The Early Learning Coalition Of Southwest Florida Inc

Voluntary pre-kindergarten (vpk): a legislatively mandated, statewide program designed to prepare every four-year-old and younger five-year-olds in florida for kindergarten and build the foundation for their educational success. The vpk program gives each child an opportunity for preparation to perform better in school and throughout life through participation in vpk. Providers contract to assure high literacy standards, accountability, appropriate curriculum, substantial instruction periods, manageable class sizes, and qualified instructors. The early learning coalition of southwest florida supports the vpk program in collier, glades, hendry and lee counties by contracting for voluntary pre-kindergarten services and supporting the development of high quality vpk providers. The program is available for four and five-year-old children in 262 sites serving 7,726 children in our 4-county region.

American rescue plan act early learning discretionary grant: this initiative is funded from the american rescue plan (arp) act discretionary child care and development block grant trust fund in section 53 of chapter 2023-239, laws of florida. The purpose of this funding is to implement an early learning discretionary grant program for the following purposes: increasing/building the supply of child care, training, professional learning activities, and workforce initiatives, local initiatives/pilot projects to improve kindergarten readiness, community outreach and family engagement, equipment, supplies, classroom materials, curriculum, business administration computer software, early learning software and technology.