1. Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK)

2. VPK Florida Legislation Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK) allows every child who resides in Florida and attains the age of four years on or before September 1 of the school year to participate in a high quality learning experience at no cost to parents

3. VPK Florida Legislation  Public, private and faith-based community preschools may offer a 540-hour school year VPK program  Florida public schools may offer a 540-hour school year VPK program  Public, private and faith-based community preschools may offer a 300-hour school summer VPK program  Florida public schools are required to offer a 300 hour summer VPK program

4. Summer VPK To meet the required state mandate of a 300-hour program, Summer VPK was first implemented May 31- July 28, 2006. 700 students attended a seven and a half hour day teachers were employed for an eight-hour day parents participated in after-school Family Literacy events.

5. Summer VPK Curriculum Let’s Begin With The Letter People Curriculum Structured approach to literacy learning that focuses on:  Oral Language and Vocabulary Development  Print Awareness  Phonologic and Phonemic Awareness  Alphabetic Knowledge print awareness,

6. DOE Office of Early Learning www.myfloridaeducation.com/earlylearning www.myfloridaeducation.com/earlylearning  Physical Health  Approaches to Learning  Social and Emotional Development  Language Communication  Emergent Literacy  Cognitive Development  General Knowledge and Motor Development Standards identify what four year old children should know and be able to do by the end of their prekindergarten year. Florida VPK Performance Standards

7. DOE has a free five-hour online Emergent Literacy course, at: www.myfloridaeducation.com/earlylearning Provides technical assistance on emergent literacy, language, emergent reading, emergent writing and environment. VPK Online Training

8. Summer VPK Outdoor Play/Gross Motor Activities

9. Summer VPK Writing Activities

10. VPK Challenges If your child did not attend a VPK Program, why not? Responses from 3,000 Kindergarten parents included: 772 parents never heard of VPK 524 parents were not aware their child was eligible for VPK 400 parents enrolled in another preschool 147 parents indicated no aftercare program at the VPK location 173 parents indicated VPK was too far from home

11. Additional VPK Challenges State policy prohibits the VPK provider from determining eligibility thus parents must complete the VPK eligibility application process at a community agency not at the VPK school. Information is available at www.elcbroward.org Florida’s class-size reduction requirements, limits space in the public schools for the Implementation of a school-year VPK program..

12. Questions? LaQuita Lee, Director PreK-2 Department 754-321-1951

13. Broward County Public Schools VPK Program