The ABCs of PreK: Enrolling in Prekindergarten For 3 and 4  Year Olds 

Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is a free, state-funded program that prepares children for kindergarten. Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the school year in which they are enrolling.

Questions about VPK? Call 727-588-6513

How to Apply

VPK Flyer - English (pdf)

VPK Flyer - Spanish (pdf)

VPK students must be 4-years-old by Sept. 1 of the year they are attending VPK

1. Get your User ID and Password

Go to any nearby school to obtain a User ID and Password (if you don’t already have one for another child in your family). Make sure to bring a government-issued photo ID.

2. Apply for a VPK seat Jan. 18 through Jan. 31

Log onto the Student Reservation System (SRS) at https://reservation.pcsb.org. Use any computer, including school computers, to apply for a seat. Please note that VPK programs have limited availability.

3. Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility from the Early Learning Coalition before enrolling

To attend VPK, all students must have a Certificate of Eligibility (voucher) from the Early Learning Coalition. Apply for a certificate at www.elcpinellas.net/for-families/vpk/. Families must have the voucher when they enroll at the school.  The process usually opens in January. Please note: It can take up to 10 business days to receive your VPK certificate. For information about the Certificate of Eligibility, please call the Early Learning Coalition at (727) 400-4411.

4. View results of your application from March 1 through March 11 at 5 p.m. 

Log onto reservation.pcsb.org to find out if your application was accepted. You must accept an invitation to keep your seat.

5. Enroll at the assigned school March 21 through April 1

Schools will call if they have an opening. To enroll, bring your Certificate of Eligibility (voucher) and the following documents: birth certificate/proof of child’s age, Florida Certificate of Immunization (DH Form 680), physical examination certificate by a licensed examiner, and proof of residency (two forms of documentation required).

At all VPK programs, students attend free for three hours each day, Monday through Friday. Next school year, Pinellas County Schools will offer free, full-day, six-hour VPK at 26 select locations:

Bay Point Elementary, Bear Creek Elementary, Belleair Elementary, Blanton Elementary, Campbell Park Elementary, Dunedin Elementary, Eisenhower Elementary, Fairmount Park Elementary, Gulfport Elementary, High Point Elementary, Kings Hwy Elementary, Lakeview Fundamental, Lakewood Elementary, Lealman Ave Elementary, Maximo Elementary, Melrose Elementary, Mount Vernon Elementary, New Heights Elementary, Pinellas Park Elementary, Ponce de Leon Elementary, Seventy-Fourth Street Elementary, Sexton Elementary, Skycrest Elementary, Skyview Elementary, Tarpon Springs Elementary, Woodlawn Elementary

See a full list of VPK sites below.

• Dual Language VPK is available at Garrison-Jones Elementary, where students spend half the day learning in English and half the day learning in Spanish. Many students in this program apply for the K-5 dual language program at the school.
• Kings Highway Early Childhood Center is located at the Kings Highway Center for Innovation and Digital Learning. The school provides several early childhood programs, including VPK, where students receive violin instruction twice a week and have additional technology in the classrooms.

2022-2023 School Year VPK Sites

*Free full day programs with Certificate of Eligibility (voucher)