Miami-Dade County parents looking for affordable child care have two new developments to consider: the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe eliminated its School Readiness Program waitlist this past year, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools launched a pre-K program for 3-year-olds at $720 per month.
The waitlist is gone. The coalition’s fiscal year 2025-26 impact report shows 8,981 children were selected from the application queue, a 104.02% increase from the prior year. Eligible low-income working families who previously waited months or longer for subsidized early learning and afterschool services can now access those services when they need them.
The news comes as Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava appeared on the Early Learning Coalition Podcast’s inaugural episode on Aug. 19 to discuss affordability challenges facing young families in the county. Levine Cava joined hosts state Sen. Alexis Calatayud and Evelio Torres, president and CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe.
“The children really are my passion. That really is my primary cause for everything,” Levine Cava said during the episode, which covered VPK, School Readiness, Head Start, workforce housing and the mayor’s Children’s Commission.
By the numbers
Overall, the coalition served 27,661 children through School Readiness and 18,736 through VPK in fiscal year 2025-26. An additional 2,836 children received help through the Families Forward Child Care Scholarship, which supports low-income working families whose incomes exceed School Readiness eligibility limits but who still face significant barriers to affording high-quality early education. Another 892 children with documented special needs benefited from enhanced provider reimbursement rates.
The stakes are clear statewide. The Florida Chamber Foundation’s 2025-26 Kindergarten Readiness Report found that 44% of children entering kindergarten in fall 2025 met the state’s readiness benchmark, up from 43% in 2024-25, according to data cited by Florida Politics. Children who complete VPK are significantly more likely to be ready for kindergarten.
New M-DCPS option
M-DCPS launched PK-3 Sprouts for the 2026-27 school year, a tuition-supported program for 3-year-olds that costs $40 per day, or $720 per month for 10 months. The district is accepting VPK applications for 2026-27, according to the district’s newsroom.
On June 27, 78 early childhood professionals earned Child Development Associate credentials at a ceremony at Florida International University, strengthening the region’s early childhood workforce.
The mayor’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 county budget keeps operating property tax rates flat while maintaining funding for community-based organizations.
Parents seeking early-learning options can contact the Early Learning Coalition at 2555 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 210, Coral Gables, or visit elcmdm.org.
