Program Assessment Requirements (SR & VPK)
Legislative Background
- In 2018, the Florida Legislature passed a law requiring most School Readiness (SR) programs to participate in an annual program assessment.
- In 2022, this requirement was expanded to include all Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs.
Assessment Tool: CLASS
All program assessments use the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) tool.
- CLASS measures teacher-child interactions, which are a key indicator of teacher quality and positive child learning outcomes.
CLASS & School Readiness (SR)
Provider Classification
SR providers are classified as either Exempt or Non-Exempt:
Non-Exempt Providers:
- Serve more than 20% SR children (based on licensed capacity), OR
- Have received a Class I violation, OR
- Have received three (3) or more Class II violations
Once a provider becomes non-exempt, they remain non-exempt permanently and must participate in annual program assessments, even if:
- SR enrollment decreases
- Violations are resolved
SR Observation Requirements
- 50% of classrooms at each care level will be observed:
- Infant
- Toddler
- Pre-K
Contract Threshold
- Minimum required Composite Score: 4.00
If Below Threshold
- Providers scoring below 4.00 may pay for a second assessment (only if below threshold).
Incentive Payments
Providers qualify for reimbursement rate for scores 5.0 and above:
- 5.00 – 5.99: +7% SR reimbursement
- 6.00 – 6.99: +10% SR reimbursement
Provider Responsibilities
- Maintain updated classroom lists and staff rosters in QPS
- Updates are required monthly
- Deadline: 3rd business day of each month (same as attendance reporting)
CLASS & Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)
- All VPK classrooms must be observed.
- Observations occur during instructional hours within the approved VPK calendar.
- Any staff listed on the VPK-APP may be observed.
What to Expect During a CLASS Observation
Observers:
May remain in one location or move throughout the classroom
Take notes on teacher-child interactions
Observation Structure
Infant Classrooms - 4 cycles of 15 minutes each
Toddler Classrooms - 4 cycles of 15–20 minutes each
Pre-K Classrooms - 4 cycles of 15–20 minutes each
Between cycles:
10-minute break for scoring
Observer may stay in or briefly leave the room
Preparing for Your CLASS Observation
Training Options
💻 Live Zoom Training
👉 Training Calendar
📚 Self-Paced Training
👉 https://www.elcbroward.org/asynchronous-trainings
🏫 On-Site Training & Technical Assistance
📧 Email: class@elcbroward.org
Provider Support Contacts
For assistance, please contact your assigned representative:
Grethel Arroyo
📧 garroyo@elcbroward.org 📞 (954) 702-9327
Melinda Perry
📧 mperry@elcbroward.org 📞 (954) 774-3115
Debra Cruz-Betances
📧 dcruz@elcbroward.org 📞 (954) 654-3296
Ayme Hamoui
📧 ahamoui@elcbroward.org📞 (954) 702-9361
Effective Teacher Child Interactions
