In its first month, Colorado’s universal preschool program has already matched more than 40,000 children to a preschool provider, representing 64% of all eligible 4-year-olds in the state and marking a 43% increase in preschool enrollment over last year, according to Gov. Jared Polis. That’s great news for families, he says.

The program promises at least 10 hours of free preschool a week for all 4-year-olds in Colorado, with some children receiving up to 30 hours if they are low income and have at least one additional qualifying factor. Some 3-year-olds are also eligible for 10 free hours.

But the rollout hasn’t gone off without a hitch, as some parents remain confused and districts and providers are doing their best to troubleshoot. Preschool leaders say they’re trying to connect with families who, in frustration or confusion, got lost along the application process.

Here are preschool leaders’ top tips for what parents should know as they navigate universal preschool (UPK):

One application isn’t enough. The universal preschool matching application is entirely different from the provider enrollment application; being matched by the state is not the same as being enrolled in a preschool program.

Once parents are notified that they’ve matched with a provider, they must next go back into their UPK application and accept that match. Then, they will need to complete their matched provider’s enrollment application and paperwork.

Leaders at CPCD, a preschool provider working with several districts in the region, said parents and their children have been showing up to classes without having properly enrolled because they’ve missed that crucial second step.

Two application processes are required, then, to properly enroll under the UPK program.

“It is always going to be a dual-enrollment system, so if you (applied) once, you’re halfway there,” said Shana Lachowicz, the child development director for CPCD. “You are never going to be done with one.”

Fill out your application fully and accurately. The UPK application builds upon previous clicks. If you make a wrong selection or overlook a required field, you might face grayed-out options and an inability to submit your application.

Parents should also carefully consider each prompt and fill out every applicable field. If a family is both low income and speaks a language other than English, for example, they should check both of those boxes.

And parents whose students receive special education support or are on individualized education plans should accurately disclose those accommodations during the application process. Disclosing this need will not hinder a child’s eligibility, but it will ensure they are placed with a provider that can accommodate them.

Harrison School District 2 Superintendent Wendy Birhanzel said when this information is not noted in the matching system, IEP students can be placed with private schools that, unlike public schools, are not required by law to support students with special needs and often lack the capacity to do so.

Reach out for help. No parent or guardian is alone in the application process. School leaders and providers say their doors are open to guide parents and guardians through the process to the extent of their abilities.

Communities also have designated Local Coordinating Organizations in place to support families and providers in navigating resources and answering universal preschool questions.

If confused by application terminology, reach out and ask to make sure you haven’t missed a crucial detail or given inaccurate information. This will cause trouble later on and prolong the process.

Lachowicz said CPCD will sit down with parents and walk them through the application process, and some districts and providers are even providing enrollment days to smooth over any confusion.

You can still apply. Even though the school year is already underway, it’s not too late to enroll your child.

The state is still taking applications on a rolling basis and will process them weekly. The entire process involves several back-and-forths: parents submit the UPK application, school approve matches, parent accept matches, parents submit enrollment paperwork, and finally a student is approved to attend.

“Be patient when applying with UPK and providers,” CPCD’s enrollment department suggests. “(T)he process is lengthy but getting better with rolling matches.”

Parents are encouraged to apply sooner than later so their children don’t miss too much class time, however.