Families
What is Voluntary Prekindergarten?
Voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) is a state program designed to prepare every child in Florida for kindergarten and build the foundation for their educational success.
Why should I enroll my child in VPK?
- Studies have shown that children who participate in VPK are more “ready” to enter kindergarten than those who do not participate.
- Children who are kindergarten-ready have a 90 percent probability rate of reading on the correct level in third grade.
- Children who do well on their third grade reading tests are 90 percent more likely to graduate high school with their peers.
- Early childhood development directly influences economic, health, and social outcomes.
- Develop work readiness “soft skills” and social skills, teamwork problem-solving, ability to negotiate.
- Are 50 percent less likely to need special education/remediation.
About Voluntary Prekindergarten
VPK gives each child an opportunity to perform better in school and throughout life with quality programs that include high literacy standards, accountability, appropriate curricula, substantial instruction periods, lower class sizes and qualified instructors. All eligible children are entitled to participate in one of three VPK program options. The VPK mission is to ensure that all children are intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically ready to enter school and ready to learn, fully recognizing the crucial role of parents as their child’s first teacher.
Parents may choose one of three VPK program options using their VPK certificate:
School-Year Program
540 hours of instruction that occurs throughout the traditional School Year
Summer Program
300 instructional hours; children may participate in VPK the summer before the school year the child will attend kindergarten.
VPK Specialized Instructional Services
Certified or licensed professionals provide instruction or therapy in individual or small group settings for eligible children with special needs. The child must have a current individualized educational plan (IEP) from a local school district.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is eligible for VPK?
Any child that is four years old on or before September 1st AND is a Florida resident is eligible for VPK enrollment.
- Can I take my child to a VPK provider that is not in Hillsborough County?
Although children must be a resident of Florida, parents/guardians must register their children for VPK in the county that they are planning to attend. If your child will attend VPK in a different county, the parent/guardian must register for VPK through the Early Learning Coalition in which they will attend VPK, or if there is an approved certificate please request a county transfer.
- I did my application for VPK. Now what?
Your child will need their VPK certificate given to their provider before they can start VPK. Processing time for your child’s VPK certificate can take up to 10 calendar days. If you wish to check the status of your application, please log back into your Family Portal account.
- What if I want to change VPK providers?
A child can have multiple re-enrollments within the year. The first one is granted and no documentation is required; after that, the child needs to qualify under very specific reasons and upload supporting documentation, or if there is an approved certificate they may request a county transfer.
- Can my child go to both school year VPK and summer VPK?
A child may attend either school year or summer. Also, if a parent/guardian is using VPK SIS, the child may not attend VPK school year or summer.
- How long is VPK?
Usually, school year VPK is a part-day program. Summer VPK is typically a full-day program. Your chosen VPK provider will have specific details on class times.
Additional Resources
Tutorial Videos
How to create an account in the Family Portal
How to apply for VPK in the Family Portal
Useful Downloads
VPK – Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to register my child for VPK?
Documents needed for VPK registration
6302 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.
Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33619
(813) 515-2340
Hours of Operation
Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat-Sun: Closed.
Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) services provided by the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County are available to all families residing within Hillsborough County. We are committed to ensuring that every family has access to resources, information, and support to find high-quality child care options that meet their specific needs.
Funding Generously Provided by the Following Funders:
Proudly Celebrating Our Achievements:
REGISTRATION
All registrations for IECP learning events and workshops are completed online. Registrations are received on a first-come, first-served basis and seating is limited. An account to our online platform is required for all learning event registrations regardless of cost or type of payment used.
PAYMENT
Payment, if required, can be made online at the time of registration.
REGISTRATION CANCELLATION POLICY
Registrants have up to 48 hours before a scheduled learning event to cancel. A refund will be made to the online account on file.
LEARNING EVENT CANCELLATION POLICY
The event sponsor reserves the right to cancel a learning event due to low registration. If a session is cancelled, those registered will be contacted by email and notified of the cancellation. A credit will be applied to the online account on file.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
You are encouraged to log on virtually or arrive in person 5-10 minutes prior to the start time of your learning event. Participants arriving more than 15 minutes late WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE SESSION. Partial in-service credit may be offered, if applicable. Make-up sessions WILL NOT BE OFFERED for any learning event.
ANTI – DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The IECP and ELCHC shall not discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability/handicap, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or age in any aspect of a learning event, training workshop or professional development. The ELCHC also reasonably accommodates individuals with disabilities, handicaps and/or religious beliefs.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Any person with a disability/handicap requiring reasonable accommodations should call 813.515.2340 no later than seven business days prior to the scheduled learning event.
LEARNER SECURITY POLICY
The ELCHC strives to protect the privacy of learners that attend our learning events. Because each learner must register through our online learning platform, each record is restricted from public access. Learners can obtain a copy of their certifications as well as their own demographic/contact information provided. For online support, learners may call 813.515.2340 for assistance accessing their records. Learners are required to verify their Identification at all learning events by showing a state or government issued ID with photograph.
PROPRIETARY INTEREST POLICY
Individuals who participate in ELCHC’s learning events have the right to know about the proprietary interest a trainer/ instructor may have in a product or service prior to attending. All trainers/instructors are required to disclose proprietary interest in any produce, instrument, device, service and/or materials discussed at an event training, program, or workshop, as well as the source of any compensation related to the presentation.
CEU AWARD POLICY
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) may be awarded for all learning events three hours or longer in duration. Learning events less than three hours will be awarded in-service hours upon completion. CEUs will be awarded upon successful completion of the learning event. To successfully complete the learning event, learners must arrive on time, attend all required sessions, be an active participant and complete all related assignments and/or surveys as defined by the trainer/instructor. Online training must have an engagement score of 75% or more. For all online training – CAMERAS MUST BE ON – NO EXCEPTIONS. Participant’s names for online training must match the name provided at registration. Any required assignments or surveys will be outlined in the Training Description on our online platform. Learners are encouraged to contact trainers/ instructors with any questions and/or clarification needed regarding the successful completion of assignments or surveys. In-service hours will be awarded in place of CEUs if the learner does not meet the requirements of successful completion as defined by the instructor/trainer.
* Trainings may be recorded for educational purposes.
ACHIEVEMENT BONUS
To earn an achievement bonus, you must be teaching in Hillsborough County and meet all the requirements of the course, including pre/post assessments, homework assignments, reflection, and LMS instructor evaluation (if applicable). Each individual is limited to four training achievement bonuses per training cycle, and bonuses will not be given for previously completed coursework. Additionally, a W9 form must be submitted, and the address on the form must match the address on your LMS account. If you have any questions, please contact Abbey Landa at alanda@elchc.org.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon the successful completion of a learning event/training participants will receive a Certificate of Completion that can be retrieved from their individual online LMS account.
CHILD CARE
All learning events/training sessions are designed for adult audiences. We ask that all registrants make the necessary childcare arrangements to meet the minimum requirements for participation in the learning event. Childcare is not available.
