FL People - Voluntary Pre-K question

[LoveBWVVBR]

I know that each school only has so many slots for the state-paid VPK. Is your child more likely to get a slot at a particular school if you pay to send them part-time to that school when they are 3? My DD is still a toddler, but the other moms at Kindermusic were talking about standing in a line to get their kid into one of the VPK programs. Our DD is going to go to the local Montessori for K-6, so we'd like to send her there for VPK. I hadn't really wanted to send her to preschool there at 3 because it's 5 days a week, but now I wonder if I need to consider it just to get her a VPK slot there

 

[Aidensmom]

I believe the schools have to accept the applications on a first come, first serve basis, so it shouldn't matter if your child is already enrolled there. My son was in voluntary pre-k last year at the same place he had been attending for daycare previously, and there were a number of children enrolled that had not previously gone there.

You can get more info here:

http://www.floridajobs.org/VPK/index.html

 

[lillygator]

is your child in preschool now?

My daughters go to full day preschool so this program would not work for us since it is only a few hours and I would have to find before/after care.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

No, my DD is still a toddler and I am a SAHM, so she doesn't go to any preschool program now. I got the impression from some other mothers that the preschools accept existing students for VPK before they accept "outside" applicants, but it sounds like that should not be the case.

I'm not sure if maybe you can do VPK for part of your childcare fees in the 4 year-old year There are plenty of 4 year-olds in FL who go to full-time daycare, so VPK must work with those programs somehow.

 

[Aidensmom]

I'm not sure if maybe you can do VPK for part of your childcare fees in the 4 year-old year There are plenty of 4 year-olds in FL who go to full-time daycare, so VPK must work with those programs somehow.

That is the case at many providers. Where my son went, until 11:00 am it was VPK at no cost, it cost me $80/week to keep him there in care (with the same teacher in the same classroom as VPK) for the remainder of the day.