Phone: 407-960-2460

Email: info@elcseminole.org

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Supporting Families, Building Foundations

Investing in Your Child’s Future with School Readiness

School Readiness Programs give children from birth to age 5, especially those from low-income families or complex home dynamics, a strong start. These state-funded programs help prevent school struggles and set kids on a path to success, while giving families the support they need to work or further their education.

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How School Readiness Supports Families

The School Readiness Program supports working families with child care tuition assistance. Through the School Readiness Program, families pay a reduced portion of child care costs, making high-quality learning opportunities more accessible.

Stronger School Foundations

Help children develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills to be ready for kindergarten.

Family Support

Enables parents to work or pursue education while ensuring their child receives quality care.

Affordable Quality Care

Provides tuition assistance to make early learning programs accessible.

Long-Term Benefits

Early education improves future academic success and life opportunities.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the School Readiness Program is based on factors like family income, need for child care, and residency in the community.

Parents or guardians in Seminole County may qualify if they:

  • Work at least 20 hours per week or are a full-time student (enrolled in at least 12 credit hours at an accredited college or trade school).

  • Meet income guidelines based on a household gross income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level based on family size.

  • Temporarily or permanently disabled as documented by a physician or a Social Security Award Letter. Have a documented disability that limits your ability to work.

Need Help Determining Your Eligibility?

Contact us today to see if you qualify and take the first step in securing a brighter future for your child.

(407) 960-2460

Sliding Fee Scale

The Early Learning Coalition uses sliding fee scale charts to determine parent co-payments for the School Readiness and School Readiness Plus programs. Use the charts below to estimate your weekly parent fee.

School Readiness Sliding Fee Scale

Household Size
Household
Income
2345678
$0.00
to
$40,438		$0.00
to
$49,952		$0.00
to
$59,467		$0.00
to
$68,982		$0.00
to
$78,497		$0.00
to
$80,281		$0.00
to
$82,064
Household Size
Household Income
2$0.00 to $40,438
3$0.00 to $49,952
4$0.00 to $59,467
5$0.00 to $68,982
6$0.00 to $78,497
7$0.00 to $80,281
8$0.00 to $82,064
View the 2026/2027 School Readiness Sliding Fee Scale Chart

School Readiness Plus Sliding Fee Scale

The School Readiness Plus (SR Plus) program helps families continue their child care even as their income grows. If you are currently enrolled in the School Readiness program but now exceed the income limits, SR Plus may allow you to continue receiving child care assistance.

Household Size
Household
Income
2345678
$62,496
to
$73,523		$77,200
to
$90,822		$91,905
to
$108,122		$106,610
to
$125,422		$121,314
to
$142,721		$124,071
to
$145,965		$126,828
to
$149,208
Household Size
Household Income
2$62,496 to $73,523
3$77,200 to $90,822
4$91,905 to $108,122
5$106,610 to $125,422
6$121,314 to $142,721
7$124,071 to $145,965
8$126,828 to $149,208
View the 2026/2027 School Readiness Plus Sliding Fee Scale Chart

How to Apply

  • Create an account in the Family Portal

  • Submit Application

    After creating/activating your account, sign in and complete a School Readiness application. You will be required to upload proof of purpose for care (paystub, school schedule or disability verification).

  • ELC Application Review/Waitlist

    ELC of Seminole staff have up to 20 calendar days to review your application. Once your application is reviewed, you are contacted by email.

Important Waitlist Information
  • If you are potentially eligible, you are placed on the waitlist until enrollment takes place, depending upon the availability of funding.
  • Once funding for School Readiness becomes available, it is distributed based on the date of the approved application.
  • If you are on the waitlist for six months, you will have to revalidate your application to keep it active. You will receive an email reminder if you need to revalidate.
  • Please remember to regularly check your Spam/Junk mail folder to ensure you do not miss important notifications. To stay informed, make sure your email address and phone number are always up to date.
  • SR Funding Invitation Notice

    Once funding for your child(ren) is available, you will be notified by email. If you do not enroll with a School Readiness provider within 30 calendar days of funding being released, your application will be made inactive, and you will have to reapply for the waitlist.

Log back into your Family Portal account and follow the steps to submit a completed Eligibility Verification (EV) application to be reviewed to determine eligibility for services.

  • Under the School Readiness Application, click on the blue Update Eligibility button.

  • The Portal will then direct you to the EV wizard. Click Start to begin the process.

  • Upload documents in each section of the EV wizard.

  • At the end of the eligibility wizard, type in your name exactly as it appears on the application and click Submit Eligibility Verification.

  • Allow the ELC 10 calendar days to process your Eligibility Verification. Check your email for updates and instructions on the enrollment process.

School Readiness Forms

Employment / Purpose for Care:

Household/Income Forms:

Reporting Eligibility Changes

Parents/Guardians receiving School Readiness services are required to report changes affecting eligibility within 10 calendar days of the occurrence, including changes in employment, educational status, income, marital status, family size/living arrangements; change in household composition, residency, contact information, or children not attending child care.

How to Report Eligibility Changes

Fill out the form to request access to the Family Portal.

Parents will receive an email on how to access information in the Family Portal once the ELC reactivates the account.

Parents log into the Family Portal to update information and upload required documentation to submit for processing changes.

Transfers

Planning to leave or relocate to Seminole County?

If you are currently receiving School Readiness for your children, the services may transfer to Seminole County based on funding availability.

Request a County Transfer

Contact the Early Learning Coalition in the county that you are leaving to request a County Transfer. The Coalition will need to give you access to your Family Portal account to allow you to change your address and county of residence to start the coalition transfer process to your new county of residence.

Obtain a Zero Balance Letter

Proof that all SR parent fees have been paid is required before your record can be transferred to the new Coalition. Please obtain a Zero Balance letter to upload to your Family Portal account.

Provide Proof of Residence

When you can access your Family Portal account, edit your account to change your address AND county of residence to reflect your new address. You will also need submit proof of residence in Seminole County (driver’s license with Seminole County address AND lease deed, water, or electric bill).

Contact Us

Please contact our office at (407) 960-2460 once you have submitted your transfer request through the Family Portal. Upon receipt, an Eligibility Specialist will process the transfer request.

Parents' Role

School Readiness Starts at Home

School readiness is a team effort, and parents play a vital role in their child’s success. While state-financed programs create a safe and stimulating learning environment, learning begins at home — where parents become their child’s first teachers.

Healthy Habits for a Bright Future

Opportunities to Exercise

Encourage activities that build coordination and strength — like running, jumping, and climbing — helping kids develop lifelong healthy habits.

Enough Sleep

Adequate rest helps children stay focused and ready to learn. Set a consistent bedtime routine to ensure they get the sleep they need.

Safe Places to Play

Physical activity is essential for both physical and cognitive growth. Provide safe indoor and outdoor spaces for movement and play.

Nutritious Food

Healthy meals fuel brain development and energy for learning. Offer a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein.

Regular Medical Care

Routine check-ups and vaccinations keep children healthy and ready to thrive in school. Schedule visits with healthcare providers to monitor growth and development.

Children learn by watching, listening, and interacting with the world around them. Parents play a vital role in shaping their child’s social and emotional well-being by modeling respect, encouraging confidence, and teaching essential social skills like sharing and cooperation.

Supporting Social, Emotional, and Language Development

Everyday Conversations

Mealtime, playtime, and clean-up time are perfect moments for learning. Talk about daily activities, name colors and shapes, or count objects together to make learning natural and fun.

Being a Good Listener

Give your child the space to share their thoughts, feelings, and stories. Listening attentively builds trust and helps them develop strong communication skills.

Asking & Answering Questions

Encourage curiosity by asking open-ended questions and actively listening to your child’s responses. This helps develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

Talking Together

Every conversation builds language skills! Speak with your child throughout the day — describe what you’re doing, name objects, and encourage them to express their thoughts.

FAQs

If you have not received a Notice of School Readiness Funding from the state’s Family Portal, log into your account in the Portal to view the status of your application. If you are unsure what your application status means, contact our office at (407) 960-2460.

The state’s system will automatically inactivate your wait list application. This means you will need to start from the beginning and reapply.

A family’s gross income (income before taxes, insurance, and other deductions are subtracted) is used to determine eligibility. Both earned income (for example wages) and unearned income (for example child support, Social Security payment, unemployment insurance) are counted.

Depending on the family income, the family will pay a fee for each child for whom you receive financial assistance.  The co-payment is based on family income and family size.

School Readiness reimburses providers a portion of their daily rate. Families are required to pay a reduced amount, referred to as the parent co-payment, and differential directly to their child care provider.

The state’s system will send you a School Readiness Eligibility ‐ Rejected email. You can continue editing the EV wizard and uploading new documents until the deadline in the Notice of School Readiness Funding.

No, documents cannot be submitted via email. All documents must be submitted through the Family Portal.

The state’s system will send you a School Readiness Eligibility – Approved email. That email will give you instructions on how to proceed.

No. The state’s system sends only one email about School Readiness funding.

No. However, if you require assistance, you can request an appointment by calling <a href=”tel:4079602460″>(407) 960-2460</a> and an ELC representative will help you complete the EV wizard in the state’s system.