Providers must meet one of the following requirements to participate in the VPK program:

‍

• They must be a licensed child care facility.
• They must be a licensed family child care home.
• They must be a large licensed family child care home.
• They must be a non-public school or faith-based provider that is exempt from licensure.
• They must be a public school district that has fulfilled the class size amendment.

‍

Registered family child care homes, unlicensed family child care homes and informal child care providers are not eligible to participate in the VPK program.

To qualify as a VPK provider, each provider must meet one of the following criteria:

‍

• They must be accredited by an accrediting association that is a member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation, the Commission of International and Trans-Regional Accreditation, or the Florida Association of Academic Non-Public Schools.
• They must possess a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation.
• They must be a licensed child care provider and demonstrate compliance with VPK program requirements to the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County.

‍

In addition, private providers (excluding public schools) must meet one of the following requirements:

‍

• They must have a Prekindergarten Director with a VPK Director Endorsement issued by DCF, effective January 1, 2007.
• They must have a Prekindergarten Director with a DCF Director Credential issued before December 31, 2006. Prekindergarten Directors with this credential are not required to apply for the VPK Director Endorsement until they renew their DCF Director Credential.

Providers with VPK Readiness Rates below the State Board's minimum will be put on probation and must implement an approved improvement plan. The plan must target either the use of an approved curriculum from the State list or a staff development plan. Proof of purchase of an approved curriculum is required if the provider is not already using one. Click the link for OEL's approved curriculum list.