American Rescue Plan Act Curriculum Expansion & Implementation Study

This project aims to examine the status of early childhood education (ECE) centers throughout Florida. This will be done by analyzing the curriculum implementation of a sample of Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) and School Readiness (SR) childcare providers serving children birth to five years across Florida. The project goals include collecting data related to providers, teachers, professional development, curriculum implementation, and curriculum-related indicators from eligible VPK and SR childcare providers. Data collected will provide a statewide analysis to better inform initiatives, policies, practices, and procedures. This project was designed to improve VPK and SR programs for children, families, and teachers.

The eligible population participating in this study includes VPK and SR childcare providers committed to participating in the ARPA Spend Plan initiative, a grant to support early learning/childcare providers to assist them in remaining open during the COVID-19 crisis. Participating providers will receive reimbursement of up to two approved curriculums, permitted they are eligible to participate and complete the project’s requirements. Participating providers must purchase the curriculum between March 29, 2023, and December 15, 2023. If eligible, providers will complete surveys and/ or project interviews regarding curriculum implementation, which may include some teacher and provider demographics questions. Additionally, classrooms in participating providers may be chosen for observation so that researchers can identify specific materials and activities to determine if they align with the responses received.