CNA Staff, Jun 5, 2024 / 17:00 pm
Archdiocese of Denver Catholic preschools will now be allowed to participate in Colorado’s universal preschool (UPK) program after a federal court ruled Tuesday that the state’s decision to exclude Catholic preschools was unconstitutional.
Two Catholic parishes with preschools, St. Mary Catholic Parish and St. Bernadette Catholic Parish, as well as a Catholic family and the Archdiocese of Denver asked the Denver federal court to stop the Department of Early Childhood from excluding them from the UPK program because they prioritize the admission of Catholic families and have religious expectations for teachers.
“Because of the court’s ruling, Colorado can no longer punish Catholic schools for caring about their students’ faith,” Nick Reaves, counsel at Becket, told CNA. Becket is the religious liberty legal group that argued on behalf of the preschools in the case, St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy.
Both preschools in the Denver metropolitan area serve low-income families. According to the Archdiocese of Denver, 85% of families attending St. Bernadette Parish preschool in Littleton receive free or reduced-price meals. Similarly, 25% of St. Mary’s preschoolers receive tuition discounts or scholarships. St. Mary’s also provides services for students with disabilities such as Down syndrome and autism.