The Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (ELCHC) is authorized under Florida Statute s.411.01 F.S. to establish policies, procedures and standards for the delivery of the School Readiness Program. Currently, the ELCHC contracts directly with the School District of Hillsborough County, School Readiness Programs to provide subsidized child care for families receiving temporary cash assistance and meet federal work participation requirements. Other children who qualify are at-risk of abuse or neglect, at-risk of future school failure, or are considered economically disadvantaged based on federal poverty guidelines.
School Readiness providers are required to meet minimum quality standards including developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum instruction, health and safety requirements to conduct developmental screenings to identify any developmental delays as early as possible and to conduct pre and post testing to chart the individual progress made by each child.
School readiness providers, if you are looking for a form, please look in the right hand column under quick links or go to our Downloads tab.
Read more about Program Requirements by clicking HERE
Want information on Provider Rates? Click HERE
Pre-K funding is delivered another blow
LA Times
States are spending less onpre-kindergarten program than they did a decade ago according to a report released Monday.
Florida's pre-K program earns low marks in national report - again
Orlando Sentinel
But, as in years past, Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten program meets only three of the 10 'quality benchmarks" the folks at the National Insitutue for Early Education Research (NIEER) think are important.
Arne Duncan Makes Pitch to Expand Early-Childhood Education
Education Week News (blog)
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says he thinks the time has come for a sweeping expansion of early-childhood education programs, ...