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Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)
What You Need To Know
Applying for a VPK Scholarship is EASY!
If you are unable to Apply Online Now, and you need assistance with setting up your account and uploading documents;
Please call or visit our office. Staff will be available to guide you through the application process.
VPK is a FREE program aimed at giving your four year old the tools necessary to enter kindergarten eager and ready to learn.
Parents may apply through the Family Portal to obtain a certificate online at familyservices.floridaearlylearning.com.
To Re-Enroll, parents must apply through the Family Portal.
VPK is Free to All 4 and 5 Year Olds!
Voluntary Prekindergarten or VPK gives children a jump start by preparing them for school and enhancing their pre-reading, pre-math, language and social skills. By developing the skills children need to become strong readers and students at an early age, children are more likely to be successful in school. VPK classrooms offer high-quality programs that include high literacy standards, developmentally appropriate curricula, manageable class sizes, and qualified teachers.
The Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program – or VPK – is a free prekindergarten program for 4 and 5-year-olds who reside in Florida. Participating children must be 4 year of age on or before September 1. Parents can enroll their child in the state’s free, voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) education program that year or wait until the following year when their child is 5. Click here for more information.
The school-year program includes 540 hours of instructional time and begins in August. The summer program consists of 300 instructional hours and can begin as early as May 1.
There are a number of private child care and public school providers offering the VPK program across Seminole County.
What is Voluntary Prekindergarten and Specialize Instruction Services (SIS)?
Specialized Instructional Services
A child who has a disability as evidenced by a current individual educational plan (IEP) and is age-eligible for VPK becomes eligible for specialized instructional services (SIS). The Department of Education approves SIS providers whose services meet statutory standards, maintains a list of approved providers, and notifies each school district and early learning coalition of the approved provider list. For more information on VPKSIS, click here.
The Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program — or VPK — prepares early learners for success in kindergarten and beyond. VPK helps build a strong foundation for school using educational material corresponding to various stages in a child’s development. Click here for our Fact Sheet.
To be eligible, children must live in Florida and be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the current school year. Effective July 1, 2016, a new law lets parents whose children are born between Feb. 2 and Sept. 1 of the calendar year postpone enrolling their 4-year-old until the following year when their child is 5.
Parents can choose from different educational settings and various program options. Private child care centers, public schools, and specialized instructional services providers offer VPK.
Click below to learn which program is right for you:
If you have not found the information on how to sign your child up for VPK or you need further assistance or have any questions, please call 407-960-2460.
Who Is Eligible?
Florida was one of the first states in the country to offer free prekindergarten to all 4-year-olds. Children must live in Florida and be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the current school year to be eligible. If their fourth birthday falls Feb. 2 through Sept. 1 in a calendar year, parents can postpone enrolling their child in VPK that year and wait until the following year when their child is 5.
For further information, click on the links below or for general questions contact the Early Learning Coalition at 407-960-2460:
How do I get a Certificate of Eligibility?
Parents may obtain a certificate online at familyservices.floridaearlylearning.com. Families who do not have access to a computer or a scanner may walk-in to use equipment in the ELC of Seminole’s self serve computer lab Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. VPK registration may be completed on a mobile device if the required documents are photographed using a PDF scanning application (e.g. Android’s Handy Scanner, Window’s Scan2pdf, Apple’s Genius Scan).
The registration site will require parents/guardians to complete an application by uploading one of the following documents in PDF format:
- proof of Florida residency (e.g. utility bill, current Florida driver’s license, lease)
- proof of child’s age (e.g. birth certificate, passport)
Parents with a child who has attended no more than 70 percent of the VPK program may choose to transfer/reenroll their child with a new VPK provider if the reason for the transfer/reenrollment meets one of the approved circumstances (e.g., change of residence). If the child changes VPK providers more than once, the parent has to provide specific documentation to support the reason for the change. To do this, the parent or guardian must complete the online VPK Reenrollment Application and submit it to the coalition for review.
Who Offers VPK Programs?
Providers include a mix of private child care centers, family child care homes, faith-based centers and public schools. Each provider determines the days and times they will offer VPK services in order to meet the overall requirements.
To find the Early Learning Coalition of Seminole’s lists of VPK Providers, please click on the following:
What should I look for in a VPK Provider?
The Coalition offers a Choosing Quality Child Care check list to assist you in choosing the right program for your child.
It’s OK to Play in VPK!
The parent handbook, “It’s OK to Play in VPK!” describes the characteristics of developmentally appropriate learning environments. It identifies how the VPK Education Standards can be used to help children of all different backgrounds, abilities, temperaments, and interests to learn and develop.
