What is Florida VPK, and who can use it in Palm Beach County?
Florida's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program (VPK) gives every four-year-old who is four on or before September 1 a free pre-K year, regardless of family income, in a school-year program of 540 instructional hours. Children with birthdays from February 2 through September 1 may enroll that year or wait until the next.
Class size in a school-year VPK program is capped at 20 students. VPK is separate from School Readiness, which is income-based child care assistance.
How does a Palm Beach family register for VPK?
A family registers through the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, online or at a self-service kiosk, then takes the eligibility certificate to a participating provider. A parent guide published by Every Parent PBC lists kiosks in Riviera Beach, Palm Springs and Belle Glade, and the coalition's number is 561-514-3300.
Not every private school or church preschool is a VPK provider. Ask whether the program is VPK-approved before you rely on the free hours.
Can a child who does VPK at a private school stay for kindergarten?
Often, yes. After a VPK year at a private school the child may stay on for kindergarten with the Private School Scholarship, which is $8,890 for a Palm Beach County K-3 child in 2026-27, provided that school participates.
The directory flags 79 Palm Beach County schools that serve pre-K, and 65 of them also carry the Private School Scholarship flag.
What is VPK, and what is it not?
The short version: a free pre-K year for every four-year-old, and not free all day: extended-day and aftercare hours are billed by the provider.
| VPK is | VPK is not |
|---|---|
| A free pre-K year for every four-year-old | Free all day: extended-day and aftercare hours are billed by the provider |
| Delivered by approved private schools, church programs and centers | Delivered only by public schools |
| Separate from the K-12 scholarships | A replacement for the Private School Scholarship in kindergarten |