Special to the Lake Okeechobee News
PALM BEACH COUNTY -- Children who will be 4-years-old by Sept. 1, 2021 may be enrolled in Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) at Palm Beach County Schools.
To be eligible to participate in the School District of Palm Beach County 2021-2022 VPK program, children must be four years of age by Sept. 1, 2021, and must reside in Palm Beach County.
The first step for parents is to complete an application for a VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE) online at
familyservices.floridaearlylearning.com. Parents may seek assistance from the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) with this application, which is available in multiple languages, at
https://www.elcpalmbeach.org/ or by calling 561- 514-3300.
Beginning March 1, 2021, school sites may begin taking enrollment applications for FY22 VPK programs. In the interim, schools may choose to create a waitlist for applicants, although this step in the process is voluntary. Per the Office of Early Learning Program Guidance 508.22, SWD are welcome in all VPK classrooms. Therefore, the ESE Department may begin making appropriate placements prior to March 1, 2021. To further ensure equity and inclusion, the District will continue to offer the VPK/Inclusion program (10 SWD) in both Title I and non-Title I schools.
While the intention is to maintain all VPK classrooms, there may be changes in program model structure and implementation due to the impact of COVID-19 on VPK resources. For more information, contact M.J. Steele, Director, Department of Early Childhood Education, at m.j.steele@palmbeachschools.org.
