KISSIMMEE, Fla. — More than 13,000 families have enrolled in a new partnership linking Florida’s Voluntary Kindergarten (VPK) program with college savings accounts in its first four months, Ron DeSantis announced Thursday.
The initiative will allow families to apply for VPK and at the same time open a Florida Investment 529 college savings account through the state’s prepayment program. As part of this initiative, families will receive an initial donation of $100 to begin saving for future higher education costs.
State officials say the streamlined process is aimed at encouraging early financial planning by meeting parents at the beginning of their child’s education.
“We keep world-class public universities affordable for Floridians, and this partnership has already helped thousands of families start saving,” DeSantis said in a statement, pointing to early participation levels since the program’s inception.
Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamousas said the initiative aims to remove barriers for families looking to finance long-term education costs. By combining VPK enrollment with college savings enrollment, the state aims to increase participation in both programs while encouraging early planning.
Kevin Thompson, executive director of the Florida Prepaid College Board, said the partnership is focused on simplifying the first step in saving. “For many families, getting started is the biggest hurdle,” Thompson says. “This approach ties college savings to the beginning of a child’s educational journey.”
Florida was one of the first states to offer free, voluntary kindergarten to all 4-year-olds. Since its inception in the 2005-2006 school year, the program has served more than 3.1 million children across the state.
In recent years, the DeSantis administration has made several changes to the VPK program, including implementing a provider accountability system, expanding progress monitoring in early literacy and math skills, and adding training requirements for educators. The state also introduced a summer bridge program aimed at helping students identified with early learning gaps better prepare for kindergarten.
Officials said the new partnership will build on those efforts and extend support beyond early education to long-term college planning.
