VPK Fact Sheet for Families
FloridaVoluntaryPrekindergarten
EducationProgram
Providers
Florida's
Voluntary
Prekindergarten
Education
ProgramorVPK
isafree
educational
programthat
helpsyour
4‐year‐old
bereadyfor
successin
kindergarten
andbeyond.
Office of
Early Learning
Learn Early. Learn for Life.
Ifyouhaveachildwhowillsoonbe4
yearsold,youknowhowcurioussheis
orhowmuchhemayalreadyknow.
VPKisafreeeducationalprogramthat
helpsyourchildbereadyfor
kindergarten. ChildrenmustliveinFloridaandbe4
yearsoldonorbeforeSept.1ofthe
currentyeartobeeligible.
Theprogramhelpsbuildastrong
foundationforschoolusingeducational
materialsappropriatefordifferentstages
inyourchild’sdevelopment.
Your choices
Privatechildcarecenters,private,public
andcharterschools,andspecialized
instructionalservicesprovidersmay
offerVPK.Asaparent,youcanchoose
fromoneofthefollowingprogram
options:
‒ School‐yearprogram—540
instructionalhours.Classsizesof20
orfewerstudents.Instructorsmust
holdaBirththroughFiveFloridaChild
CareProfessionalCredentialand
completespecialtrainingonearly
literacyandperformancestandards.
‒ Summerprogram—300hoursof
instruction.Classsizesof12orless.
Instructorsmustholdabachelor's
degree.
‒ SpecializedInstructionalServices
program—hoursvarybasedon
servicesprovided.Forchildrenwith
disabilitieswhohavecurrent
individualeducationalplans
developedbylocalschooldistricts.
VPKproviderswhoofferschool‐yearor
summerprogramsmustmeetthese
qualitystandards.
‒ Employqualifiedinstructors.
‒ Usedevelopmentallyappropriate
curriculumemphasizingearlyliteracy
skills.
‒ Maintainrequiredclasssizes.
PrivateVPKproviderswhoofferschool‐
yearorsummerprogramsmustalso
have
‒ AdirectorwithaFloridaDepartment
ofChildrenandFamiliesDirector
CredentialwithaVPKDirector
Endorsement.
‒ Avalidchildcarelicenseor
recognitionbyanapprovedchildcare
accreditingagency.
Information for parents
Hereissomeinformationtohelpyou
chooseaVPKprovidertobestsuityour
family.
‒ Yourlocalearlylearningcoalitioncan
provideyouwithVPKProvider
Profilesthatshowproviderreadiness
ratesandlicensingreports.
‒ KindergartenReadinessRatesshow
howwellVPKprovidersprepare
studentsforkindergartenusing
resultsfromtheFloridaKindergarten
ReadinessScreener.
‒ FLKRSisalignedwiththeFlorida
EarlyLearningandDevelopmental
StandardsforFour‐Year‐Olds(2011)
thatdescribewhata4‐year‐old
shouldknowandbeabletodobythe
endoftheirprekindergartenyear.
Did you know that…
✔ 77 percent of Florida 4-yearolds were in VPK last year?
✔ 82 percent of children who
completed VPK in 2013 were
ready for kindergarten
compared to 53 percent who
did not attend?
Office of Early Learning | Florida Department of Education | 250 Marriott Drive | Tallahassee FL 32399
T o l l - F r e e 8 6 6 - 3 5 7 - 3 2 3 9 | F a x 8 5 0 - 9 2 1 - 0 0 2 6 | w w w. f l o r i d a e a r l y l e a r n i n g . c o m