Families must FIRST apply for their VPK Certificate of ELIGIBILITY from the FL Division of Early Learning Family Portal.
Step 1: Obtain a VPK Certificate of Eligibility: Complete the online registration process at: Early Learning Family Portal You will need
- a valid email address
- a copy or photo of your child’s birth certificate and
- a copy or photo of one proof of address to upload.
The Early Learning Coalition office (located at 2459 St. Lucie Ave (14th Ave) Vero Beach, 32960) has computers available for families who may not have a computer or smart phone. Please call 1(877)220-1223 for more information.
Step 2: Call Early Learning Programs Office Application Line to begin lottery application.
CALL 564-3201 or email: [email protected]
“On-time” Lottery applications will be accepted from the second Monday in January to Last Friday in March of current year.
Application includes submitting ALL of these required documents to our office:
- Valid VPK Certificate of Eligibility for upcoming school year
- Child’s Birth Certificate
- Proof of Residency (a bill for a service you receive in your name at your current address for example: water, cable/satellite, electricity, trash collection)
STEP 3: In early April, “On-time” applicants will receive an invite to schedule an appointment for their child to participate in the STAR Early Literacy assessment. Parents will create their FOCUS Parent Portal account or add child to their existing account.
STAR Early Literacy is a web-based assessment that measures both early literacy and early numeracy in a single assessment, providing reliable and valid data about students’ phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, fluency (including estimated oral reading fluency), and vocabulary as well as early number recognition, counting, and more.
STEP 4: In early May, applicants will receive an email to accept a placement in one of our 11 VPK classrooms or notified that their child is on the wait list. Families will need to accept or decline placement to secure their child’s placement for the upcoming school year.
Pending openings at school sites, families who call to apply after March, will begin the assessment and complete their application.
STEP 5: In June and/or July- Families who accept placements will be notified to schedule a final enrollment appointment to come to the Early Learning Programs office to finalize all enrollment documents, review program commitments and sign the VPK Certificate of Eligibility.
STEP 6: In August, Families will receive a call from the VPK teacher to attend program/classroom orientation. Please make sure you contact information such as phone number and email are always up to date in the FOCUS portal for successful communication.
We look forward to meeting you!
Moonshot Radio Interview with Brooke Flood,
SDIRC School Readiness Coordinator
Dr. Nivea L. Torres talks to Brooke Flood, School Readiness Coordinator for SDIRC and KRC Collaborative Board Member, about how to apply for the Child Eligibility Certificate that families need to enroll their child into a VPK program in Indian River County.
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