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Florida VPK

VPK Providers in Gainesville, FL

VPK is Florida's free pre-K for children who live in Florida and are 4 by September 1. Pick a provider below, then apply for a VPK certificate on the state's Family Portal.

VPK providers in Gainesville
55
daycare centers
54
in-home daycare
1
take infants
44
State license records

All VPK providers in Gainesville

Showing 1 to 30 of 55

Providers on paid plans are listed first, then A to Z by name. We do not rank daycares.

  1. Child care centerFlorida VPK

    A Child's Academy

    3.9· 83 reviews

    3401 Nw 34th St, Gainesville, FL

    Infants to school-ageMeals providedPosts tuition
    CallDirections
  30. Child care centerFlorida VPK

    Kiddie Academy

    4.2· 44 reviews

    6476 Sw 75th St, Gainesville, FL

    Infants to school-ageAccepts subsidyPre-K
    CallDirections
30 of 55
How this list is made: Gainesville providers whose Florida license record says they offer Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK). Public schools also run VPK classes that may not be on the child care license list; your school district or early learning coalition lists them.

All 55 VPK providers in Gainesville, A to Z

Florida VPK

How VPK works

by September 1 of the school year
Age 4
Children who live in Florida and are 4 on or before September 1 can enroll that school year. A child born from February 2 to September 1 may wait and enroll at age 5.
for the VPK hours
Free
A provider may charge for care outside VPK hours, such as the rest of a full day or extended care.
in the school-year program
540 hours
Or 300 hours in the summer program before kindergarten. Each provider sets its own days and hours, so ask.
Apply for VPK on the Florida Family Portal

Cost

What daycare costs in Gainesville

Full-time infant care in Alachua County has a median of $250 a week at a center and $235 at a home daycare. A year at the center median is 23% of the county's median household income. Each daycare sets its own price, so call to ask.

Infant

Center$250
Home daycare$235

Toddler

Center$183
Home daycare$130

Preschool

Center$160
Home daycare$130

Alachua County median, full time, per week. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022.

Before you enroll

Choosing a VPK provider in Gainesville

  1. 1

    Get the certificate first

    Apply on Florida's Family Portal for a VPK Certificate of Eligibility, then take it to the provider you choose.

  2. 2

    School year or summer

    Ask whether the provider runs the school-year program, the summer program or both, and on which days and hours.

  3. 3

    Ask about the rest of the day

    VPK hours are free. Ask what the provider charges for care before or after VPK hours.

  4. 4

    Visit a classroom

    Ask how many children are in the class and how the day runs.

Nearby

Florida VPK in nearby towns

Alachua6 · 13 miNewberry4 · 15 miHawthorne6 · 16 miHigh Springs3 · 19 miWilliston3 · 20 miKeystone Heights3 · 20 miStarke6 · 24 miOcala49 · 36 miLake City27 · 40 mi

More in this area

More daycare in Gainesville

All daycares in Gainesville123Christian Preschools & Church Daycares in Gainesville18Preschools & Pre-K in Gainesville91Head Start in Gainesville11Infant Daycare in Gainesville81In-Home Daycares in Gainesville18Affordable Daycare in Gainesville61Early Morning Daycare in Gainesville16Part-Time Daycare in Gainesville11Drop-In Daycare in Gainesville3After-School Care in Gainesville114

Questions

Questions

How many VPK providers are in Gainesville?

55 VPK providers are listed in Gainesville. Public schools also run VPK classes that may not be on the child care license list; your school district or early learning coalition lists them.

What is VPK?

Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is Florida's free pre-K for 4-year-olds, run by the Division of Early Learning through local early learning coalitions. Children go to a VPK provider of the family's choice: a center, a school or a family child care home.

Who can enroll in VPK?

Children who live in Florida and are 4 on or before September 1 of the school year. A child born from February 2 to September 1 may wait and enroll the next year at age 5.

Is VPK free?

Yes, for the VPK hours. A provider may charge for extra care, such as the rest of a full day.

School-year or summer VPK?

The school-year program has 540 hours of instruction. The summer program has 300 hours and is for the summer before kindergarten. Each provider sets its own days and hours.

How do I get a VPK certificate?

Apply on Florida's Family Portal. Your local early learning coalition reviews the application and, if approved, sends a Certificate of Eligibility that you take to the VPK provider you choose.

Are these daycares licensed in Florida?

Every listing here comes from the Florida child care license records.