POLK COUNTY SCHOOL READINESS COALITION INC

SCHOOL READINESS: EVEN BEFORE CHILDREN ATTEND PRE-KINDERGARTEN, THEY GAIN FROM EXPERIENCES THAT HELP THEM BE READY FOR SCHOOL. THAT IS WHY SCHOOL READINESS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF EARLY LEARNING. THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE RECOGNIZED THAT WHEN THEY PASSED THE SCHOOL READINESS ACT TO HELP CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL. WHILE HELPING CHILDREN PREPARE FOR SCHOOL, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES CHILD CARE SO A PARENT CAN WORK OR ATTEND A TRAINING OR EDUCATION PROGRAM.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA): THE THE PURPOSE OF THIS FUNDING IS TO IMPLEMENT AN EARLY LEARNING DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:- INCREASING/BUILDING THE SUPPLY OF CHILD CARE- TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES, AND WORKFORCE INITIATIVES- LOCAL INITIATIVES/PILOT PROJECTS TO IMPROVE KINDERGARTEN READINESS- COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT- EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, CLASSROOM MATERIALS- SUPPLYING AND SUPPORTING CURRICULUM- BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION COMPUTER SOFTWARE- EARLY LEARNING SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGYTHROUGH THE ARPA FUNDING, THE COALITION OFFERED A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CONFERENCE AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO 300 EARLY LEARNING EDUCATORS AND COALITION STAFF IN POLK COUNTY, CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED BUSINESS SUPPORT TRAINING AND COACHING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 PROVIDERS, PROVIDED STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, MATH) KITS FOR APPROXIMATELY 150 VPK CLASSROOMS TO PROMOTE PROBLEM SOLVING AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, PILOTED A COACHING SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR ELC COACHES AND PRE K TEACHERS (APPROXIMATELY 400) WITH THE GOAL TO INTERACT, TRACK GOALS, STORE AND SHARE DATA, OFFERED BOOK SETS TO 1,000 FAMILIES THROUGHOUT POLK COUNTY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT EARLY LITERACY AND FAMILY CONNECTIONS, DISTRIBUTED 15,000-20,000 FAMILY ENGAGEMENT KITS FOR PRESCHOOL FAMILIES THROUGHOUT POLK COUNTY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT EARLY LEARNING AND KINDERGARTEN READINESS.