What is School Readiness?

School Readiness is a program that provides financial assistance for early learning, helping families access affordable, high-quality child care. It focuses on preparing children with the skills they need for school and future success, including social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) is a free program for 4-year-olds in Florida that prepares them for kindergarten by focusing on key early learning skills. It builds a strong foundation for academic success and lifelong learning.

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) is a free service that helps families find affordable child care and early education programs. It also offers information about financial assistance and local resources to support parents.

The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) is a reliable tool that helps parents and caregivers track their child’s developmental progress from birth to age 6. By answering simple questions about their child’s skills, parents can identify any potential delays early on. This allows them to seek appropriate support or interventions to ensure their child is on the right path to success. The ASQ covers both developmental and social-emotional areas and is easy to complete.

Business Resources for Providers

Child care providers in Florida must have a written plan to keep children and staff safe during emergencies. This plan should explain what to do if a child goes missing, if there is suspected child mistreatment, if someone gets seriously hurt or sick, if a child or staff member passes away, or if a dangerous person tries to enter the center. In the case of a fire or natural disaster, providers must notify the licensing office within 24 hours about whether they are open or closed to ensure safety standards are met.

To help with emergency planning, resources are available, including guidelines on reopening after a disaster, Florida’s emergency plan for child care, and a sample plan to assist providers in creating their own. By following these rules and using the provided resources, child care providers can be well-prepared to handle emergencies and keep children safe.

For information about how to create a plan, what to include in a disaster kit, where to find storm updates, and many other subjects, please visit the resources listed below.n assisted treatment is an effective treatment method that can help individuals overcome addiction and prevent relapse. You can learn more about medication assisted treatment here.
Ready.gov: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster preparedness website contains detailed planning guides for families, businesses, pets, and special populations, as well as detailed information about disasters and emergencies.tive treatment method that can help individuals overcome addiction and prevent relapse. You can learn more about medication assisted treatment here.
FloridaDisaster.org: The Florida Division of Emergency Management’s website is the best resource for Florida specific evacuation maps, shelter information, and storm updates.
PrepareFL: The Florida Department of Financial Services provides a printable Emergency Financial Preparedness Toolkit available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
ALERT Florida: Sign up for emergency emails and text messages from your city and county emergency management officials
DBPR Hurricane Guide: Compiled by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the DBPR Hurricane Guide contains an emergency kit checklist, emergency planning guidelines, hurricane safety tips, and more. For information about Hurricane Preparedness and how to stay informed, please visit FloridaDisaster.Biz
Other Disaster Preparedness Information
Download the PDF file for Other Disaster Preparedness Information
Download the PDF file for Child Care Weather Watch

In order to ensure program quality, our Risk Management team carries out annual program assurance monitoring for childcare providers. Our team completes contract monitoring for School Readiness (SR) and RCMA Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs on an annual basis. Please see below for the monitoring and compliance process; we would like to ensure you have an opportunity to review the requirements and expectations beforehand.
Should you have any questions regarding the contract monitoring process, please contact Risk Management at (239) 935-6172.
Downloads:
SR Monitoring Tool
Document Request for Onsite Monitoring

Tallahassee Community College (TCC)
Kathryn Harvey: Call (850) 201-8305 or email harveyk@tcc.fl.edu
ECPC (Early Childhood Professional Certificate) through the Department of Education
Florida South Western College
Dr. Kelly Roy: Call (239) 985-3423 or email kelly.kantzRoy@fsw.edu
Palm Beach State College: Program code 5390
Susy Martinez (White Program Director): Call (561) 868-3807 or email Martines@palmbeachstate.edu
Nancy Cabrera (Program Assistant): Call (561) 868-4041 or email Cabreran@palmbeachstate.edu
National Early Childhood Credentials (NECC)
The Council for Professional Recognition is a group through whom a national accreditation can be earned. Any of the above credentials can lead toward a National CDA. The contact is www.cdacouncil.org. Application packets can be purchased through the Council. For specific information regarding the National CDA, see the Council for Professional Recognition website.

Business Resources for Early Learning Providers

Quick Links

Quick Links

Business Resources for Early Learning Providers

Disaster Preparation Resources - Local

Disaster Preparation Resources - National

Brochures & Flyers for Providers

Provider Technical Assistance

Developmental Support/Warm Line Services

Contract Monitoring

Online courses approved by Florida Department of Education

Quick Links

Quick Links