Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) is a state-funded free three hour per weekday early learning program designed to prepare children for success in kindergarten.

Florida Department of Education Division of Early Learning VPK Fact Sheet

• To be eligible to participate in the VPK program, children must be 4 years old on or before September 1st of the academic year they plan to attend.
• Children must be Florida residents living within Pasco county to apply for one of our Pasco County Schools VPK programs.
• To be eligible to attend a VPK Title 1 site, the child must meet age criteria above and live in the school zone boundaries. 

VPK Fact Sheet

You may obtain a list of current eligible private and *public VPK programs in Pasco and Hernando Counties at the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando. 

*Public school locations may vary year to year. The application for the school year in which you are applying will list the offered sites for that year. If a school's waitlist becomes extensive, it will be removed from the list of available schools to apply for. 

To be eligible to attend a VPK Title 1 site, the child must meet age criteria above and live in the school zone boundaries. 

For all other VPK program options, you do not have to live in the school zone to attend. 

• You must obtain a VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando in PDF format prior to applying for any VPK program.
  • To obtain a VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE), go to their website elcph.org, create a family portal, and *submit an application for the VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
• If you choose a private VPK provider, apply directly with them.
• If you choose a Pasco County School, follow steps 1 to 3 on our VPK page under the academic year you wish your child to attend.

*The Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando will usually not begin accepting applications prior to January 1st of the acadamic year for which you are applying. They are a separate entity from Pasco County Schools, so always reach out directly to them for their most current information: (727) 233-8291.

• If you have difficulties with creating a family portal or applying for the VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE), please reach out to the the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando. They are a separate entity from Pasco County Schools, so always reach out directly to them for technical assistance:  (727) 233-8291.
  • To download your VPK Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from your Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando family portal, click the blue bar as indicated in the screenshot below, taking note of your file name and save location for easy uploading:

• If you have difficulties with the Pasco County Schools VPK application, please call us at 813-981-7301.

Space is very limited at our VPK schools, and enrollment is not guaranteed.

• The VPK spaces for ALL classrooms are on a first come, first serve basis.
• Hardship applications will not be considered for our VPK programs.
• We cannot accommodate sibling preference as there are not enough spots to accommodate every sibling at each school site. 
• VPK-only classes have up to 18 spaces available. Once those spaces are filled, all other applicants will be placed on a waitlist.
• VPK blended classes consist of children with a diagnosed disability (IEP/ESE) who can benefit from being around typically developing children (VPK). VPK blended classes have up to 9 VPK spaces available. Once those spaces are filled, all other applicants will be placed on a waitlist.
• Placement on the waitlist does not guarantee a vacancy will occur, but waitlist applicants will be contacted if a vacancy does occur during the school year.
• Please do not contact the elementary schools directly if you have questions about enrollment.
• You may reach out to the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando to get a list of available private VPK providers if your child is waitlisted for the Pasco Schools VPK program(s) of your choice.

• If you apply during the initial application window in January, you will be notified during the same Notification and Acceptance Window that School Choice has set for the year.
  • For 2026-2027, the Notification and Acceptance Window is 2/9/2026-2/13/2026.
• If you apply after the start of the school year, please allow 3-5 business days for processing. 

Yes. Please indicate on your Pasco Schools VPK application that your child has an IEP/IFSP or a suspected disability, and we will reach out to your for more information.
 

• To learn more about FDLRS, please visit Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource Systems. 
   
• To learn more about Pasco County Schools ESE Services, please visit the Pasco County Schools Student Services Department.

Prior to applying to any VPK program, please complete the appropriate step below:

• If you are coming from another county, please reach out to the Early Learning Coalition from the issuing county to transfer the certificate to the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando.
• If you are transferring from a VPK provider within Pasco or Hernando county, please contact the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco & Hernando for a re-enrollment certificate.

You may reach out to us: 

Pasco County Schools Early Childhood Programs 

813-981-7301

NO. VPK is a voluntary program funded by the state of Florida. At this time, funding is not provided for bus transporatation for VPK students. 

If your child is in VPK, you will need to follow your schools arrival and dismissal procedures.

It depends on whether your child is currently attending their zoned school—the school assigned based on your home address.

• If your child is attending their zoned school for VPK, they will automatically be enrolled there for Kindergarten. School Boundaries Search
•  If your child is attending a school that is not your zoned school for VPK, you will need to apply through Pasco Pathways School Choice to continue at that school for Kindergarten.