Florida is one of the few states in the US offering all of its 4-year-old children free access to free pre-kindergarten education. The state’s Voluntary Free PreKindergarten program provides emergent literacy skills — including letter and sound recognition — that can help a child be successful throughout his or her education as well as into their career.
Parents can enroll their child in top-quality programs at participating private child-care and educational centers including The Amazing Explorers Academy.
Choice of Programs
Parents of Florida children have the option of enrolling their children in one of two free programs that will help improve self-management skills as well as develop literacy to improve learning abilities throughout their entire lives.
The state offers free pre-kindergarten programs with 540 instructional hours or a summer program that includes 300 instructional hours. In both options, children have access to qualified instructors teaching an age-appropriate curriculum that emphasizes early literacy skills, as well as manageable class sizes.
With the 540-hour school year option, class sizes won’t exceed 20 students and instructors are required to have a minimum of a Child Development Associate’s Degree. The 300-hour summer program must have class sizes that do not exceed 12 students and instructors need to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree.
Easy to Enroll
This free state program is available to all Florida 4-year-olds, regardless of income, location, or background. The only requirements are that the child resides in the state of Florida and is 4 years old by the start of the scheduled program chosen by their parents.
Signing up your child simply requires visiting the state program’s website, creating an online account, and following the instructions to upload a copy of the child’s birth certificate and proof of residency. Parents can simply provide a copy of their driver’s license, utility bill, or current lease or mortgage.
