B3.01 - Approve the State of Florida Statewide Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Provider Contract Form Office of Early Learning (OEL)-VPK 20 and Form OEL-VPK 20PS with the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (ELCHC) for the 2020/2021 School Year (Climate and Culture)

The attached contract establishes the specific program requirements, enrollment, accountability, and financial processes for all VPK programs in Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS).

The district will provide the VPK program through several delivery models:

• Head Start/VPK Blend
• Primary Exceptional Education Preschool Services (PEEPS)/VPK Blend
• Migrant VPK
• Title I VPK

The program is funded through reimbursements from the ELCHC for a maximum of 540 hours for school-year programs and 300 hours for summer programs. For hours beyond VPK, a weekly Extended Learning Time fee is charged on a sliding scale based on the family’s Free/Reduced Lunch status (Free-$10, Reduced-$25, Full Pay-$75).The list of district elementary schools providing all planned VPK programs is included with the contract.

The ELCHC requires The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida to be the first signer on the contract.

Participation in a VPK program develops foundational skills (academic, social, and emotional) which help students make a smooth transition into kindergarten. In the state of Florida, 63 percent of children that completed a VPK program were “ready” for kindergarten where 47 percent of children that did not participate in a VPK program were “ready” for kindergarten.  Providing VPK in our school district will increase the percentage of students who enter our schools “ready” for kindergarten. 

Readiness for Kindergarten is measured by student performance on the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS). This assessment is administered during the first 30 days of kindergarten following the VPK program.  HCPS has provided VPK since the summer of 2006. Students entering kindergarten who have completed a VPK program consistently outperform those who did not participate.

It is expected that students participating in school year and summer VPK programs will continue to outperform those who do not take advantage of this opportunity. Increased progress monitoring and reporting of student progress to site and district administration will maintain teacher focus on the success of every child and should result in an increase in site-based readiness rates.

* Improve the high school graduation rate

* Provide a student-centered learning environment that engages every child

That the Hillsborough County School Board approve the State of Florida Statewide VPK Provider Contract Form OEL-VPK 20 and Form OEL-VPK 20PS with the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County for 2020/2021.

Sandra Show, Supervisor, Kindergarten Transition, Sandra.show@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 837-7712
Louis Murphy, Director, Early Childhood and After School Programs, louish.murphy@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 272-4461

The Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County is the fiscal agent for the VPK program funds. Funding per child will be accessed through monthly payments with reconciliation at the conclusion of the contract.  All district audit requirements will be met.

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