Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program has an option many families never hear about: Specialized Instructional Services, or SIS. Instead of a VPK classroom, a 4-year-old with a disability and a current IEP can use VPK funding for services the parent chooses, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), from providers approved by the Florida Department of Education. This guide walks through the application step by step, based on section 1002.66, Florida Statutes, and two State Board of Education rules: Rule 6M-8.500 (child eligibility and provider payment) and Rule 6A-6.03033 (approved providers).
Is my child eligible for VPK SIS?
Your child must meet both of these (s. 1002.66(1)):
- VPK-eligible: a Florida resident who "will have attained the age of 4 years on or before September 1 of the school year" (s. 1002.53(2)). Your child can use VPK that school year or the next.
- A current IEP: "A current individual educational plan has been developed for the child by the local school board." Rule 6M-8.500(2)(b)3. says the coalition checks that "The IEP submitted by the parent is dated within the last year."
If your child has no IEP yet, start with the school district. Our sample evaluation request letter explains the 30-day and 60-day rules. Plan ahead: an evaluation and IEP can take three months or more.
Step-by-step: how to apply
- Register for VPK with your early learning coalition. All VPK applications go to the coalition "through the single point of entry," with a certified copy of your child's birth certificate or another proof of age the department allows (s. 1002.53(4)).
- Submit the SIS supplemental application. Rule 6M-8.500(2)(a) requires the "Specialized Instructional Services Supplemental Student Application, Form OEL-VPK 01S," and "a copy of the child's current IEP." On the form you choose the type or types of services, which must be consistent with the IEP, and whether you want the school-year or summer funding option.
- Wait for the coalition's eligibility decision. The coalition checks VPK eligibility, then SIS eligibility, and gives you copies of the completed forms.
- Choose an approved provider. You select providers "approved by the DOE under Rule 6A-6.03033, F.A.C., to offer SIS in the coalition service area" (Rule 6M-8.500(3)). See the next section.
- Complete enrollment forms with the provider. You and each provider fill in Form OEL-VPK 02S, Part A. The provider signs the SIS Provider Agreement, Form OEL-VPK 20S. The provider "must receive a fully executed copy of Form OEL-VPK 20S from the coalition prior to rendering VPK SIS to any student" (Rule 6M-8.500(4)(b)).
- Schedule the services. With each provider, list every scheduled session on Form OEL-VPK 02S, Part B, and submit it to the coalition "at least 10 business days prior to the first appointment scheduled." The coalition reviews it within 5 business days to check that the cost fits within your child's VPK funding (Rule 6M-8.500(5)).
- Sign off on sessions. To be paid, the provider gets your initials and date on Part B certifying that services were given, and submits it to the coalition within 30 calendar days (Rule 6M-8.500(7)(a)).
The rule dates these forms June 2014, and the program has since moved to the Division of Early Learning. Form names or the online process may have changed, so ask your coalition which forms it uses now.
Who counts as an approved ABA provider?
Rule 6A-6.03033 sets three routes:
- Approved by rule: "Individuals certified pursuant to Section 393.17, F.S., or licensed pursuant to Chapter 490 or 491, F.S., for applied behavior analysis services," along with licensed speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, clinical social workers and psychologists (Rule 6A-6.03033(2)).
- Approved on application: "Board Certified Behavior Analysts certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board" are approved after submitting Form VPK-SIS1, for five years or until the certification lapses (Rule 6A-6.03033(3)).
- Approved at a parent's request: a parent can ask the department to approve a provider not on the list, using Form VPK-SIS3. The form "must be received no later than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the beginning of the program (school year or summer program)" (Rule 6A-6.03033(6)(b)).
The department keeps a list of approved providers and shares it with school districts and coalitions (s. 1002.66(4)). Ask your coalition for the current list for your area.
Questions to ask any ABA provider before you choose
- Are you on the Department of Education's approved SIS provider list for this coalition area? Can you show the approval?
- Who will deliver sessions: the BCBA, or registered behavior technicians supervised by the BCBA? Has the coalition confirmed it will reimburse that arrangement? (We could not confirm a statewide answer.)
- What is your hourly rate, and how many hours will the VPK funding cover?
- What is your written policy on missed appointments and late arrivals? The rule requires providers to give parents this in writing.
- How will you coordinate with insurance-funded ABA so the same session is never billed twice? Providers "shall not invoice coalitions for services which have been paid for by other sources" (Rule 6M-8.500(7)(c)).
How much funding does SIS provide?
The coalition reimburses approved providers, but the total for your child "may not exceed the amount of the base student allocation provided in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program in the General Appropriations Act" (s. 1002.66(5)). The amount changes each year; ask your coalition for the current figure for your county.
- School-year option: services must happen between 14 calendar days before Labor Day and June 30.
- Summer option: services must happen between May 1 and 15 calendar days before Labor Day of the year your child is eligible for kindergarten.
If scheduled services would go over the cap, the coalition strikes them on the form. You and the provider may still contract for them privately, but the coalition will not pay beyond the approved amount (Rule 6M-8.500(5)(d)).
What should I say when I call the coalition?
"Hello, my child turns 4 before September 1 and has a current IEP from [county] schools. I would like to enroll in the VPK Specialized Instructional Services program for ABA. Can you send me the current SIS application forms, the approved provider list for our area, and the funding amount for the school-year and summer options? Do you have an online process, or should I submit paper forms?"
Things to weigh before you apply
- One program only: a child "may not enroll in more than one" VPK program type, so SIS replaces a regular VPK classroom that year (s. 1002.53(3)). Compare the options in specialized VPK vs district ESE pre-K, and see VPK for autistic children for the other VPK types.
- FES-UA next year: a child who used SIS and has a current IEP is exempt from the FES-UA scholarship cap the following year. See the SIS to FES-UA pathway.
Can Hope Center be my SIS provider?
No. Hope Center is not an approved VPK SIS provider, so SIS funds cannot be used for ABA with us. Many families fund ABA through health insurance instead: we work with Florida Blue, Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, and offer self-pay with a sliding scale. We have no waitlist. Contact us for a free benefits check, or call 561-337-8865.