How to Choose a VPK Provider in Miami-Dade

If your child turns 4 by September 1, they can attend Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program, and in Miami-Dade you choose the provider. This guide covers what VPK pays for, how to enroll, how providers differ, and the questions worth asking before you commit. Everything about the program's rules comes from the state's own VPK Handbook and VPK Help.

What VPK is, and what it covers

VPK is a state program designed to prepare Florida children for kindergarten. The state funds the instructional hours, so families do not pay for the VPK hours themselves. Any care a provider offers outside those hours is separate and is paid for by the family.

• Who is eligible: children who live in Florida and are 4 years old on or before September 1. A child born between February 2 and September 1 can start that year or wait and enroll the next year, at 5, before kindergarten.
• School-year program: 540 instructional hours, with classes of no more than 20 children and one instructor for every 11 children.
• Summer program: 300 instructional hours, with classes of no more than 12 children and one instructor for every 12.
• Residency: the only requirement is that the child lives in Florida while attending VPK.

How to enroll

1. Apply online at the Florida Family Portal: choose Apply for Voluntary Prekindergarten, create a user name and password, and fill out the application.
2. Have proof of Florida residence and proof of your child's age ready.
3. Your local early learning coalition reviews the application. Once it is approved you receive a Certificate of Eligibility, which you take to the VPK provider you choose.

In Miami-Dade, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe can help at (305) 646-7220, and the state's Division of Early Learning answers questions at 1-866-357-3239.

How VPK providers differ

Parent choice is a priority in VPK, so many kinds of providers take part: private centers, family child care homes, public schools and faith-based programs. All of them must meet the state's VPK standards, but they are not all the same.

• Schedule. Providers decide how to structure the hours per day and days per week, as long as they deliver the required instructional hours. Some run VPK as a few hours a day; others fit it inside a longer day.
• Teachers. A lead VPK instructor needs at least a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for the school-year program. Private providers also need a director with a VPK director credential.
• Class size and ratio. The limits above are the ceiling. Some providers keep groups smaller.
• Curriculum. VPK curriculum must be age-appropriate, with a focus on early literacy and early math, and prepare children for kindergarten under state standards.
• Setting. Private providers must be licensed, legally exempt, or accredited. You can look up a provider's profile in the DCF provider search.

What a provider can and cannot charge

This is the part families are most often unsure about. According to the state handbook, a VPK provider may not charge a registration fee for VPK, and may not require you to agree to additional or wraparound services as a condition of enrolling in VPK. State law does allow a provider to charge for things that are not part of VPK, such as extended care, wraparound care, late charges and field trips. If a provider offers extended-day care, paying for it is your choice.

Questions to ask every VPK provider

1. Which hours are the VPK instructional hours, and what do the other hours cost if I choose them?
2. Is extended care optional, and is there a registration fee for VPK?
3. What are the lead teacher's qualifications?
4. How many children are in the class, and how many teachers?
5. Which curriculum do you use, and how do you teach early literacy and early math?
6. What are your discipline and attendance policies? (The state recommends reading these before you decide.)
7. How will I hear about my child's progress?

Where to find VPK providers in Miami-Dade

• Search provider profiles in the DCF provider search.
• Ask the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe at (305) 646-7220 to confirm a provider offers VPK.
• Call your local Child Care Resource and Referral office through the state line, 1-866-357-3239, for a free customized list of VPK providers near you.

VPK at Bufi

Bufi Preschool is a Florida DCF-licensed child care provider in Doral (license C11MD1317) and a VPK provider, with English and Spanish spoken naturally throughout the day and the Creative Curriculum. You can read how it works here on our VPK page, then book a tour and bring the questions above.