Your relationship with the children in your class/center will impact the child’s development in every way, that is why we need your help in keeping them developmentally on track. Each child (Birth-Kindergarten) enrolled in the School Readiness Program has free access to developmental screenings that can tell us if they are meeting their developmental milestones. We know that your answers will show the child’s strengths and highlight any
areas in which you may have concerns. The two screening tools used are the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3
(ASQ-3) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE).
Earn the nationally recognized CDA credential through online coursework. The nationally recognized CDA credential is what is needed to be a child care administrator and/or a child care teacher in many states. www.cdaclass.org offers online Child Development Associate (CDA) and online CDA renewal classes. This exciting online program allows students to begin classes at any time and to work at their own pace toward course completion. The typical student is completing CDA classwork in just three – six month and CDA renewal classwork in just one – two months. CDAClass.org offers live chat sessions with instructors and active Council Representatives.
The Standards are an integral part of Florida’s quality early learning system. These Standards describe an age-appropriate understanding to the way young children think, create, and engage in the early learning process. They aid in creating a common vision for children in the State of Florida. The online format allows users easy access to this important information anytime. You may search by age or domain or both. Find useful tips for the classroom and home. Print the Standards for customized classroom use.
Visit Florida Early Learning for more details.
The standards for four-year-olds identify the skills and knowledge children should have before they enter kindergarten. They are approved by the State Board of Education for use in Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education Programs, and are for use in School Readiness Programs.
Visit the Florida Early Learning: Early Learning Resources.
In 1996, the Florida Legislature established the Gold Seal Quality Care program to acknowledge child care facilities and family day care homes that are accredited by nationally recognized agencies and whose standards reflect quality in the level of care and supervision provided to children. In addition, the Legislature established provisions for Gold Seal providers participating in the subsidized child care program, a.k.a. school readiness and early Learning, to receive a higher reimbursement per child, than providers not receiving a Gold Seal designation.
In 1999, the Legislature revised the program to provide tax incentives through the Department of Revenue or county tax appraiser for participating in the Gold Seal Quality Care Program. Since then, the Legislature has revised the maximum amount of the reimbursement. Currently, the rate differential cannot exceed 20% above the reimbursement rate established by the local early learning coalition, a.k.a. the local school readiness coalition.
In December 2004, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK ) legislation was passed and signed into law. This bill requires participating child care facilities and homes to maintain quality care accreditation and higher education standards for staff. The Gold Seal Quality Care Program is an approved accreditation for child care providers to be eligible to participate in VPK.
For more Information go to:
Non-Profit Child Care Representative
Term End Date: March 2023
For-profit Child Care Representative
Term End Date: September 2022