District 49 is expanding its early childhood education options this fall, opening two new classrooms at the Student Success Center in east Colorado Springs. The program serves children from age three through kindergarten eligibility, and the new classrooms begin with the 2026-27 school year.

For families in the D49 attendance area who have been looking for quality early learning options — particularly in the Falcon and Pony Tracks corridor — this is a new entry point into the district's early childhood programming.

Why Early Childhood Programs Matter

Research on early childhood education consistently shows that high-quality programming during the preschool years produces measurable benefits — in kindergarten readiness, in third-grade reading proficiency, and in long-term academic outcomes. Access to that programming, however, has historically been uneven.

Colorado has been working to expand access to early childhood programming through a combination of state-funded initiatives and district-level expansions. D49's move to add two new classrooms reflects both demand from families in the area and the district's investment in that developmental window.

For parents who are weighing options — D49 ECE, private preschool, home-based programs — a district-run early childhood classroom offers continuity. Children get to know the district's approach to learning, build familiarity with the systems they'll continue through, and in many cases start building peer relationships that carry into kindergarten with them.

How to Connect With the Program

If your child is approaching preschool age and you live in the D49 attendance area, the ECE office can clarify what's available, whether there is still space in the new classrooms, and what the enrollment process looks like.

D49's ECE office is at 3850 Pony Tracks Drive, Colorado Springs 80922. Phone: 719-494-8840.

D49's general back-to-school calendar for 2026-27 is already underway. Kindergarteners and transition-grade students in the district started earlier this month. If you are enrolling a child who has not yet started kindergarten and want to understand where ECE fits into your family's timeline, the office is the right starting point.

What's Next

Two new ECE classrooms at D49's Student Success Center on Pony Tracks Drive are one of the back-to-school developments worth knowing about in east Colorado Springs this fall. If you have a child between age 3 and kindergarten eligibility, call 719-494-8840 to ask about space and enrollment. For families already in D49, this is also worth sharing with neighbors who might not know the option exists.