Free pre-K and child care help in Hillsborough County

Florida pays for every 4-year-old's pre-K year, and School Readiness helps qualifying working families with child care. Many Hillsborough church and private preschools take both.

VPK

540 free hours in the school year or 300 in summer for any child who is 4 by September 1. Get a Certificate of Eligibility through the Family Portal, then choose a provider.

School Readiness

Income-based child care help for working or in-school parents, administered by the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County.

Staying put for kindergarten

A child in a private school's VPK class can continue into kindergarten on the $8,429 Hillsborough award without switching schools.

Next step

Complete the two-minute funding check. A School Funding Advisor will map every source your family qualifies for and hand you the deadlines.

Start the funding check →

Find out what your family qualifies for

A 2-minute funding check. A School Funding Advisor calls you back — no sales pitch, no obligation.

Start the funding check →