VPK Instructor Requirements

School-Year VPK Program

Each credentialed VPK Instructor (lead teacher) must have:

  1. Copy of one (1) of the following credentials, and a copy of a five (5) hour or more Early Literacy training certificate.
    • If Literacy training was completed after October 1, 2005, it must be the Florida Standards for Four-Year-Olds as well as VPK Emergent Literacy.

Accepted credentials include:

  • Child Development Associate (CDA) or Florida Child Care Professional Certificate (FCCPC) earned within the last five (5) years; or
  • An Associate’s Degree or higher in Child Development; or
  • An Associate’s Degree or higher in an unrelated field, with:
    • at least 6 credit hours in early childhood education or child development, and
    • at least 480 hours of experience teaching or providing childcare services for children from birth to 8 years of age; or
  • A Bachelor’s Degree or higher in early childhood education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool education, or family and consumer science; or
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education with a Florida Educator’s Certificate, allowing instruction from birth through 6th grade, provided the certificate has not been suspended or revoked.

Note: A teaching degree from another country must be evaluated and translated by an accredited organization and submitted to DCF for approval.

  1. Copy of Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Criminal Background screening completed within the past five (5) years.
  2. Copy of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Background check completed within the past five (5) years.
  3. Copy of Affidavit of Good Moral Character.

Requirements for each VPK aide/assistant

  1. Copy of Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Criminal Background screening completed within the past five (5) years.
  2. Copy of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Background check completed within the past five (5) years.
  3. Copy of Affidavit of Good Moral Character.

Summer VPK Program

Each credentialed VPK Instructor must include:

  1. Copy of one (1) of the following credentials:
    • A Bachelor’s Degree or higher in early childhood education, prekindergarten or primary education, preschool education, or family and consumer science; or
    • A Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education with a Florida Educator’s Certificate, allowing instruction from birth through 6th grade, provided the certificate has not been suspended or revoked; or
    • A valid (current) Florida Educator Certificate.

Note: A teaching degree from another country must be evaluated and translated by an accredited organization and submitted to DCF for approval.

  1. Copy of Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Criminal Background screening completed within the past five (5) years.
  2. Copy of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Background check completed within the past five (5) years.
  3. Copy of Affidavit of Good Moral Character.