Pinellas County
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March 2026
 

EARLY LEARNING DIGEST

Reimbursement

Revisions to the Absence Policy

Effective January 1, 2026, parents or clients are required to submit written documentation to the childcare provider for any absences that exceed three days within a calendar month.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW NEW ABSENCE POLICY

Contracts

VPK FAST TESTING - PM 2

Most provider PM 2 testing windows have closed. The Early Learning Coalition of
Pinellas County (ELCP) will be contacting any providers who tested children
outside their designated testing window or failed to test all their children.


Please remove from rosters any children who have never attended or whose enrollment has been terminated. State rules require testing for all children enrolled during the testing window, except those identified in the VPK Program Guide to FAST Star Early Literacy. Ensure that any children who qualify for these exceptions are properly marked. If you have any questions, please contact us at contracts@elcpinellas.org for assistance.


All ‘26-’27 CONTRACTING PROVIDERS
- ANNUAL PROVIDER PROFILE UPDATES (APU)

All contracted providers should be in the process of creating and updating their Provider Profiles for the 2026-2027 program year that begins in July 2026.

During APU, Providers will need to update their profiles and include all documentation for the ‘26-’27 program year before submitting the profile. Be sure all the information is as you wish it to be in July. It is also necessary to complete the Cost of Care Survey during this process. Both the Cost of Care Survey and the Profile must be completed and submitted before the Contract can be initiated. Programs submitting their profiles first will be the first to have their Contracts processed. Any changes made to the profile after the contract is initiated will require ELCP to cancel the contract and begin the process again, so it is critical to ensure all information is accurate for the ‘26-’27 program year when submitting the profile. Join us this week for the Help Desk topic “Provider Profiles - APU/Cost of Care Survey,” where we will answer questions and provide feedback.


CONTRACT HELP DESK

The Contract Team is offering Help Desk sessions and support on the last Wednesday of each month. Please join us if you are interested in any of the topics listed below, or if you need help with any other contract issues or general questions. Please click on the link provided below at 1 pm on the dates indicated to participate.


Contract Help Desk - Last Wednesday of the Month: 1 pm

Click Here to Join the Meeting!

Contract Questions? You are always welcome to contact your Contract Specialist directly, but if
you have a general question, please send it to our contracts@elcpinellas.org inbox.
Your Contract Specialists spend a good deal of time in the field, so if
you have a pressing issue, try our email address.

Quality Services: Classy Conversations

Join us for CLASSy Conversations, our exciting series on the last Tuesday of each month. These live, virtual sessions foster familiarity with CLASS for new staff and ensure seasoned members stay sharp to avoid CLASS drift LEARN MORE HERE

Welcome to this month's edition of "CLASSy Accreditation Corner." We are excited to
share some simple yet effective strategies for enhancing classroom quality, boosting
CLASS scores, and positively impacting child outcomes.

CLICK HERE FOR MARCH EDITION

Early Intervention Services Spotlight
Conscious Discipline SpotlightConscious Discipline

Behavior Buzz  
Sensory bins are a great way to add hands-on play, exploration, and learning to your classroom. You can make one with a plastic bin and a filler like rice, pasta, dried beans, sand, paper, or water. Add items such as scoops, tongs, measuring cups, or funnels. You might
also choose a theme, like a season or holiday, to make it more fun. Sensory bins not only
help with development, but they also offer behavioral benefits.
 
Exploring different textures can calm anxious children, support those with sensory
processing differences by giving them a safe way to explore, and help build
social-emotional skills like problem-solving and self-regulation.
 
Take a look at some creative bins made by R’Club
US 19 and Rosie’s III in the photos above!

Early Intervention Services is excited to kick off 2026 with a BRAND NEW e-course from Conscious Discipline!  We will be offering “Responding to Anger & Rage” (at no cost) to individuals working in our School-Readiness and VPK contracted programs.  This e-course comprises over nine hours of video content and a 70-page workbook.
Responding to Anger & Rage e-course description: Intense emotions require an equally intense focus on healing. Gain a better understanding of rage and anger’s differences, origins, and impact, and explore solutions for managing yourself, de-escalating intense situations, and facilitating recovery and healing for all involved.

Due to limited space, those who sign up to take the course will have 30 days from
the date of registration to complete and submit their certificate of completion to mcalifano@elcpinellas.org.  If the course is not completed within the 30-day time frame, the individual will be removed from the course to make room for the next participant. 

To register, please submit the following to Program Supervisor MaryGrace
Califano at mcalifano@elcpinellas.org including contents below:

  • First and last name
  • School-Readiness contracted or VPK contracted program you are employed at
  • Email address (where you will receive the e-course invitation and correspondences) 

 Any questions? Contact mcalifano@elcpinellas.org.
St. Patrick’s Day is that March holiday that lifts us out of a late-winter slump and reminds parents everywhere that—if you’re up for it!—there is room for a little magic and fun between December and summer break. So, throw on a green shirt and consider trying one of these fun St. Patrick’s Day traditions with your kids!
 
Give green kisses.
Before your kids wake up, put a green lipstick kiss on their cheeks. When they wake up, they’ll think a leprechaun visited them while they slept!
 
Turn the toilet water green.
Add a few drops of green food coloring to the toilet to turn the water green. For extra fun, you can mix in some water-soluble glitter makeup. When your kids use the bathroom in the morning, they’ll be surprised by the emerald color.
 
Go for green snacks.
Make a green snack board in the afternoon with grapes, apple slices, cucumbers, avocados, and other green treats.
 
Pot and seed clovers.
Sometimes, the best way to find luck is to create it yourself. This St. Patrick’s Day, plant clover seeds with your kids and grow your own little garden of good fortune.
 
Spending time with your children helps strengthen your relationship. It makes
them feel secure, teaches them about boundaries, and supports their development.
So go ahead and enjoy some green-themed fun together this holiday!
On April 5th, Childcare professionals gathered at Calvary Kids Care for the Conscious Discipline training, Deep Dive into Perception and Composure.  Our presenter, Nicole Mercer, discussed mindset and how perception creates our assumptions of others.  Participants also explored the five steps of self-regulation and how they can incorporate Conscious Discipline's Safe Keeper Ritual into their classrooms.  Here are some takeaways from the training:
Courtesy of Counselor Chelsey on TPT
 
Want to learn more about connection
activities to support your child's development?
  • Call/Text: (727) 454-4547
  • Email: HMGP@elcpinellas.org
  • Visit: elcpinellas.org/helpmegrow
On April 5th, Childcare professionals gathered at Calvary Kids Care for the Conscious Discipline training, Deep Dive into Perception and Composure.  Our presenter, Nicole Mercer, discussed mindset and how perception creates our assumptions of others.  Participants also explored the five steps of self-regulation and how they can incorporate Conscious Discipline's Safe Keeper Ritual into their classrooms.  Here are some takeaways from the training: 

ASQ UPDATE:

Please check the Provider Portal frequently to see if you have any screenings due.

 

Please be aware of the required DUE DATE column. Completing the
Developmental Screenings before the due date is necessary to avoid
progressive enforcement due to noncompliance.

 

When a screening request is due within 15 days of the due date, it goes into a YELLOW status.  Screening requests are considered past due on the due date and go into RED status. Once past due, providers will be sent to enforcement to ensure ASQ completion.

 

Call Anjanette at (727) 400-4452 with ASQ questions or for assistance with ASQs. 

Trainings are available for Providers.

Select here to find a listing of new trainings.

Sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Inc., the State of Florida,
and the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
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