PANAMA CITY — A spirited group at a local museum greeted Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday morning as he highlighted his proposal to increase funding to Florida’s early learning program.
“This year we’re investing $1.1 billion in state funding for early childhood education,” Scott said in a speech at the Science and Discovery Center of Northwest Florida. “This funding will mean a $100 per pupil increase for VPK (voluntary prekindergarten) students.”
VPK is a free educational program for 4-year-old children in Florida.
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Also included in Scott’s proposed budget is a one-time allocation of $30 million for school readiness, a program that provides subsidized child care to working, low-income households. It would be the largest budget increase to early learning in Florida in 10 years.
“This historic funding will help ensure high quality, early learning opportunities for Florida’s children,” Scott said. “I’m proud to say Florida ranks first in the nation for access to free prekindergarten.”
Scott’s proposed budget lists his priorities, but it’s not final. The actual budget is passed by the Legislature and then goes to Scott for his signature.
A local impact would be expected from the additional funding, said museum Executive Director Linda Macbeth.
“It’ll definitely help us a lot,” she said, noting the museum has 30 kids in its VPK and is the only VPK center in the state that teaches a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum. “Getting more money per child, we’re going to get a better quality education.”
Drawing nearly continual applause, Scott’s speech focused on the successes of voluntary prekindergarten and school readiness programs rather than the amount of funding.
“Just this past week we learned that, for its fifth consecutive year,” Scott said, “Florida students who completed a voluntary prekindergarten education program were better prepared for kindergarten than those who participated in part of the program or those who did not participate in VPK at all.
“A quality, early learning system is critical to providing Florida children the tools they need to succeed,” he added.
‘Prime age’ to learn
Greeting Scott as he stepped out of a vehicle near the entrance of the museum when he arrived Wednesday, 5-year-old twins Emily and Elizabeth Polzin exchanged whispers and hugs with the governor.
“It’s the prime age for them to learn and wanting to learn,” said Sarah Polzin, the twins’ mother. “I’ve never dreamed that they would learn so much before entering kindergarten. They are primed, ready to learn and eager for school.”
Polzin, a full-time worker and single mother, said VPK saves her about $600 a month.
“It’s such a great contribution to our children,” she added of the governor’s budget increase.
Squirming around in Tiffany Sapp’s arms was her nephew, 11-month-old baby Lukas Watson. Sapp cares for Lukas while his mother, a single mom, is working.
“She is who this program is designed for,” Sapp said of her sister. “She wants to be able to support her family; she wants to be able to do it all on her own.”
Sapp said she’s unsure how long the baby-sitting arrangement can continue because she, too, works and has a preschool-aged child. Her sister is waiting to schedule an interview with the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida to determine whether Lukas qualifies for voluntary pre-K.
“If it wasn’t for this program, she would be using two-thirds of her paycheck just on daycare,” Sapp said. “So we’re still waiting to see how it all shakes out.”