LAKELAND, Fla. — There is a growing need for access to free pre-kindergarten education in Polk County.
There are 1,000 students on the waitlist to attend Voluntary Prekindergarten in Polk County, according to Superintendent Frederick Heid.
Both of Sarah Cole’s children have been afforded the opportunity to attend Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK). She said her four-year-old daughter has flourished since starting at Beacon Hill Preschool & VPK Center in Lakeland.
“She’s learning how to write her name pretty well. She gets really excited about that. ABCs, 123s, the way she talks to me is a lot more respectful. It’s ‘yes ma'am, no ma'am,'” said Cole.
Beacon Hill is one of 350 schools associated with the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County. The nonprofit offers economically disadvantaged families access to quality early education at a low cost.
“It helps tremendously because before I was on ELC, I was paying almost $500 a month for both of my kids, and it gets down,” said Cole.
Research shows that children who attend pre-K are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college.
“They are at a much better reading level by the time they are in the third grade, had they not gone through a preschool environment,” said John Griffin, Owner of Beacon Hill Preschool & VPK Center.
Griffin said the demand for preschool is growing as more families move to Polk County; however, access is limited.
“We constantly have a waiting list. As soon as we have a family that moves away or whenever we have an opening, we contact the people on the waiting list and get the people enrolled as fast as we can,” he said.
There are 61% of students enrolled in VPK in Florida, but in Polk County, only 40% of the district’s children attend.
To provide much-needed pre-kindergarten learning opportunities, Polk County Public Schools announced it is partnering with Bezos Academy to bring a tuition-free preschool to Lakeland.
The preschool at Oscar J. Pope Elementary will accommodate up to 100 students and operate year-round.
Families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level (about $120,000 per year for a family of four) with children aged 3-4 are eligible to apply, the release said.
It is expected to open in 2025.
