WHO WE SERVE
The ELCHC facilitates two main programs, which are funded through the Florida Office of Early Learning. Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is an early learning program available to 4-year-old Florida children, regardless of family income. It is free to parents. The ELCHC also supports supplemental programs aimed at addressing other needs in the community. School Readiness is the second program; it reimburses child care providers who contract with the Early Learning Coalition for children it enrolls in the program. Parents can apply for School Readiness financial assistance, but eligibility is restrictive. A parent must be working but earning at a level that is 150% or less below the poverty line; be enrolled in school at the high school or secondary level; or be receiving disability assistance. Parents still pay a reduced co-payment at most facilities. Within the School Readiness program, Early Learning Coaltions are required to priorize funding to ensure at-risk populations are receiving assistance to increase their chances of success.
Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK)
VPK was implemented in 2002 to give all of Florida’s 4-year-olds access to a quality prekindergarten experience. VPK is designed for children entering kindergarten through school-year program that consists of 540 instructional hours, or a summer program, consisting of 300 instructional hours. VPK includes quality standards, approved curricula, advancement requirements for personnel and lower classroom ratios during VPK instructional hours. VPK programs are also available for children with special needs through the Specialized Instructional Services (SIS). The ELCHC administers and monitors the VPK program for Hillsborough County. Figure 9 illustrates the VPK enrollment for Hillsborough County in the past three years. Figure 9: VPK Enrollment By Year July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018
July 1, 2018- June 30, 2019
July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020
13,712
12,906
13,323
Source: ELCHC, 2019-2020
ELCHC Community Needs Assessment 2021 | Page 12
