Popcorn and Profiles

2024-2025 Appointment Only

The ELCHC staff is offering assistance to providers who need help creating their 24-25 provider profile. ELCHC staff will be offering in-person and virtual assistance. 

Please see the dates below to sign up. When emailing your contract specialist to register for the event, please include whether you are requesting in-person (at the ELC office 6302 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd. Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33619) or virtual (via Teams).  

If you attend one of our sessions, you will be entered into a raffle to win a PRIZE!! 

 Please register no later than two days before the event date.

30-Day Notice of

Closure Requirement

If your center has a change of ownership, is changing locations, or closing, you are responsible for notifying ELCHC within 30 days. As a reminder, SR and VPK contracts are not transferable. If there is an ownership change, a new contract is required. To report a 30-Day Notice, please email your assigned contract specialist.

School Readiness Eligibility

Providers, please remind your families to see if they qualify for School Readiness services using our School Readiness calculator located on the ELCHC website. Families can answer questions to see if they qualify for financial assistance.

For questions about eligibility, please

call our Family Services team at

813-515-2340.

myON Black History Month

Digital Read-In Challenge

February 1 – 29, 2024

Hillsborough County Public Schools invites students to join a unique reading challenge highlighting Black Americans' achievements and heritage. Specially curated lists of myON titles suitable for various age groups are accessible. We encourage all students to take part in this event by reading as many books as possible throughout February!

DCF In-Person Meeting

February 24, 2024 | 12:30 pm -3:00 pm

DCF will be hosting a provider meeting for "All Things Regulatory". This meeting will be held in person at the American Youth Academy - 5905 E 130th Avenue, Bldg D, Tampa, FL 33617. This event requires an RSVP to attend. Please use the email below to register if you want to attend. Be sure to include your center name, license number, name, and title of who will be attending. For questions and/or to register email [email protected] with your center name, license number and first and last including job title of who will be attending. No later than February 19, 2024.

Need help filing your taxes?

Teachers! Did you earn less than $79,000 last year? VITA may be an opportunity to have your taxes filed for no cost to you. Please see the information below to find out how you can get your federal tax return prepared, filed, and directly deposited!

VPK FAST Star Early Literacy Reports

VPK Program Administrators and Instructors should be familiar with the FAST Star Early Literacy Resources and Reports. Please use the attached flyer to view a breakdown of resources given to all providers from DEL and reports highly suggested by DEL, your report will reflect data based on the default windows and not your specific progress monitoring window.

For more information please email [email protected] .

Upcoming Trainings with space still available!

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?

Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

Apply for Special Funding and Resources

Interested in ARPA and other special funding for your staff or program? 

Please see the attached flyer for a brief description of each grant. 

For specific questions about applying, please email [email protected]

Please expect responses to exceed our normal response time due to the high volume of applications for ARPA Discretionary grants.

Self-Care for Educators

Application Opening Soon!

(Previously Mental Health Initiative)

This initiative includes a mini-Educator Wellness Training, that upon completion, will result in a $2500 stipend, in addition to self-care resources. This Initiative is open to educators currently employed in contracted or non-contracted programs.

This application will open on February 12, 2024, and will close on May 3, 2024, at 5 pm.

Playground Initiative

The playground initiative is in full swing! The plans submitted thus far are very exciting. The required playground course closes on February 23, 2024 at 5 pm. The first deadline to participate is fast approaching so please don’t miss out. 

ELC Sunshine Scholars Provider Support

We are offering support to providers who will be submitting ELC Sunshine Scholars Summer Applications. Please submit your response by February 15, 2024, using the following link:

If you have questions please email: 

[email protected] 

There has been an overwhelming response to the new initiatives, resulting in a high number of applications. While we have always aimed to respond to inquiries within 24 hours, we kindly ask for your patience and understanding as our team's response time now exceeds this timeframe.

Upcoming ELCHC Board of Directors Meetings

All meetings of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County Board of Directors are held from 3:00 PM until the conclusion of business at 6302 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33619. For access to the meetings via telephone, please visit our website at www.elchc.org/about-us/board-of-directors/

Monday, February 26, 2024

Monday, April 15, 2024

Monday, June 24, 2024

Board of Directors Budget Workshop

Monday, June 3, 2024

Individuals wishing to address the ELCHC Board of Directors may fill out a Public Comment Request card. If you would like an opportunity to provide public comment, please click here to submit a public comment prior to the meeting you’d like to attend.

Said comments will be limited to three (3) minutes per individual on a first-come,

first-served basis, and only at such time as is identified on the official meeting agenda

for public comment.