Sarasota County Schools is now accepting school preference applications for the 2026-2027 Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program. Starting Monday, February 2, parents and guardians can apply for the VPK school site that best fits their child’s needs.
VPK is an optional state program funded by the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning. Sarasota County Schools offers its own VPK program free of charge to families as either a 540-instructional hour school year program – 8:30 to 11:30 AM daily, with Extended Day options available from 11:30 AM until the end of the school day – or a 300-instructional hour summer program. Families may choose between enrollment in either program – though only one may be selected – for a given school year.
Florida’s VPK Specialized Instructional Services (VPK SIS) education program is an additional option for parents of 4-year-old children with disabilities that is available outside the traditional VPK classroom setting. If your child has a current Individual Educational Plan (IEP) from your local school district that calls for specialized instructional services, you can choose VPK SIS instead of the traditional VPK school year or summer program.
2026-2027 School Year VPK Locations
VPK school year sites are subject to change based on specific school enrollment and unit allocations:
Alta Vista School
Atwater Elementary School
Brentwood School
Cranberry Elementary School
Emma E. Booker Elementary School
Englewood Elementary School
Glenallen Elementary School
Gocio Elementary School
Skye Ranch School
Taylor Ranch Elementary School
Toledo Blade Elementary School
Tuttle Elementary School
Venice Elementary School
Wilkinson School
VPK School Preference availability is limited due to school capacity and requests will be prioritized according to the following criteria:
1. Applicants choose their zoned school or a school within their school zoned cluster.
2. Children who are 4 (four) years old by September 1st of the upcoming academic year (September 1, 2026).
3. Children with VPK delayed enrollment certificates are not eligible for placement in a school district VPK program.
4. The child is experiencing homelessness.
5. The child is in foster care or protective services.
6. The child has migrant status.
7. The parent is currently on active military duty.
8. Applicant has a sibling(s) currently attending the requested school.
9. The parent is currently employed by the Sarasota County School district.
10. The family is enrolling the student in full day programming.
*All other applicants will be placed in the VPK School Preference pool for random placement. VPK School Preference applications are processed using a first-come, first-served basis. When a VPK program reaches enrollment, students may be placed on a waitlist. Applicants will be notified by email about placement and the procedures for school enrollment.
Eligibility Criteria
Who: Children who turn four (4) years old by September 1, 2026
Requirement: A valid Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County (ELC)
Application Process
1. Obtain a VPK Certificate of Eligibility
Starting January 1, 2026, to acquire a Certificate of Eligibility for the 2026-2027 school year, either:
Call the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) at (941) 954-4830 or visit their website at www.earlylearningcoalitionsarasota.org or,
Use the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Division of Early Learning Family Portal at www.floridaearlylearning.com
2. Complete the School Choice Application
Log in or create an account in Sarasota County Schools’ Focus Family Portal: https://scs.focusschoolsoftware.com/focus/index.php?skipSSO
To access the Focus Parent Portal through the SCS website, go to www.sarasotacountyschools.net, click the “Families” button at the top of the page, and then click on the “Focus Portal” link under the “Parents and Students” heading
Complete the online application for the 2026-2027 VPK School Choice program
Please contact the school district’s Office of Early Learning at (941) 927-9000 ext. 31267 or VPK@sarasotacountyschools.net with any questions, or visit www.sarasotacountyschools.net/page/prek-program.