Mission

The Florida Coalition for Thriving Public Schools (FloCo) is a group of advocates dedicated to strengthening public school funding across the state. From the Panhandle to the Keys, FloCo advocates for well-resourced public schools that allows every student to thrive and communities to flourish.

Vision

We envision a Florida where public schools are well-resourced, and where everyone sees the value that public schools add to communities regardless of whether or not they have students enrolled. We want Floridians to understand that by advocating for your local public school, you’re investing in yourself, your neighbors, and your community.

Values

 

We put students first.

Our students show up to school every day ready to bring their all. We owe it to them to make sure that our school system is delivering for them.

We are driven by the power of community.

We know our neighborhoods best. Decisions about public schools are ours to make at the local level.

We value every voice.

In 2024, we rejected Amendment 1 to keep partisan divides out of our school board elections. Floridians know that education issues transcend superficial party politics.

Coalition Members

We believe in public schools

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE THE BACKBONE OF COMMUNITIES 

Not only do well-resourced public schools provide our students with a dynamic and engaging learning environment, they benefit communities too. 

  • Our communities are safer when we have well-resourced public schools. School is sometimes the only place where children receive healthy meals, vision screenings, medical referrals and immunizations.  For many Floridians, the local public school is often the only place to find safe shelter during a storm. 
  • Our communities come together at local public schools. A performing arts space can be used by neighborhood community theater groups, a well-maintained baseball diamond can be shared by local little league teams to play on the weekends, and small business owners can serve as mentors for students interested in entrepreneurship. The possibilities for how communities can engage with the local public school are limitless. 
  • Our communities give back at local public schools. Neighborhood civic groups can hold meetings at a school auditorium and schools are often key polling places during elections. Public schools are vital places of civic engagement where Floridians can work to make their neighborhoods better. 

Public schools are fundamental parts of our communities—for both our students and for our neighborhoods.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA COALITION FOR THRIVING PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

The Florida Coalition for Thriving Public Schools is a statewide network committed to advocating for equitable public education policies and funding to create safe and healthy learning environments. We envision a Florida where public schools get the support they need, strengthening communities and making them better places to live for all of us.

COMMITMENTS OF FLOCO MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS:

  • Promote steadfast pro-public education position (FL State 1000.02):
  • Provide representation at FloCo meetings quarterly at minimum
  • Serve on one FloCo subcommittee and attend monthly meeting
  • Base Building
  • Narrative Shift
  • Research and Policy Advocacy
  • Join with other organizations in lobby days, webinars, and other coordinated activities
  • Full adherence to FloCo community agreements

BENEFITS OF FLOCO MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS:

  • Shape the future transformation of our public schools in Florida.
  • Build a movement of likeminded education activists and voters.
  • Statewide alignment of public education priorities through collective action.
  • Power to shift the narrative around public education in Florida.
  • Boost in capacity around K-12 initiatives.
  • Access to public education policy experts and research.
  • Growth of audience through co-created events.
  • Access to monthly FloCo Office Hours to connect with member organizations

Join the Coalition

If you’re a nonprofit organization in Florida that advocates on behalf of public schools, we welcome your interest in joining our efforts.