January 17, 2018
FDOE Press Office
850-245-0413
DOEPressOffice@fldoe.org
Florida Prepaid Partners with Florida Department of Education to Honor Outstanding Educators
~Florida Prepaid Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of the 2018 Florida Teacher of the Year~
Tallahassee, Fla., January 17, 2018 – Today, at a meeting of the State Board of Education, Commissioner Stewart recognized Florida Prepaid as the presenting sponsor of the Florida Teacher of the Year Program. The annual Florida Teacher of the Year Program celebrates one of the most important professions in the world: teaching.
“We are grateful for Florida Prepaid’s commitment to Florida’s future, and we look forward to working together toward our goal of Florida being the best place in the world to receive a great education,” said Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. “The Teacher of the Year Program is a wonderful opportunity for teachers from every school district to be recognized for their hard work and to access valuable professional development to enhance their leadership skills.”
As the presenting sponsor, Florida Prepaid will support statewide teacher leadership programs and expand the influence of Florida’s most accomplished teachers; elevate teaching as a rewarding and honored career choice and help solve the teacher shortage; and celebrate excellence in one of the most impactful professions.
“We are honored to be a part of this important program for Florida educators, whose professional mission aligns so closely with ours,” said Florida Prepaid Executive Director Kevin Thompson. “Teachers prepare Florida students academically for the rigors of a K-12 and postsecondary education, and at Florida Prepaid we are helping the families of Florida students to prepare financially for college. The result is a stronger Florida.”
Proceeds from the program support professional growth programs for teachers and strategies to enhance the impact of Florida’s best educators. That effort begins with the Teacher Roundtable, a three-day series of teacher leadership training held each year in July. Following this initial orientation to the purposeful activities of being a school-wide leader, this distinguished group has the opportunity to participate in the Florida’s Teacher Lead Network, a growing collaborative of Florida’s best teachers committed to impacting positively our state’s schools and districts.
Florida Prepaid, as well as additional sponsors, also make possible the gala, including the much-anticipated Teacher of the Year announcement. The gala is the backbone of an intentional strategy to infuse every school in Florida with exceptional teachers who are prepared to lead other educators, impacting instructional quality throughout the state. The 2018 gala is scheduled for July 13 in Orlando.
About the Florida Prepaid College Board
The Florida Prepaid College Board manages the Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Program and the Florida 529 Savings Plan. Both are tax-favored 529 college savings plans authorized by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. In 1987 the Florida Prepaid College Program was created by the Florida Legislature and the commitment and dedication of Mr. Stanley G. Tate to provide Florida families with an affordable means to save for their children’s future college education. The first Florida Prepaid College Plans were sold in 1988, and were augmented with the addition of the Florida 529 Savings Plan in 2002. Florida Prepaid is the largest, longest running and most successful prepaid plan in the nation with more than 1.8 million Florida Prepaid College Plans purchased and more than $6.7 billion invested in Prepaid Plans by Florida families. The 529 Savings Plan has more than 60,000 active accounts with a market value of more than $525 million. To learn more about Florida Prepaid, visit www.myfloridaprepaid.com.
About the Florida Education Foundation
The Florida Education Foundation serves as the direct support organization for the Florida Department of Education. As a valued partner to public education, the Foundation’s mission is to invest in high achievement for every student to contribute to Florida's globally competitive workforce. More information about the Foundation can be found at Florida Education Foundation.
To find out more information about Florida’s Teacher of the Year Program, please visit http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/recognition-recruitment/fl-teacher-of-the-year-program/.