• Florida's Early Learning Programs primarily consist of Voluntary Prekindergarten and School Readiness. These programs are designed to increase children's chances of achieving future educational success and becoming productive members of society. The administration of the state's early learning programs includes the Office of Early Learning within the Department of Education at the state level and early learning coalitions at the local level.
• Florida's public schools provide education for kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school children. Some public schools also provide prekindergarten programs. In addition, public schools provide special classes such as adult education and certificate programs. Public schools and their programs operate under control of local school boards. In addition, developmental research (laboratory) schools operate in affiliation with state universities and are designed to provide a vehicle for research, demonstration, and evaluation regarding management, teaching, and learning.
• The Florida College System consists of 28 public colleges operated by local boards of trustees, under specific authority and regulations of the State Board of Education. The colleges offer courses and programs of general and academic education equivalent to the first two years of work in state universities. Florida's public colleges also offer career education, including associate in science degrees and certificate programs, adult education, and continuing career education. Twenty-seven Florida colleges currently are approved to offer bachelor's degree programs.
• The State University System consists of 12 state-supported educational institutions offering baccalaureate degrees and above that are authorized and established by law.

• The Department of Education provides leadership, technical assistance, and support to the local educational entities and institutions comprising Florida's public education system. The department establishes readiness standards and guidelines for voluntary prekindergarten program content and oversees public educational offerings in the state including K-12 education (elementary, middle, and high schools), charter schools, school facilities, institutions comprising the Florida College System, and career education. In addition, the Department oversees Blind Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
• The Board of Governors oversees the State University System. A board of trustees at each institution provides local oversight of university operations.

School Closures and Distance Learning Due to COVID-19.  On March 9, 2020, Governor DeSantis issued an executive order that declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. As a result, all public K-12 and postsecondary campuses were closed from March through the end of the academic year. During that time, students in K-12 and postsecondary institutions continued instruction through distance learning. The state's Re-Open Florida Task Force has established some guiding principles for reopening the state, with ongoing considerations for reopening Florida's educational institutions. The task force's report recommends that the Department of Education and State University System develop plans to resume on-campus learning, full-time, for the 2020-21 school year. 

• The Department of Education should develop a plan to phase-in education, safely, during the summer months to provide supplemental education for closing achievement gaps for early learning through K-12 students who may need additional supports due to COVID-19 closures.
• Florida's postsecondary institutions should continue to implement distance learning measures to the extent possible and develop a plan for return to on-campus instruction.  

Florida Department of Education, Office of the Commissioner, 850-245-0505, email:  Commissioner@fldoe.org
Florida College System, Office of the Chancellor, 850-245-0407, email:  ChancellorFCS@fldoe.org
Florida Board of Governors, Office of the Chancellor, 850-245-0466, email:  Chancellor@flbog.edu

Florida Department of Education
State University System of Florida, Board of Governors