The Children's Movement of Florida

We embrace the challenge to make Florida the family-friendliest state in the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, 49% of children in Florida were not "ready for kindergarten" in 2023. It's hard to catch up: 45% of Florida students could not read at a minimally proficient level by the end of third grade. The mandate is clear: we need to support children and families well before a child enters kindergarten to make an impact and raise these numbers for children in this community and all across the state.

We engage and educate elected officials who make decisions about programs and funding and can help move the needle in these areas. A major legislative priority is securing adequate funding for Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) and School Readiness programs and raising the eligibility threshold, so that high-quality early learning is affordable for families and teachers are appropriately compensated for the brain-building work they do. We are currently working to amplify the voices and experiences of parents and educators through Florida’s Roadmap for Early Learning.

 Our network of business champions for early childhood is expanding all across the state: we call them “Bosses for Babies”. These Bosses understand that investing in young children and families is an investment in both their bottom line and in community prosperity. They take action through giving or volunteering, family-friendly business practices, or advocacy, inviting other employers to explore new approaches to supporting families.

Further, The Movement administers the ReadingPals program, a statewide early literacy initiative that provides meaningful experiences for mentors to support young readers from VPK to 3rd grade who may need extra help. Each year, we pair thousands of students and mentors around Florida for one-on-one or small group sessions.