010/20112011/20122012/20132013/20142014/20152015/20162016/20172017/20182018/2019 – 2019/2020 – 2020/2021

Child Outcomes Reports: Cohort 7Cohort 8Cohort 9Cohort 10

2016 – 2017 Child Outcomes Brief

Third Grade Longitudinal Analysis

How long do the benefits of preschool last?

According to numerous studies and research on the benefits of preschool, children who have mastered basic skills in reading, writing and math by the end of the third grade are more likely succeed in school and beyond. As a result, DPP invests an annual long-term analysis conducted by Augenblick, Palaich and Associates that compares how former DPP students performed on Colorado’s third grade standardized achievement tests to those who did not have DPP experience.

Longitudinal Analysis Reports: 2012/20132013/20142014/20152015/20162016/20172017/20182018/2019 2019/20202020/2021

Always Improving

The Denver Preschool Program proactively seeks feedback from participating preschools and parents to help enhance internal operations and how we serve the public. The following links provide a more in-depth view of our findings: 

Operations Evaluations: 2009/20102010/20112011/20122012/20132013/20142014/20152015/20162016/20172017/20182018/20192019/20202020/2021

More Resources

DPP strives to keep the community informed of their progress. For more information about the Denver Preschool Program, please explore our additional reports.

Enriching Lives DPP’s Tuition Credit Benefit Families Infographic: An examination of the Family Stress Model.

DPP Tuition Credits Reduce Parental Stress, Benefit Families From All Income Levels Summary

DPP Preschool Workforce Brief: Opportunities to Support the Preschool Workforce and Prevent Burnout

Expanding Family Access to Quality Child Care Brief: DPP’s Scholarship and Preschool for 3’s Programs

DPP Equity Brief: Understanding and Advancing DEI for Preschool Families and Workforce

DPP Data One-Pager

Fact Sheets: 2009/20102010/20112011/20122013/20142014/20152015/20162016/20172017/20182018/20192020/2021

Annual Reports: 200920102011201220132014201520162017 20182019202020212022

Financial Audits: 200920102011201220132014 – 2015 – 2016201720182019202020212022

Board of Directors Minutes: 2015 – 2016 – 2017 – 2018 – 2019202020212022January 2023February 2023March 2023April 2023May 2023June 2023July 2023August 2023September 2023October 2023 – November 2023 – December 2023