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Highlands Today

Readiness Rates Measure VPK Provider Effectiveness

Jasmina Meyer, Highlands Today

From left: Pre Kindergardeners Kaitlyn Malantonio and Laurel Wildes read during their active playtime at A Better Choice Children's Academy on Thursday in Sebring.

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands today

Published: March 27, 2009

SEBRING - Most Voluntary Prekindergarten providers in Highlands County are doing a good job preparing 4- and 5-year-olds for kindergarten, but 20 percent are deemed "low performing," according to the Florida Department of Education.

The 2007-08 Readiness Rates for school-year Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) show that six of the 30 providers in the county are low performing and are required to submit an improvement plan.

VPK is offered free for Florida children who turn 4 years of age by Sept. 1. Parents may choose the school-year program consisting of 540 hours of instructional time starting in August or the summer program with 300 instructional hours beginning as early as May 1.

One of the county's VPK providers, A Better Choice Children's Academy in Sebring, earned the top readiness score of 300.

Owner Linda Payne said, "We have very experienced teachers and we've got a good group of kids and a good group of parents who are willing to work with us."

Payne, who teaches one of the academy's two VPK classes, holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education.

"I think that helps," she said.

With letter recognition being one of the important prekindergarten skills, Payne calls out one letter at a time for her students to write on their small hand-held whiteboards.

"Let's do an upper case H," she said.

A boy responded, that's two "ones" and a line across.

Meanwhile during the daily active play time, Temikia Jones occasionally asks her students questions as they paint with water colors and play with building blocks.

Holding up three popsicle sticks, 4-year-old Austin Mann said, "Look Miss Jones I made the letter H."

Jones asked for a word that started with the letter.

"Hat," Mann replied.

Parents can check the VPK provider readiness rates at vpk.fldoe.org.

The readiness rate is calculated using the results from three screening tests. If all the students in a VPK program achieve a "ready' score on all three screenings (3 x 100 percent) the provider earns a top score of 300.

In January the state board of education set the minimum readiness rate at 214, which is about a 71 percent passing rate on the screening tests.

Along with A Better Choice Children's Academy, four other providers in the county had a readiness rate of 275 or higher - Little Darlings, Avon Park, (281); Tiny Angels Learning Center, Avon Park (281); Kenilworth School, Sebring (276) and Florida Hospital Child Learning Center. Sebring (275).

Other providers in Highlands County include, according to the FDOE's 2007-08 data: Hope Villa Child Development Center, Sebring; Sebring Child Development Center, Sebring; South Highlands Child Development Center, Lake Placid; Two-By-Two Learning Center, Avon Park; U and Me Activity Learning, Sebring and Walker Memorial Academy, Avon Park.

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 863-386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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