VPK what you need to know

Voluntary Prekindergarten or VPK gives children a jump start by preparing them for school and enhancing their pre-reading, pre-math, language and social skills. By developing the skills children need to become strong readers and students at an early age, children are more likely to be successful in school. VPK classrooms offer high-quality programs that include high literacy standards, developmentally appropriate curricula, manageable class sizes, and qualified teachers.

If you live in Florida and have a child who turns 4 years of age by September 1, your child is eligible for Florida’s FREE VPK program. Your child can attend one of the two programs offered annually. The school-year program includes 540 hours of instructional time and begins in August. The summer program consists of 300 instructional hours and can begin as early as May 1.

There are a number of private child care and public school providers offering the VPK program across Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. For information in Miami-Dade call (305) 373-3521 and for information in Monroe call (305) 296-5557.

What is VPK??

VPK stands for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. If you live in Florida, and your child turns 4 four years of age by September 1, your child is eligible to participate in Florida's FREE Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) education program.

Benefits of early education and the VPK program

• The most important growth and development in the brain happens by the age of five.
• The early years are the learning years. A child’s ability to be attentive and to follow directions emerges in the early years. Structured early learning fosters these abilities for later success in school and in life.
• Pre-K prepares children to be ready for school. Children who participate in high-quality early childhood education programs develop better language skills, score higher in school-readiness tests and have better social skills and fewer behavioral problems once they enter school. They are also better prepared for Kindergarten, especially in the areas of pre-reading, pre-math and social skills.
• Pre-K promotes a love of learning in children. Pre-K enhances what a child learns at home and instills a love of life-long learning.

Where to get VPK certificate, VPK registration sites

Frankie Shannon Rolle Neighborhood Service Center
3750 South Dixie Highway
Miami, FL  33133
Phone: (305) 694-3510

Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm (noon) 

Miami Gardens
16405 NW 25th Ave.
Miami Gardens, FL 33054
Phone: (305) 626-7969
Fax: (305) 628-0130

Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm (noon) 

Naranja Office
13955 SW 264th Street
Naranja, FL 33032
Phone: (305) 258-5471

Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm (noon) 

What you need to bring to get your VPK certificate

*Child's birth certificate

*Social security cards for child * parent

*current FPL bill

*driver's license of parent

Please note that these sites only see a certain amount of parents per day from 8am to 10am, it's first come, first serve. For more information just go to http://www.vpkhelp.org/