The School Readiness program offers qualified parents financial assistance for child care through a variety of services.  These services include extended-day, extended-year, and school age care for children to support parents in becoming financially self-sufficient.

The School Readiness program takes into account the level of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of a child, involves parents as their child's first teacher, prepares children to become ready for school, and provides parents with information on child development and other topics of interest. Each school readiness program provides a developmental screening for children and referrals to specific health and educational specialists. These services work in cooperation with other programs for young children such as Head Start, Early Head Start, and the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program.  In addition, the School Readiness program coordinates and cooperates with local school district systems. Nonetheless, they are a separate program for children ages birth to nineteen years-old and are funded separately.

All families that apply for the School Readiness program can receive information on choosing a child care provider and child care provider listings through Child Care Resource and Referral services.

To learn about eligibility criteria for the School Readiness program and/or to access Child Care Resource and Referral services, please contact your county’s Early Learning Coalition. The Agency for Workforce Innovation-Office of Early Learning Child Care Resource Referral Network can also provide you with their contact information at 1-866-357-3239 (TTY: 711)

CHILD CARE EXECUTIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (CCEP)

The Child Care Executive Partnership Program (CCEP) is an innovative public-private strategy designed to help employers meet the child care needs of their workforce. The Child Care Executive Partnership Act was established by the 1996 legislature, section 409.178, Florida Statutes to expand child care subsidies for low-income working families by utilizing state and federal funds as incentive for matching local funds from local governments, employers, charitable foundations and other sources. The Child Care Executive Partnership Program is a part of the AWI - Office of Early Learning. At the state level, it is governed by a board of nine members of the corporate or child care community appointed by the Governor and a representative of the Executive Office of the Governor. On the local level, child care purchasing pool funds are administered by the community coordinated child care agencies or the state resource and referral agency. 

For more information, visit http://www.ccep.bz/.

HEAD START

Head Start is both the name of a family of federal programs for low-income children and their families and the name given to the original program for children from three to five years of age. The Head Start family of programs includes: Early Head Start, Migrant Head Start, and American Indian Head Start. Head Start is designed to facilitate child development and promote school readiness by enhancing social and cognitive development through the provision of health, educational, nutritional, social and other services to meet the comprehensive needs of families. Eligibility for all Head Start programs is targeted at families at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. Ninety percent of the families must meet these financial eligibility criteria. Ten percent of the funded enrollment is set aside for children with disabilities. Funding for all Head Start programs flows directly from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to local agencies. Communities provide a 25% local match to federal funds. There are no parent fees for this program. There are Head Start services for preschool age children in every county in Florida.

EARLY HEAD START

Early Head Start is a federally funded program that provides early, continuous, intensive and comprehensive child development and family support services to low-income families. The purpose of the Early Head Start program is to enhance children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; to support parents' efforts to fulfill their parental roles; and to help parents move toward self-sufficiency. Early Head Start programs serve low-income pregnant women and families with children from birth to the age of three who are at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. There are no parent fees for this program. There are Early Head Start programs in 35 counties in Florida.

EVEN START FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM

The Even Start program is a federally funded family literacy program designed to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving educational opportunities. Even Start provides an integrated program of adult literacy or adult basic education, early childhood education, and parenting education. It is implemented through cooperative projects that build on existing community resources to promote achievement of the National Education Goals and assist low-income children and adults to achieve state content and student performance standards. Even Start provides a broad range of services to the most-in-need families and their children, birth through age seven years. There are no parent fees for this program. Funding is provided from the U.S. Department of Education to the Florida Department of Education and through an inter-agency agreement to the Office of Early Learning at the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

HOME INSRUCTIONAL PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN (HIPPY)

HIPPY is a home-based instruction program for at-risk families with children ages three to five. HIPPY programs provided educational enrichment activities for children and linkage to community agencies to provide a comprehensive array of services. HIPPY home visitors are highly trained peers that meet with the family on a weekly basis for the 30-35 weeks of the program. Parents commit to work with their children at home on literacy and other activities. Monthly parent groups are offered to provide information and support. HIPPY programs are provided through local school readiness coalitions, school districts, and/or local community based organizations in 12 counties in Florida.

TEENAGE PARENT PROGRAM (TAPP)

The Teenage Parent Program (TAPP) is a state entitlement for educational and support services for students enrolled in public schools who are pregnant or parenting. It is designed to advance their progress toward a high school diploma and meet the special needs of these students and their children. The program provides classes in parenting skills, health and social services, childcare and transportation. There are no parent fees for this program. 

MIGRANT HEAD START

Migrant Head Start programs modify the methods of service delivery to meet the unique needs of migrant and seasonal farmworker families. Migrant Head Start programs have an emphasis on serving infants and toddlers as well as preschool aged children, so they will not have to be cared for in the fields or left in the care of very young siblings while parents are working. Migrant Head Start programs provide a comprehensive array of services in 21 counties in Florida.

AMERICAN INDIAN HEAD START

American Indian Head Start programs support the rich, diverse and unique Indian language, heritage, and legacy. Programs are encouraged to integrate language and culture into their curriculum and program goals as they provide comprehensive developmental services for preschool children ages three to five and their families. In Florida, there is one American Indian Head Start program with the Miccosukee Tribe.