The Parent's Role in the VPK Program and Registration Process
Parental
choice is the driving factor in the VPK program and parents' participation
in many parts of the administrative process is vital. In fact, as
a VPK director, your role will be to help parents understand that
they are a part of the process before (registration), during (attendance
verification), and after (accountability) the VPK program.
Families
need to complete an application process to enroll their children.
Children are eligible for VPK if they are four on or before September
1 and they reside in Florida. If children meet the eligibility requirements,
families complete an application form, which they can obtain online
at http://www.floridajobs.org/
earlylearning/documents/VPKForm01.pdf,
or by calling their local coalition.
Once the application and supporting documentation (including verification of their child’s birth date and proof that they reside in Florida) are complete, the parents will have a face-to-face meeting with an eligibility counselor in the county. If the child meets the eligibility requirements, the parents receive a certificate of eligibility which they can take to the VPK program of their choice.
As the director of a VPK program, you call in the verification numbers on this certificate and the child is officially enrolled in your program. Once again, the actual procedure may vary from county to county; check with your local coalition for details.
You may also review the Family Guide to Early Education and Quality
checklist on AWI's website at
http://www.floridajobs.org/early
learning/oel_parentaccess.html.
