Early Learning Coalition Of Sarasota County

Early Learning Coalition Of Sarasota County Educate young children. Empower parents. Elevate preschool teachers

The Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County prepares local infants, toddlers and preschool children for lifelong success through access to quality early learning programs. Serving more than 4,000 children and 155 child care providers every year, the Coalition administers and oversees the local integrated system of early care and education across Sarasota County. Services include child care fin

ancial assistance for ages birth to five (School Readiness) and managing the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program (VPK) - free preschool for all 4-year-olds. We also offer free customized listings of local child care centers and family child care homes. Professional development trainings and one-on-one coaching for directors and teachers are just some of the additional services provided by the ELC. The Coalition distributes a variety of resources to parents as well as manages large-scale, comprehensive early literacy programs both in the classroom and the community. We strive to give the area’s littlest learners a high-quality, well-rounded, enriching child care experience so they can thrive by the age of five.

Meet Lily, our new website chatbot! 🌼Lily is here to help families, educators, and community members find answers faster...
06/12/2026

Meet Lily, our new website chatbot! 🌼

Lily is here to help families, educators, and community members find answers faster. Ask about child care, VPK, financial assistance, educator support, and more, right from our website.

A huge thank you to the incredible Wingard team for helping bring Lily, and our new website, to life. We’re so grateful for your creativity, guidance, and partnership in making this happen for us!

Visit elcsarasota.org to say hi!

🎥 Lights, camera, kindergarten readiness!Our CEO, Alison Fraga, stopped by ABC7 Sarasota - WWSB  to share easy, everyday...
06/11/2026

🎥 Lights, camera, kindergarten readiness!

Our CEO, Alison Fraga, stopped by ABC7 Sarasota - WWSB to share easy, everyday ways families can help children build kindergarten-ready skills during the summer months because learning doesn't stop when the classroom does.

Joining her in the studio were our new summer interns, Iriah and Noah, who had the exciting opportunity to experience local media and community engagement firsthand.

Stay tuned for the full Suncoast View segment.
🌼 Visit our website to discover easy, everyday ways to build kindergarten-ready skills at home this summer: elcsarasota.org/summer-learning/

We’re excited to share that Laurie McCracken was elected by the provider community to serve as the Private Child Care Pr...
06/10/2026

We’re excited to share that Laurie McCracken was elected by the provider community to serve as the Private Child Care Provider Representative on our Board of Directors! 🎉

Laurie is the founder and owner of Baby Fox Academy of Florida, an early learning program that began with just four children in her home and has grown into a thriving multi-site organization serving children, families, and educators across Sarasota and Manatee counties.

With more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, Laurie brings valuable insight shaped by classroom experience, program leadership, and systems-level advocacy.

We look forward to the perspective and experience she will bring to the board.

We’re kicking off our new Summer Learning series ☀️Simple, everyday moments can make a big impact in the early years. To...
06/08/2026

We’re kicking off our new Summer Learning series ☀️

Simple, everyday moments can make a big impact in the early years. Today’s idea: water play!

Whether it’s a water table outside, a bucket on the patio, or cups and toys in the sink, water play invites children to explore, experiment, and learn through hands-on fun.

It doesn’t have to be fancy to be meaningful. A simple setup can lead to so much discovery, curiosity, and connection at home.

Finding child care doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. 🩵We’re here to help you every step of the way, from personalized l...
06/05/2026

Finding child care doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. 🩵

We’re here to help you every step of the way, from personalized listings to understanding quality, financial assistance, and more.

You deserve support in this process.

Start your search today 🌼
elcsarasota.org

🎓 Kindergarten, here they come! ✨Congratulations to all of Sarasota County’s VPK graduates!We are cheering for every sin...
06/02/2026

🎓 Kindergarten, here they come! ✨

Congratulations to all of Sarasota County’s VPK graduates!

We are cheering for every single graduate stepping into this exciting new chapter - kindergarten! 📚

Real talk: you might qualify for child care help and not even know it... 👀💛School Readiness is a financial assistance pr...
05/29/2026

Real talk: you might qualify for child care help and not even know it... 👀💛

School Readiness is a financial assistance program that helps eligible families pay for child care.

And yes… more families qualify than they think.

See if you’re eligible in seconds using our online pre-screening tool. It’s quick, simple, and can help you understand if you may qualify for financial assistance with child care.

You might be surprised! 🌟

🔗 Visit elcsarasota.org/school-readiness-calculator/ to get started.

We’re proud to see our CEO, Alison Fraga, joining Bosses for Babies — a statewide initiative focused on supporting famil...
05/28/2026

We’re proud to see our CEO, Alison Fraga, joining Bosses for Babies — a statewide initiative focused on supporting family-friendly workplaces and stronger outcomes for children and families across Florida.

Alison’s leadership continues to reflect our commitment to building stronger communities through support, connection, and investment in families. 💙

Please join us in welcoming Alison Fraga of the Early Learning Coalition Of Sarasota County to Bosses for Babies!

Alison believes strong workplaces are built when employees feel supported, valued, and connected. Through family-friendly practices and employee wellness initiatives, employers can create environments where both businesses and families thrive.

We’re proud to have Alison as part of a growing movement working to strengthen outcomes for children, families, and Florida’s future workforce.

Learn more and get involved ➡️ bit.ly/bossesforbabies

We still can’t get over our new website and branding… 🌼A HUGE thank you to the Wingard team for making this happen for u...
05/28/2026

We still can’t get over our new website and branding… 🌼
A HUGE thank you to the Wingard team for making this happen for us!

We’re so grateful for your creativity, collaboration, and care in bringing our vision to life.

We hope you all love it as much as we do, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out. 😉

🌱 elcsarasota.org

Address

1750 17th Street, Building L
Sarasota, FL
34234

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Early Learning Coalition Of Sarasota County posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Early Learning Coalition Of Sarasota County:

Share