Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is a program that is funded by the Office of Early Learning at the Florida Department of Education. The School District of Manatee County (SDMC) offers the VPK program free of charge to families as either a 540-instructional hours school year program or a 300-instructional hours summer program. Families may select either the school year or the summer but not both. All children who reside in Florida turning four by September 1st of the school year are eligible to participate in a VPK program.