Education

Education has always been a priority for me. My dad ran for the School Board. My sisters were teachers, and I was the last elected Commissioner of Education in Florida. I understand the pathway to long-term success is through education.

Promoting education is an important component of addressing affordability and is critical to economic development efforts when trying to attract major employers to our market.

While the Mayor doesn’t have oversight over public schools, the office does have the ability to promote numerous initiatives through public-private partnerships. I have a record of bringing necessary funds to St. Petersburg for education purposes, such as the $3 million in funding I secured for the St. Petersburg Science Center.

As Mayor, I will maximize my relationships to establish a mentorship program that rewards students for attendance and for their conduct in school and the community. I will work to maximize existing programs such as SAVE, Take Stock in Children, and others to establish a robust scholarship program to give students who successfully complete the mentorship program access to a four-year college degree.

I also recognize that not every student is college-bound. And that’s OK. Vocational and skilled labor jobs are the backbone of American enterprise. As Mayor, I will establish an apprenticeship program that gives students the opportunity to get real-life experience in various trades such as welding, plumbing, HVAC, construction, pipe fitting, and more. These apprentices will learn an in-demand trade, earn a good income, and end up with a certification to enable them to be successful in the workforce. These tradespeople are in high demand, and increasing this workforce will only make St. Petersburg more appealing to businesses looking to relocate here.

I also recognize that the very foundation of education is our teachers. My commitment to teachers is well-documented. As Mayor, I will establish a program to recognize exemplary teachers in St. Petersburg and reward them for their important work. My administration will also look into establishing an education grant to help fund special projects or programs that teachers are trying to implement to improve students’ academic experience.