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Voluntary PreKindergarten

The Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) is a free program for all 4 and 5 year-olds who reside in Florida and are 4 years old on or before September 1 of each year.

Why is VPK important?

VPK is designed to prepare 4-year-olds for kindergarten to help build the foundation for their educational success. Our program provides a play-based learning experience that supports the development of early literacy, executive functioning, and social emotional skills. According to the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener, children who participate in VPK are better prepared for success in school.

What are parents’ options?

Parents have the option to enroll in a school-year program that consists of three or more hours a day
instruction, or a summer program that is a full day. We also offer Specialized Instructional Services that takes place outside a traditional classroom setting to assist those with special needs.
All-day VPK options are also available to eligible families.

VPK Registration is now open for the 2023 Summer-2024 School Year.
 

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Free for all 4-year-old in Florida

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No registration fees

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Parents choose where their child learns

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Focused on reading, writing and social skills

Program Types

SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM

LENGTH

540 instructional hours, an average 3 -6 hours per day. Before and After care is available with most VPK providers.

SETTINGS

Private Child Care
Providers,
Public Schools,
and Head Start available

CLASS SIZE

4-20
children

INSTRUCTORS

Must have a minimum of a
Child Development Associate
or higher. An additional educator
is present in classes with
12 or more children

SUMMER PROGRAM

LENGTH

300 instructional hours, an average
of 6-8 hours per day. Before and After care is available with most
VPK providers

SETTINGS

Private Child Care
Providers, Public
Schools, and Head
Start available

CLASS SIZE

4-12
children

INSTRUCTORS

Certified Teacher or Bachelor’s
or higher degree in an early
learning field

FULL-DAY WRAP CARE SCHOLARSHIP

FOR

Non-working or low-income
families who may not meet
income or job requirements for
School Readiness scholarships.

SETTINGS

Provided by select
high-quality early
learning centers
throughout Pinellas
County.

LENGTH

Provides access to full-day, full-year scholarships for school-year and summer care. Available only to VPK-eligible children ages 4 – 5.

INSTRUCTORS

Certified teacher
or other degrees in an early
learning field.

VPK REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE

2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR

How to Register

 

Complete VPK Registration online at Florida’s Early Learning Family Portal.

Any child who is four years old on or before September 1 is eligible for the 2022-2023 School Year VPK program.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to register online, you must be able to upload the required documents individually.

Once you submit or resubmit the VPK application form, it will be processed within 10 business days. You will receive confirmation as to whether your application has been approved or rejected by email to the email address list on the application form. The time-frame to process a VPK application is the same as the Pinellas County School Board student reservation system.

This information is for those families who have also applied separately to the Pinellas County School Board VPK group in order to have their child attend VPK at a school board site. If you have any questions regarding the Pinellas County School’s VPK process please contact them directly at 588-6513 for assistance. If you have any other VPK questions concerning your Family Portal application please contact the VPK team at 400-4411.

Thank you!

Registration Resources

2021-2022 VPK Hourly Payment Rate.

2021-2022 VPK Hourly Payment Rate.

Step by Step App Guide

Step by Step Application Guide

Step by Step App Guide

Step by Step Application Guide – Spanish

One-Sheet Application Guide (English)

One-Sheet Application Guide (English)

One-Sheet Application Guide (Spanish)

One-Sheet Application Guide (Spanish)

VIDEO: How to Apply for VPK

VIDEO: How to Apply for VPK

VIDEO: Why VPK?

VIDEO: Why VPK?

VPK Family Portal

Visit Your Family Portal

Get School Listing from CCR&R

Get School Listing from CCR&R

View VPK and School Readiness Registration Guide and FAQ

VPK and School Readiness Registration
Guide and FAQ

VIEW VPK HANDBOOK

View VPK Handbook (FL OEL)

VPK Flyer

VPK Flyer

(Select title for more information)

FAQ’s

The following are examples of appropriate reasons for dis-enrolling your child: medical reasons, job transfer, and changing home address.

No, participation is completely voluntary. Many parents choose to provide school readiness activities at home.

A child may only attend one state paid VPK session either during the school year or summer session.

Yes, the law only requires the child to be a Florida resident. Parents/Guardians must register their children for VPK in the county that they are planning to attend in. Example: if the child resides in Pinellas County but would like to attend VPK in Pasco County, the parent must register for VPK through the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, Inc.

Enrollment is continuous but after a certain date in the school session enrollment may stop and then children will be considered for another session.

All VPK online applications will be processed in the order they were submitted. Please allow time for the ELC staff to review your application and process it in order for you to receive your certificate.

  • If you have not received an email you should check your SPAM email as occasionally the VPK online emails are directed there.
  • You can also log back into your account to see the status of your application.
  • If then you are unable to locate any communication regarding your application you may call our VPK Online Specialists at 727-400-4411.

  • Any child who is four-years-old on or before September 1st
  • The child who is a Florida resident

Sponsored By

Fildena

Processes and Procedures


A. Placements

I. General: 

  1. Appointment Phone Script and Process
  2. BG1-11 Outreach and Enrollment Process
  3. Placement 30-30 Plan
  4. Browsing
  5. Keying Placements
  6. Sib-Adds
  7. Interview Flow
  8. Terms and Conditions in the Family Portal Account


II. Waitlist:


III. CCAA Process:


B. Enrollments


C.
Redeterminations

I. Processing Redeterminations: 


II. Rejections for Redeterminations:


III. Other/General Redetermination Information:


D. Reestablishment Periods/Reviews


E. Transfers


F. Suspended Enrollments


G. Coalition Transfers


H. Social Security


I. SR Plus-Local Funding

Annual Report

Annual Report