13,000 families take advantage of VPK/Florida Prepaid College signup partnership

About 13,000 families have taken up the state’s offer to apply for voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) while simultaneously opening a Florida Prepaid College Savings Plan account, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

The VPK-529 Florida Prepaid College Savings programs launched a partnership four months ago where families can apply for both with one application. As an incentive, they receive $100.

“This is a huge thing to have this many people signing up so soon after the launch,” DeSantis said at a news conference Thursday in Kissimmee. “I imagine this is going to be something that’s going to be very popular in the months and years to come.”

DeSantis and Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas highlighted the state’s VPK program, which is meant to help prepare 4-year-olds for kindergarten.

More than 3 million children have taken advantage of VPK after Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2002 mandating the state create a free VPK program. That ballot initiative passed with 59.2% support. Today, it would fail because Florida ballot initiatives require at least 60% of the vote to pass.

Florida’s free VPK only covers four hours a day. Some lawmakers have unsuccessfully tried to expand it to help full-time working parents.

DeSantis did not address the lack of full-day coverage but he touted how his administration has worked to improve early childhood learning by focusing on VPK provider accountability and adding a 15-hour emergent literacy training requirement for VPK teachers.

“We want to show this is high quality and we want a strong foundation,” DeSantis said Thursday.

DeSantis also celebrated Florida’s low college costs as he highlighted the higher education component of the new state partnership. He said $6,300 is the average in-state tuition at a Florida public school.

DeSantis and Kamoutsas said establishing a pipeline for children entering VPK and helping families save for college early will strengthen Florida’s education.

“By connecting Florida’s VPK program with Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans, we’re making it easier than ever for families to start planning for their child’s future,” Kamoutsas said in a statement. “Higher education opens doors to new opportunities, and this partnership empowers parents to take an important first step toward saving, helping ensure more Florida students are prepared for lifelong success.”