Denver Archdiocese sues Colorado over preschool program that excludes Catholic schools

The State of Colorado’s program to fund universal preschool unconstitutionally excludes Catholic preschools that want to participate in the program, according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of two Denver-area parishes and the Archdiocese of Denver. The lawsuit concerns Colorado’s universal preschool program, created in 2022, that offers eligible families at least 15 hours per week of free preschool for every participating child, according to the program website. The suit maintains that the state’s rules requiring participating schools “to accept any applicant without regard to a student or family’s religion,...