Preparing My Child for School
Helpful Hints
How well children will learn, develop and perform in school depends on a number of things, including their health and well-being, their social and emotional preparation, their language skills and general knowledge of the world.
Here are some tips and activities from the U.S. Department of Education on how to help your preschooler be ready to learn when he or she enters kindergarten.
Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Education
In 2002, Florida Voters approved The Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Education (VPK) Program through constitutional amendment. The goal of the program, signed into law in 2004, is to prepare 4 year olds for kindergarten and lay the foundation for their educational success. The program allows a parent to enroll his or her eligible child in a free pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) program.
How Do I Know if My Child is Eligible for VPK?
Each child residing in Florida who will be four years of age on or before September 1 of the school year is eligible for the pre-K program during that school year. A child remains eligible until the beginning of the school year for which the child is eligible for admission to Kindergarten in a public school (i.e. the child reaches age 5 years on or before September 1 of the school year) or is admitted to kindergarten, whichever occurs first.
VPK Resources
- Family Central's VPK page
- Early Learning Coalition's VPK page
- Agency for Workforce Innovation's VPK page