Children who are four on or before September 1 of the current school year are eligible to participate in VPK. If your child turns four between February 2 and September 1, you can postpone VPK until your child is five.

You can apply as early as January 1 of the year your child is eligible to attend VPK.

Click the button below, which will take you to the Department of Education, Division of Early Learning Family Portal. Log in or create an account to complete an application. For assistance with creating a Family Portal account, click the yellow button below for a video with step-by-step instructions.

Family Portal

Family Portal Training Videos

Please feel free to visit the Coalition office for personal assistance with your application as well as access to computers and scanners.

What Documents Will I Need to Apply?

Verification of Child’s Age – Provide any one of the following:

• Child’s birth certificate
• Child’s life insurance policy that has been in force for at least two years
• A passport or certificate of the child’s arrival in the U.S.
• Immunization record that is signed/stamped by public health officer/licensed physician
• Valid military dependent identification
• Federal or State government issued identification card
• Certificate of Baptism, including affidavit
• If none of the above documents are available, a parent’s/guardian’s notarized affidavit of the child’s age and a letter signed by a public health officer or physician on official letterhead stating that the child’s age shown in the affidavit is true and correct

Proof of Florida Residency – Provide any one of the following:

• Florida driver’s license
• Florida identification card
• Vehicle registration
• Signed residential rental agreement or receipt of rental payment that contains a name and address, dated within 12 months of the date the application is submitted
• Electric, gas, water, cable, internet, or phone bill (home or cell), dated within 12 months of the date of the application
• Paystub, that includes applicant’s home address, dated within 12 months of the date of the application
• Property tax assessment showing a homestead exemption
• Military order showing the child’s parent as a service member in the U.S. Armed Forces assigned to duty and residing in Florida
• Federal government order showing that the child’s parent is a federal employee assigned to work in Florida when the child attends the VPK Program
• A Florida Migrant Education Program Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Florida Department of Education
• If none of the above documents are available, a notarized affidavit from the child’s parent/guardian AND a letter from a landlord, property owner, or property leasee who confirms the child resides at the address shown in the notarized statement
• If none of the above supporting documents are available for a family experiencing homelessness, a letter from a housing shelter, a homeless referral, student residency questionnaire issued by the local school district, OR a notarized statement from the child’s parent/guardian

Child’s IEP, if applicable – Provide the following if applying for VPK Specialized Instructional Services (SIS):

• Copy of child’s current IEP

VPK school-year programs include 540 instructional hours. Class sizes can be up to 11 students with a single lead teacher or up to 20 students with a lead teacher and an assistant. Teachers must have a minimum of a Florida Child Care Professional Credential.

Summer VPK programs include 300 instructional hours. Class size can be up to 12 students with a single lead teacher. Teachers must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

VPK Specialized Instructional Services (SIS) Education Program is for four-year-olds who have a current IEP from the local school district. VPK SIS education programs take place outside of a traditional classroom setting in individual or small group settings. Services are based on the child’s IEP and may include:

• Applied behavior analysis
• Speech language pathology
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Listening and spoken language instruction
• Other specialized instructional services

Services are provided by licensed professionals who have applied and been approved by the Florida Department of Education. State funding is the same as for traditional VPK but is based on the rates specialists charge for their services. Therefore, students in VPK SIS may receive fewer hours of service than in traditional VPK.

Once you have completed and submitted your application, Coalition staff will follow up with you by email within ten business days regarding your application status.

If your application is rejected, the email will list the reason (scroll to the bottom of the email for details).

If your application is approved, the email will include instructions on how to access and print your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) along with additional VPK program information. You will need your COE to enroll with a VPK provider.

The Coalition contracts with public schools, licensed child care centers, license-exempt faith-based child care centers, and family child care homes to offer VPK programs. All providers must meet VPK program and quality standards, including high literacy standards, approved curricula, manageable class sizes, qualified instructors, and program assessments. Actual services, hours per day, and days per week vary based on the program and provider you select. Click Here for VPK Provider Profiles.

Please note Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) hosts a VPK Lottery Application Process each school year. The lottery window typically opens for one month in the spring. To apply for the MCPS VPK lottery, you first need to apply for VPK following the steps above and receive your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Once you have a COE, follow the application steps found on the MCPS Early Learning webpage. After the lottery process, available seats at each school are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

VPK is free for eligible children. VPK providers cannot charge a registration fee or require you to enroll in any additional services or wraparound care as a condition of enrollment. VPK providers can charge fees for programs or care that is not part of the VPK program, such as late charges, transportation, field trips, extended day, or wraparound care. If field trips are part of the VPK day, providers may ask families to contribute to the cost but cannot require them to do so. The VPK provider must also have an alternative activity for children who do not attend a field trip.

You are responsible for your child’s transportation to and from VPK. Some VPK providers may offer transportation services at a cost. Be sure to select a VPK provider that meets your family’s needs.

All VPK providers monitor student progress at least three times throughout the program. The Star Early Literacy assessments are used to measure skills needed to help students become future readers. The assessment is given on a computer and takes less than 15 minutes to complete. Questions get easier or more difficult based on the student’s response. Teachers use the data from the assessments to learn what students already know, what they are ready to learn next, and where students may need additional help.

All Marion County children under five years old are eligible to register for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and receive a free book in the mail each month until their fifth birthday. Additionally, VPK students who are not yet meeting age-appropriate standards on the Star Early Literacy progress monitoring assessment are eligible to join Florida’s New Worlds Reading initiative and receive nine free books per year through fifth grade.

You are responsible for ensuring your child attends the VPK program on a regular basis. Missing just one or two days of preschool every few weeks makes it harder for children to develop the skills they need to be successful in school. Develop good attendance habits early. Be sure to ask your VPK provider about their attendance policy and talk to them about any attendance challenges you may have. Your provider may be able to assist you with finding solutions.

You may withdraw your child from VPK at any time; however, your child may only be reenrolled in another VPK program under specific conditions:

• If your child did not complete more than 70 percent of the School-Year VPK program, you may be eligible to apply for reenrollment for the Summer Program due to extreme hardship. Contact the Coalition to discuss your specific situation.
• You may apply to reenroll your child in the same VPK program type if your child has not completed more than 70 percent of VPK hours.

Generally, your child’s VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE) can either be used for the School-Year Program or the Summer Program. You cannot enroll in more than one program type. However, if your child did not complete more than 70 percent of the School-Year Program, you may be eligible to apply for extreme hardship reenrollment for the Summer Program. Contact the Coalition to discuss your specific situation.

If your child turns four between February 2 and September 1, did not attend more than 70 percent of the previous VPK program year, and has not registered for kindergarten, you may re-apply for VPK and submit a VPK Re-enrollment form with your application. Contact the Coalition with any questions and to receive assistance.