WHAT IS VPK?

The Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) was implemented in 2002 in order to give ALL of Florida's four-year-olds access to a quality prekindergarten educational experience. The VPK program is FREE to families and does not have any income requirements or restrictions.

The Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) is designed to prepare Florida 's children for kindergarten and develop the skills they need to become good readers and successful students. VPK includes standards for literacy skills, strict accountability, appropriate curricula, substantial instruction periods, manageable class sizes and qualified instructors. Parents have the option of enrolling children in a school-year program that consists of 540 instructional hours, OR a summer program, consisting of 300 instructional hours. The Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County administers the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program at the local level which includes registering child care providers and providing applications and information to parents.

PARENTS HAVE CHOICES

Parents, you have two program choices for enrolling your child in VPK: 1) a 540-instructional hour school year program OR 2) a 300-instructional hour summer program. 

 2010-2011 VPK School Year Program

Parents, the School Year VPK Program is 540 instructional hours.  Class sizes do not exceed 18 students, and instructors must have a minimum of a Child Development Associate for the school year program (now referred to as the Birth to Five Florida Child Care Professional Credential).

In Hillsborough, the School Year VPK Program is offered by over 300 Approved VPK Providers throughout the county.  However, the VPK School Year Program is not currently offered in any Hillsborough school district elementary schools.

Parents or legal guardians only, MUST register their children for the program in person at a VPK Registration Location. Registration cannot be completed online or by fax or phone, or at a child care facility. 

 ELIGIBILITY

Children who reside in Florida and are born September 2, 2005 to September 1, 2006 are eligible to attend the 2010 - 2011 VPK School Year Program or the 2010 Summer VPK Program.  VPK is open to all children who reside in the state of Florida and who are four years old. Age eligibility requirements are as follows:

• If your child was born September 2, 2005 - Sept. 1, 2006, they are eligible for the 2010-2011 School Year Program.
• If your child was born September 2, 2005- September 1, 2006, AND did not participate in the VPK School Year Program, they are eligible for the 2010 Summer VPK Program.
• If your child was born September 2, 2006 - September 1, 2007, they will be eligible for the 2011-2012 School Year Program.

Children may participate in the VPK program once. Once a child is eligible to enter kindrgarten, they are no longer eligible to participate in VPK. If you aren't sure about your child's eligiblity or if you have more questions about VPK, please call (813) 740-4713.   

To find a registration location near you, see our Quick Links section to your right.  Also, to read in detail about the VPK Program, download the VPK Parent Handbook, also to your right in our Quick Links section.

 2011 VPK Summer Program

The Coalition is not currently accepting registrations for the 2011 Summer VPK Program.  Details about Summer 2011 will be posted here once they become available.