PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County is offering a new solution to the longstanding teacher shortage at child care facilities.
The ASPIRE New Teacher Initiative is encouraging more teachers to enter the industry.
“We're supporting with offsetting the cost of hiring new staff training and technical assistance,” said Erin Gallagher, Division Vice President of Communications and Program Planning for the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County. “We're very happy to partner with programs on hiring their new staff.”
The initiative is timely since more than a dozen child care centered opened in Palm Beach County over the last year.
“One thing they're also finding is a lot of the parents are excited to be joining the field, so I think that's a really nice turn in the industry,” said Gallagher.
The Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County also announced that registration for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) for the 2021-2022 school year has opened.
VPK is a free program designed to prepare four-year-old children for kindergarten and build the foundation for their educational success.
VPK is available to all four-year-olds that reside in Florida, regardless of family income.
The program covers the cost for 540 hours of education during a full academic year. VPK provides an early childhood educational experience that supports the development of early literacy, pre-math skills, scientific thinking, and social and emotional development.
Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County is ready to assist with VPK Registration and provider selection. Families are encouraged to visit their website (here) or call the Family Resource Line at 561-514-3300.
For more information about the ASPIRE New Teacher Initiative, click here.