Pinellas County preschoolers in high-need communities will get new literacy support this fall after the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County landed a $1.2 million grant from the Helios Education Foundation.

The money will fund the Pinellas Literacy Initiative, a program that trains and coaches educators at private Voluntary Prekindergarten classrooms across the county. The coalition, headquartered on Countryside Boulevard in Clearwater, announced the grant Thursday, July 16.

Lindsay Carson, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, said the initiative will focus on communities where children are most at risk of falling behind.

"We know that when children enter kindergarten without those necessary skills, over 75% of them will never catch up," Carson said.

The program will pair educator development with literacy coaching and family engagement, all aimed at getting 4-year-olds ready for kindergarten. It targets private VPK providers specifically, extending supports that previously reached only public school classrooms.

That extension builds on a track record. The earlier Pinellas Early Literacy Initiative, launched in 2021 by the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools with Helios backing, helped raise the county's third-grade reading proficiency from 50% to 67%. That earlier program has reached 18 schools and more than 4,200 students through coaching for over 350 educators.

Cheryl Watson, who has taught preschoolers to read at the Academy for Love and Learning in St. Petersburg for 15 years, said the grant will transform how she and her colleagues teach literacy. Watson said she was ecstatic when she heard the news and is eager to see the dollars put to work in her classroom.

Paul J. Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation, said in the foundation's July 16 announcement that the investment extends literacy supports that showed results in public schools to private VPK providers. Helios has invested more than $350 million in education initiatives across Florida and Arizona since 2004.

The coalition has not announced a specific launch date beyond fall 2026. Families interested in enrolling a child in Florida's free VPK program for the 2026-2027 school year can apply for a certificate of eligibility at elcpinellas.org or by calling (727) 400-4411. Children must turn 4 on or before September 1.

What's ahead

• Fall 2026: Pinellas Literacy Initiative launches in private VPK classrooms countywide
• VPK registration: Open for the 2026-2027 school year at elcpinellas.org
• More information: Contact the Early Learning Coalition at (727) 548-1439 or [email protected]