Page 10 - Superintendent Annual Report 2023-24

Academic Excellence and Growth

Objective 1: Ensure all students engage in teaching and learning that results
in academic excellence

Early Childhood Education

The Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) oversees the District’s Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program,
offering various program model options to meet children’s and their families’ diverse needs. In FY24, the District served
approximately 2,430 students in part-day (three hour), full-day (six hour), and extended-day (10 hour) VPK program models
created by leveraging the free three-hour-a-day VPK hours with enrichment hours funded by contracts, parent fees, grants,
and internal partnerships. These options fostered academic growth and executive functioning development through unique
classroom environments.

The Department of Early Childhood Education provided targeted professional development and onsite coaching. FY24
was the second-year of implementation of Florida’s VPK program assessment, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System
(CLASS), which measures teacher-child interactions. Research shows that high scores on the CLASS indicate program
quality and predict positive student outcomes. State-funded external assessors evaluated all VPK classrooms using the
CLASS, resulting in over 70% of our classrooms achieving a high-quality designation and 100% of classes meeting the state’s
quality threshold.

The Department of Early Childhood Education supported implementation of the Connect4Learning curriculum, creating
robust, integrated STEM and early literacy learning experiences for children, plus family engagement opportunities.
Popular units included:
• Exploring Museums - Students curated child-led collections and shared through family engagement exhibits
• How Structures are Built - Students created their own toys and wrote “how-to guides”
• Growing our Garden - Students planted and cared for their gardens while observing, charting, and documenting
their experiences

In addition, VPK students participated in an online pilot program offered by Age of Learning, funded by the Early Learning
Coalition, to enhance early literacy and math skills.

10 Superintendent Annual Report 2023 - 2024