Educators
Business Toolkit for Early Learning Providers
Whether you’re a seasoned provider or a newcomer exploring the idea of opening up a child care site, this toolkit delivers the essential information you need to operate a licensed, high-quality early childhood education program in Sarasota County.
Running a successful program requires more than just quality instruction.
You need proper licensing, strong business practices, program compliance, and an understanding of local support systems and offerings like ELC’s School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs.
This toolkit is designed to help you manage operations, improve instructional quality, and support early educators as they advance their careers.
Licensing & Getting Started
All providers participating in School Readiness or VPK must meet Florida’s licensing requirements.
At a minimum, providers must have:
- Active child care licensure with the Sarasota County Health Department
- Compliance with health and safety standards
- Background screening requirements
- Required staff training and credential documentation
- Appropriate insurance coverage
If you are opening a new child care facility or expanding services, your first step is confirming licensing status with the Sarasota County Health Department Childcare Licensing Division.
Our Provider Supports Team is here to guide you with these important first steps.
Contact Lorrie Young: LYoung@elcsarasota.org
If you are already licensed and considering contracting with the ELC, our Provider Supports Team can guide you through the next steps, documentation, and onboarding.
School Readiness for Providers
The ELC's financial assistance program helps eligible families afford high quality early education while preparing children to start kindergarten with confidence.
The School Readiness program supports the development of social and emotional skills, early literacy, and math skills, as well as social and emotional growth for children, while strengthening both your program and your classroom quality.
School Readiness for Providers
Participating providers benefit from:
- Tuition assistance payments for eligible families
- Increased enrollment opportunities
- Access to quality improvement initiatives
- Free professional development and coaching for you and your teaching staff
- Support with developmental screening and inclusion
- Access to workforce supports such as ELC’s pioneering Apprenticeship program and Florida’s T.E.A.C.H. scholarships
Provider Responsibilities
As a contracted School Readiness provider, you will:
- Maintain active licensure and required documentation
- Record and submit attendance accurately
- Use approved curriculum
- Participate in required assessments and monitoring
- Maintain compliance with state and Coalition guidelines
Our team provides onboarding support and ongoing guidance to help you manage these responsibilities efficiently.
Special Needs Rate (SNR)
School Readiness children funded by the ELC Sarasota who require additional classroom support may be eligible for the Special Needs Rate (SNR) Program. Children with documented needs can receive a higher reimbursement rate to reflect the enhanced level of care required.
The higher rate:
- Applies to SR-enrolled children
- Strengthens the capacity of providers serving children with additional supervision or intervention needs
- Can help offset your staffing and support costs
If you are currently caring for a School Readiness child who may qualify, we strongly encourage you to apply.
For questions or assistance with documentation requirements, please contact Lorrie Young at lyoung@elcsarasota.org.
Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)
VPK is Florida’s free prekindergarten program for four-year-olds, designed to help children build skills that prepare them for kindergarten success.
Families complete a VPK application through the Early Learning Coalition before enrolling with a provider.
Why Offer VPK?
VPK can help your program:
- Maintain active licensure and required documentation
- Record and submit attendance accurately
- Use approved curriculum
- Participate in required assessments and monitoring
- Maintain compliance with state and Coalition guidelines
VPK Provider Requirements
To offer VPK, providers must:
- Meet instructor credential requirements
- Use an approved curriculum
- Comply with instructional hour requirements
- Submit attendance and documentation through the Provider Portal
- Participate in required assessments
Depending on your contract, VPK may be offered as part of your school year program or summer program. Offering VPK positions your program as a key partner in preparing children for school.
Contracting with the Early Learning Coalition
If you are interested in becoming a contracted provider for School Readiness or VPK, the process includes:
- Verifying active child care licensure with Sarasota County Health Department
- Completing the provider application
- Submitting required documentation
- Setting up access to Florida’s Provider Portal
- Participating in onboarding orientation
If you are already contracted, this toolkit also serves as a reference for managing renewals, monitoring compliance, maintaining required documentation, and accessing resources. Our provider support team is available to guide you through both new contracts and renewals.
Provider Portal & Compliance Tools
The Provider Portal is your central hub for:
- Managing contracts
- Submitting attendance
- Maintaining provider profiles
- Uploading documentation
- Accessing reports and updates
Staying organized and responsive in the portal ensures timely payments and continued contract compliance. If you need assistance with portal access or navigation, contact our office for support.
Quality Improvement & Professional Development
Strong early childhood education programs require continuous improvement.
We offer a variety of support through our ASPIRE Teacher Training Institute to help early education professionals strengthen classroom instruction and advance their careers.
Available supports include:
- CLASS coaching and interaction support
- Pre-Apprenticeship program for new educators
- Apprenticeship program for rising educators pursuing a teacher credential
- Professional development coaching , in-person and virtual workshops
- Individual consultation and technical assistance
We also connect providers to Florida’s T.E.A.C.H. scholarship program, which is designed to help educators pursue low cost credentials and degrees in early childhood education.
Investing in professional development for early childhood educators improves classroom outcomes, reduces turnover, and strengthens your overall educational program.
Educator Support Hub
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