To participate in the VPK program, providers are required to be one of the following:
- A licensed child care facility
- A licensed family child care home
- A large licensed family child care home
- A non-public school or faith based provider that is exempt from licensure
- A public school district that has met the class size amendment
Registered family child care homes, unlicensed family child care homes and informal child care providers are not eligible to participate in the VPK program.
Each VPK provider must also meet one (1) of the following qualifications:
- Be accredited by an accrediting association that is a member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation, the Commission of International and Trans-Regional Accreditation, or the Florida Association of Academic Non-Public Schools
- Hold a current Gold Seal Quality Care designation
- Be a licensed child care provider and demonstrate to the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County that VPK program requirements are met.
All private providers (e.g., other than public school) must have one of the following:
- Have a Prekindergarten Director who has a VPK Director Endorsement, issued by DCF. Effective January 1, 2007
- Have a Prekindergarten Director who has a DCF Director Credential issued prior to December 31, 2006. Prekindergarten Directors with this credential are not required to submit an application for the VPK Director Endorsement until they renew their DCF Director Credential.