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September 10, 2025

The Power of Early Childhood Education in Florida

Early childhood education is one of the most powerful tools for shaping a child’s future. From birth to age five, children experience rapid brain development, making these early years critical for learning, language, and social-emotional growth. In Florida, early education is not only a priority- it is a foundation for long-term academic success, health, and economic stability. Through a combination of state-supported programs, rising literacy scores, and national research, Florida is working to ensure that every child enters kindergarten ready to learn and thrive.

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The value of early learning goes far beyond kindergarten readiness. According to the National Institutes of Health, children who attend high-quality early education programs tend to have better academic performance, stronger health outcomes, and greater lifetime earnings. Studies show that every dollar invested in early childhood yields significant long-term returns- ranging from reduced crime rates to improved mental and physical health. National frameworks, like Healthy People 2030, also emphasize the role of early education in promoting equity and reducing disparities across communities.

The Florida Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning offers a range of programs designed to support children and families from birth to kindergarten. The Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program provides free, high-quality education to all 4-year-olds, while the School Readiness (SR) program assists low-income working families with childcare costs and developmental screenings. Parents also benefit from Childcare Resource and Referral (CCR&R) services, which help connect families to quality childcare that fits their needs. These programs are not only designed to educate children, but they also support family stability and workforce participation.

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Florida’s commitment to early learning is already showing measurable results. According to data from The Florida Scorecard, third grade reading scores are steadily improving, and the number of students reading below grade level is decreasing. These gains are crucial, as third-grade literacy is a key predictor of future academic success and high school graduation. The state’s focus on early interventions, particularly in prekindergarten and early elementary grades, plays a significant role in closing reading gaps before they widen.

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To ensure consistent, high-quality care across the state, Florida uses the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards, which outline benchmarks for what children should know and be able to do at different ages. These benchmarks include the following:  

 

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Florida’s progress in early education is more than a short-term success; it is a meaningful investment in the state’s future. By strengthening early learning systems, addressing 10 generational poverty issues at the ZIP Code level,  expanding access to high-quality programs, and prioritizing literacy from the start, the state is giving more children the opportunity to thrive both in school and beyond.

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Recently, the Florida Chamber of Commerce introduced the nation’s first Root Cause Analysis tool, designed to help Florida leaders create pathways to prosperity in every zip code. By leveraging The Florida Gap Map, business leaders, nonprofit administrators, and policymakers can target their efforts to ensure resources reach the areas that need them most, addressing the unique challenges in each of Florida’s 983 zip codes. According to data, 714,768 children in Florida live in poverty, with half of them concentrated in just 150 (15%) of our zip codes. Childcare issues are the top reason parents with children under 6 leave the workforce, costing Florida's economy $5.38 billion annually. Furthermore, 69% of Florida households with children under 6 have all available caregivers working. Investing in kindergarten readiness, childcare, and the voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) system is crucial for a thriving Florida workforce. This is especially important since childcare costs are nearly twice the cost of in-state tuition, prompting many young professionals to leave the state in search of a more affordable cost of living.

Nonprofit organizations are playing a vital role in this effort, helping to bridge gaps in access, provide family support services, and deliver innovative early learning solutions in communities across Florida. Locally, Palm Beach County in Florida has increased Kindergarten Readiness in the past year to over 72%, a six-point gain in State Testing. The improvement is one of the most significant gains documented in Florida’s free and VPK system. The initiative, led by the Early Learning Coalition, embeds learning technology, teacher training, and coaching in VPK classrooms. Specifically, Age of Learning educational technology gathers information on each VPK student, and the data guides teachers. Children spend a maximum of 15 minutes a day on tablets during child-choice time in learning centers.

As momentum grows in efforts to support kindergarten readiness, ongoing collaboration between state agencies, educators, families, nonprofits, and policymakers will be crucial in ensuring every child, regardless of background, gets the strong start they need and deserve, especially as post-COVID pandemic funds sunset. Supporting nonprofits such as the local Kingdom Charitable Trust Partner, Jack & Jill Center in Broward County, with awareness and funding is vital to building strong nonprofit institutions.

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Jack & Jill recently honored Ms. Janibel Torress as the Florida Early Education Teacher of the Year. The Florida Department of Education's Division of Early Learning also recently announced that Jack & Jill’s VPK accountability scores exceeded expectations. This rating is based on a combination of formal classroom observations by a third-party and growth and proficiency results from the VPK.

For more resources and research on how to make an impact in Early Learning, visit:

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