News & Events

Early Learning Registry Pilot Program

Great opportunity for child care providers! The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County will be participating in the State of Florida's Early Learning Registry Pilot Program. This registry will serve as a physical system to gathering and storing data. In it you will find certificates, records, transcripts and work history; all in one convenient place!

We need your help! We are looking for 100 practitioners to participate in the registry system to help get it up and running.

Free Training Offer for Participants:
Meeting Children's Individual Needs
Area 2: Child Development and Learning

Once in the registry you are able to enroll in the "Meeting Children's Individual Needs" training for FREE as either an online course to begin in spring OR face-to-face course beginning on March 10. Each course will offer 1.6 CEUs and 16 hours of in-service training, all for FREE!

Space is limited...don't miss your chance to participate in the registry pilot program and free training offer!

Download the Registry Application

Please mail all completed applications with a copy of your current DCF transcript to:

Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc.
Attention: Professional Development
5735 Rio Vista Drive
Clearwater, FL 33760

If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Scarsbrook, Director of Professional Development at 727-548-1439 Ext. 230.

Important: Legislative Alert

January 27, 2012

Dear Partners:

I want you to be aware of a House Committee Bill that will be coming up for a vote next week (on Tuesday, January 31) in the House Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee. The current proposal removes curricula standards, child screening, child assessment, and performance outcome measures; as a result removing the 'school readiness' portion of Florida's early learning programs. This legislation could have a significant impact on the future of your business and the quality of services we provide to children and families of Pinellas County.

Currently, a young child in protective services is provided school readiness funding to insure there is a 2nd set of eyes on the child every day. If this Bill is passed...Beginning on July 1st, if that child's parents are not working, the child will lose that 2nd set of eyes to insure their well-being and spend the day at home with the parent, perhaps with the same parent that endangered this child in the first place (see Bill line 501).

Currently, there are approximately 2,434 school age children funded by school readiness and enrolled in after school care in Pinellas County. If this Bill is passed...Beginning on July 1st, 1,183 of those school age children will remain eligible and 1,251 will be terminated because they are ineligible (see Bill line 506). Statewide, Coalitions will have to cease funding 32,093 school age children as a result of this Bill.

Currently, the Coalition invests a million dollars annually to ensure our local licensing remains intact. The Coalition in turn leverages over a million dollars from these partners to draw down state match to maintain that same investment amount in child care slots. Essentially there is no negative impact on slots and the community retains local licensing. If this Bill is passed...Beginning on July 1st, the existence of local licensing will be jeopardized, the Coalitions investment will be capped by the State and our partner's investments in the child care purchasing pool may disappear leaving fewer dollars for child care slots (see Bill line 620-643).

Currently, the Coalition and most of our provider partners have a focus on preparing our children for school success. If this Bill is passed...Beginning on July 1st, it will drastically reduce our quality improvement efforts and place caps on funding used to provide quality grants, training and technical assistance to providers.

Currently, providers conduct developmental screenings on all children (ASQ's) to identify possible special needs. If this Bill is passed...Beginning on July 1st, ASQ's will go away and both parents and providers will be left to their own devices to address children's developmental needs. If these needs go unidentified until the child reaches school age the cost for intervention skyrockets.

Currently, many Coalitions have developed quality rating improvement systems (QRIS) in anticipation of creating a statewide system. This is encouraged by the Feds and the Florida Office of Early Learning (OEL) is required to report to the Feds the number of providers participating in a QRIS and the number of children enrolled in QRIS centers. Additionally, Coalitions leverage local investments with their own quality dollars to provide training, technical assistance and financial supports to participating providers. This Bill places caps on quality spending. If this Bill is passed...Beginning on July 1st, many Coalitions will lose their ability to support providers and local investments in Quality Counts for Kids may disappear.

I encourage you to read the Bill (click here to view). If you want to express your support or opposition to this Bill you can take action by contacting the following members of the House Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee:

Committee Chair
Representative Dough Holder - Doug.holder@myfloridahouse.gov

Local Representatives on this Committee:
Larry Ahern - St. Petersburg - larry.ahern@myfloridahouse.gov
Darryl Rouson - St. Petersburg - darryl.rouson@myfloridahouse.gov

Please consider the information given above and come to your own conclusions on this matter. Your opinion counts and our legislators want to hear from you, their local constituents.

Respectfully,

Janet Chapman
Executive Director
Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc.

School Readiness Eligibility Services

As 2011 comes to an end, the Early Learning Coalition is busy preparing a transition of services from our contracted agency Coordinated Child Care. We want to keep you informed and over the next few months you will receive many communications on the upcoming changes.

We understand the families you serve will begin to ask questions regarding the changes taking place. Please share any new information you receive. All eligible families Currently receiving School Readiness School Scholarships will continue to receive care. School Readiness eligibility will be administered directly by the Early Learning Coalition. Coordinated Child Care will be pursuing other opportunities in Pinellas County. The locations of eligibility offices will change but have not been finalized yet. Please post this poster at your site to ensure families are aware of upcoming changes.

Download the School Readiness Eligibility Poster

We will continue to keep you informed as new information becomes available. We are working to make these changes easy for everyone involved providers, families and staff. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to all the exciting changes happening in 2012!

SR Open Certification is here!

Licensed providers interested in entering into a School Readiness Agreement ACT NOW!

Open Certification Period will begin: January 1st 2012 and end March 31st 2012

Providers will need to complete a few steps in order to obtain a School Readiness Agreement:

1. Make contact with the Coalition during Open Certification Period
2. Attend an Orientation
3. Mentor Visit
4. School Readiness New Provider/Owner Tool
5. Paperwork must be submitted by March 31st 2012

For further information or to register for the January 19th 2012 orientation, please call Robyn Parton at (727) 548-1439 ext. 253

VPK Provider Renewal Meeting

Applications for Fall 2012 VPK programs will be accepted only after a provider has attended a mandatory VPK Provider Renewal meeting.

In an effort to streamline the application process we are offering two types of meetings:

• Providers offering only VPK
• Providers offering VPK and School Readiness

  The first VPK only meeting will be February 6th at 1-4 p.m. at Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33760. To register for this meeting, email sdennany@elcpinellas.net with the Subject: "VPK Meeting - February 6".

  Additional meetings will be announced soon.

  It is recommended that providers print applications prior to the meeting for reference. These may be found under the Forms section on the left, under the heading of, Child Care Providers - VPK Certification. Make sure to print the documents listed for both the Program Documents and Finance.

  Provider Reimbursement Updates

  In early 2012, the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc. will directly process all School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) reimbursement payments. We have already received many questions from providers regarding the transition of reimbursement services from Coordinated Child Care to the Early Learning Coalition. Staff members are busy working on plans to ensure a smooth transition of services without any disruption to your payments.

  Electronic Fund Transfer Form
  If you have not already done so, providers must complete the new electronic fund transfer (EFT) form. This form is required to allow the Coalition to make deposits from its Synovous account directly into your bank account rather than Coordinated Child Care (CCC). Please return this form accompanied by a voided check to the Coalition, failure to do so many result in delayed payment. If you have any questions regarding this form, please contact your assigned Program Support Specialist at 727-548-1439.

  Reimbursement Staff
  We are excited to announce the following CCC employees will continue to handle your reimbursement payments after the transition:

  • Rhonda Collier
  • Karen Kenne
  • Marva Florence
  • Jacqueline Gonzalez
  • Sandra Haight
  • Kelly Hammill
  • Louis Urpsis

  When the transition takes place these employees will simply move to the Coalition office and continue to process your rosters and payments.

  Payments
  The Coalition will continue to follow the same process for all prepayments/payments and providers will continue to receive payments as stated in the provider agreement.

  Contact Information
  Until the transition takes place you will continue to contact CCC and follow the normal operating process. You will be given notice of when the changes will take effect, along with new contact information at the Coalition.

  We hope this information has answered your questions regarding reimbursement. We will continue to keep you informed as new information becomes available. We are working to make these changes easy for everyone involved providers, families and staff. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to all the exciting changes happening in 2012!

  2012-2013 VPK Registration

  Registration for the 2012-2013 Voluntary Prekindergarten program year will begin on January 17, 2012. Registration it is easier than ever. Online VPK registration allows parents to register without ever setting foot in an office! They could even do it in your lobby.

  To register online, parents must complete the online application at www.VPKPinellas.net. Parents must upload supporting documents (proof of residency and proof of child's age) online.

  To register in person, parents must contact Coordinated Child Care at 727-547-5782 to schedule an appointment at the nearest service center. At the appointment, parents or legal guardians will complete a VPK Child Enrollment Form. They must bring the child's proof of age: original birth certificate or original immunization record, and proof of residency: Florida's driver's license/identification card or current utility bill. When enrollment is complete parents will receive a VPK Certificate of Eligibility.

  Mandatory School Readiness Renewal Meetings

  Beginning in January of 2012, in order to renew a School Readiness Agreement, all providers must attend one of the mandatory School Readiness meetings. Providers must register and attend a renewal meeting designated for their program type.

  Upcoming School Readiness Renewal Meetings

  School Age Only Providers - Providers that only care for school age children (kindergarten and older)
  Dates: January 24, 2012
  Time: 1:00 p.m.
  Location: ELC Pinellas, 5735 Rio Vista Drive, Clearwater, FL 33760
  Register: Contact Sharon Dennany at sdennany@elcpinellas.net or 727-548-1439 ext. 223

  Informal Relative/Non-relative Providers
  Date: January 19, 2012
  Time: 6:30 p.m.
  Location: Suncoast Hospice,3050 1st Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
  Register: Contact Linda Johnson at ljohnson@elcpinellas.net or 727-548-1439 ext. 254

  VPK Readiness Rate Data Verification

  It's almost that time of year again, when VPK providers most go online and review their student's information. As in previous years, we anticipate the Department of Education will be sending out letters to providers stating they have roughly two weeks to verify VPK student information. Unfortunately, the time frame is typically over before providers even realize what is required. We would like to remind all VPK providers to be on the lookout for this letter and to complete the process as soon as possible. Please know that any provider who does not verify this information is at risk for not being able to dispute data later in the readiness rate process. If you have any questions on the verification process, please contact the Department of Education.

  New Eligibility Office

  It is now easier to obtain School Readiness services and register for VPK in north Pinellas County! The Early Learning Coalition has collaborated with Pinellas County to make the eligibility process more convenient for families. An eligibility office is now located at the Health Department in Tarpon Springs. In addition, families can apply for other Health and Human Services Programs at this location.

  Download the New Eligibility Office Flyer

  Tarpon Spring Center
  301 South Disston Avenue
  Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

  To schedule your appointment, please contact 727-548-1439 ext. 0

  VPK Change Request

  At the beginning of the year, there tends to be a lot of changes to VPK programs and staff. All new programs and program/staff changes must be approved by the Coalition prior to implementation in the classroom. All changes should be submitted on the VPK Change Request Form along with any required backup documents such as education credentials or background screenings. Simply revising the original VPK10 or 11 is no longer accepted (according to state rule). Please be advised that the Coalition requires 10 business days to process a complete new provider application and 5 business days to process complete change requests. The procedure for submitting changes has been revised.

  While we make every effort to work with the providers, it is not typically feasible for us to process a change "immediately". In the event that you have a teacher change that was unexpected, be sure to utilize an approved substitute until the formal change request can be processed. Failure to have an approved instructor/substitute or assistant in the class can result in a loss of funding. We would like to avoid that scenario as much as you would. Let's work together to ensure we are all in compliance.

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  EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF PINELLAS COUNTY, INC.

  5735 Rio Vista Drive • Clearwater, Florida 33760
  Phone: (727) 548-1439 • Fax: (727) 548-1509