Pinellas County, Fla. -Beginning this week, 200 Pinellas County children will enjoy the benefits of a full day of prekindergarten, as the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) launches the first ever PreK All Day program.  PreK All Day is a Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) funded, county-wide pilot initiative providing early learning subsidy scholarships to children living in Pinellas County, ages four to five.  "We are incredibly fortunate to have JWB's support on this initiative," states Lindsay Carson, Coalition CEO. "In implementing this pilot program, we are ensuring that more children have access to high-quality early learning opportunities."  Families receiving PreK All Day scholarships  must choose a provider with either a  Florida Gold Seal designation,  or a participant in the Early Learning Performance Funding Project (ELPFP)--a reward based program designed  to increase quality standards.  ELPFP providers participate in quality improvement strategies including specialized training, professional development, coaching, and child assessment practices to improve child outcomes.

PreK All Day will support children who are eligible for Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK),  but ineligible for School Readiness scholarships.  These scholarships  will support the wrap-care for the duration of the child's school year VPK program and full-time care during the summer before kindergarten.  "This is a game changer for Pinellas families," states Sarah Grimmig, Family Services Manager at the ELC, "there are so many families in need that are unable to receive care, but are slightly above the Federal Poverty Level.  PreK All Day gives them the option of full time, high-quality care to prepare them for Kindergarten and beyond.  This may not have been an option before."   

VPK is a state-funded education program offered to all Florida 4-year-olds.  Recently, the Coalition featured local high-quality providers in both an English and Spanish commercial--utilizing parents, students, and teachers to highlight the benefits of the VPK program first hand.  Follow the links below to view both commercials, and learn how VPK helps Pinellas County families:

• English: https://youtu.be/ZgHL4lhBTqA
• Spanish: https://youtu.be/ROAV7yAPIss

To register for VPK and inquire about wrap-care scholarships, parents may call 727-400-4411.  For more information on VPK, please visit www.VPKPinellas.net.

About the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas

The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc. works to ensure programs and services are available to assist young children during their formative years by administering Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program and School Readiness (SR) Scholarships. Florida's VPK program is free for all children who are four-years-old. School Readiness Scholarships provide assistance for low-income working families by paying a portion of the child care costs on a sliding fee scale.

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