VPK contract renewal time is here. Below you will find links to the forms for VPK. Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) are due June 19 to be guaranteed for prepayment. Providers who would like a roster on the first day of school should ensure COEs are submitted prior to July 10.
Instructions for Forms OEL-VPK 10, 11A, & 11B 04-30-10

VPK Classroom Capacity Form(s)
Form OEL-VPK 10 Statewide Provider Application 04-30-10 
Form OEL-VPK11A, Class Registration Application – Instructors 04-30-10
Form OEL-VPK11B, Class Registration Application – Calendars 04-30-10

New VPK Provider Contracts for Fall 2017
Form OEL-VPK 20 (October 2016) -- New for Fall 2017
Form OEL-VPK 20PP (October 2016) -- New for Fall 2017
Form OEL-VPK 20PS (October 2016) -- New for Fall 2017
We are in the middle of the conversion to the new OEL Provider Portal. Several features will become available on June 30. These new features will require providers to build the VPK Application in the new OEL Provider Portal prior to start of the VPK Program.

Because providers must have an approved contract prior to school start, please submit the paper forms and contract as soon as possible. This will allow you to begin submitting COEs and enrolling children in your program. All paper forms should be submitted through the Coalition Document Exchange (previously "provider portal"). Please name documents as in previous years so that required documents can be easily identified. Naming documents appropriately will be helpful when you upload in the new OEL Provider Portal.

Once the online VPK Application features are open, providers will have to compete the VPK Application process in the OEL Provider Portal and submit required documents prior to July 21.

Once you have submitted your contract, do not forget to log in to the Bright Beginnings website to order Replacement VPK Assessment Kit materials.

**Remember: Programs must have four children enrolled on the first day of school in order to be a valid VPK Program.**

If you agree with the information on the report, complete the VPK Kindergarten Readiness Rate Verification document, and upload it to your provider portal by June 20.

If you disagree with any information on the report, complete the enclosed VPK Kindergarten Readiness Rate Verification document. Mark the corrections on the Readiness Rate Child Detail report, and upload both documents to your provider portal by June 20.

Section 6M-8.305 of the Florida Administrative Code requires all providers who receive VPK funds to verify the annual cumulative attendance of each child enrolled in the provider's VPK program. This process certifies the paid hours of attendance for each child enrolled during the program year. Every provider must complete this process before they receive their final VPK payment.

In accordance with the rules of the agency, the Coalition will not issue a final payment to the provider for the VPK Program year until the provider certifies the annual cumulative attendance of each child enrolled in the VPK Program. 

This is a reminder that the end of the fiscal year is approaching. The Reimbursement Team needs your adjustments sent as soon as possible to ensure you receive payment. Remember to submit your supporting document to the Coalition Document Exchange (formerly "provider portal") and all payment adjustments to the Child Care Payment Adjustment Form. Remember that the Reimbursement Team can only adjust 60 days back.

If you have questions or concerns, please email redline@elcnwf.org.

Each provider must maintain either a VPK Student Attendance or Child Attendance and Parental Choice Certificate form for each child in the VPK Program. Parents are required to sign and date this form on the last school day or after verifying attendance during the prior month. As a reminder, please upload either the OEL-VPK 03 (S) form with sign-in/sign-out sheets or the OEL-VPK 03 (L) form for the end of the 2016-2017 School Year with May rosters or soon after you conclude VPK.   

Florida Office of Early Learning Executive Director Rodney J. MacKinnon visited the main office for the ELC of Northwest Florida on Tuesday, June 6, during the monthly Coalition Connection Face-to-Face Meeting. MacKinnon discussed the latest developments in the Office of Early Learning, including recent successes in the early learning landscape.  In addition to news of federal funding increases, MacKinnon shared updates on technology changes for kindergarten-readiness assessments and the continued funding support for the Performance Funding Project. MacKinnon responded to questions from child care providers, early learning teachers, coalition staff and board members.  At the conclusion of the meeting, he spent time sitting and discussing issues with providers one-on-one.  

This article was featured in OEL's monthly Public Information Office Early Learning Update, and a similar news story was featured on local news station WMBB-TV. 

Spring showers have come and gone. Now, it’s time to get outside and have some fun! Summer break is here for the children in our area, and there are plenty of activities in which children can participate. From visiting our local beaches to planting a garden, children benefit most from a balanced summer activity schedule to minimize boredom and maximize physical activity.

The 5-2-1-0 link below is a wonderful tool for parents to use while creating the most enjoyable summer break for their kids. Also attached please find the June 2017 edition of OEL's "Early Learning Parents' Pages" and a link to OEL's "Summer Activities" page.

On Friday, June 30, Life Management Center or Northwest Florida will hold their annual Girls Night Out (GNO) & Bunco event to benefit the Healthy Families program. The cost is $35 if you preregister. Please see the attached flier for more information about the event and how to register.

It is hard to believe that the 2016/2017 PFP year is winding down. The final benchmark for this year is due by June 30, 2017. As before, it is important upload your documents well before the deadline.

For this benchmark, you will upload documentation related to your Professional Development Plan. For the Professional Development Plan, you will need to upload documents for each instructor/director; what is uploaded may vary from instructor to instructor based on the individual’s Professional Development Plan. You will need to upload a Professional Development Plan summary for each instructor/director.
Here is a sample of things that can be used to show evidence of progress in each instructor/director’s Professional Development Plan:

• Proof of program or course registration
• Dated screenshot of modules at halfway point of program
• Official program certificate upon program completion
• Attestation signed by program instructor and practitioner of program participation at halfway point of program
• Official college transcript
• Current course schedule to include practitioner contact information
• Official program certificate or college transcript upon program completion

If you have an instructor/director who is Tier 3 and has selected the Florida Advance Early Care and Education Credential, that instructor/director must upload one certificate of mastery from Early Learning Florida coursework along with their Professional Development Plan summary. If you have an instructor/director who is Tier 4 or higher on their Professional Development Plan, you must only upload their Professional Development Plan summary.

If you have questions or concerns, please email the redline@elcnwf.org.

If you need to contact the OEL Help Desk to open a service ticket regarding your OEL Provider Portal account, please use this phone number and email address as soon as you identify an issue:

Email: service.desk@oel.myflorida.com

Call: 850-717-8600

Note: If you already have an active ticket, please follow up with the OEL Help Desk to get regular updates on the progress of your ticket. If you need additional support, please email redline@elcnwf.org.