Florida Public Charter Schools to Celebrate National Charter Schools Week, May 10-16, 2026 

Member Schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) are Encouraged to Join a Major Celebration of the Charter Schools Movement 

DAVIE, Fla. (May 5, 2026) – May 10-16, 2026 is National Charter Schools Week, and many of Florida’s charter schools are expected to take part in the major celebration of the charter schools movement.  738 of the nation’s 8,000 public charter schools are located in Florida, and they serve 408,481 Florida students, or more than nine percent of the nearly 4.4 million students attending charter schools throughout the country. 

The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is encouraging its member schools to bring the celebration to their Florida communities, to showcase the strong local reach of the charter school movement in the state and its significant impact on Florida students.  

Public charter schools are an important part of the public education landscape in Florida and throughout the country.  Charter school enrollment in Florida represents 14.6 percent of the total K-12 public school enrollment in Florida of 2,792,954 students.  Both the number of Florida charter schools and the number of students enrolled in Florida charter schools increased during the most recent school year. 

“Florida is a leader in the national charter schools movement,” said FCPCS President Robert Haag.  “We encourage our member schools to showcase the success of charter schools in their communities during National Charter Schools Week.” 

About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools 

The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state.  Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools.

Florida Public Charter Schools to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4-8, 2026

Member Schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) are Encouraged to Recognize, Honor and Thank Teachers  

DAVIE, Fla. (April 27, 2026) – Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated nationally from May 4-8, 2026, and many of Florida’s public charter schools plan to recognize, honor and thank their teachers.  

According to the National Parent Teacher Association (National PTA), the 2026 Teacher Appreciation Week celebration is based on the theme, “Teachers Create Magic.”  In 1985, the National PTA designated the first full week in May as Teacher Appreciation Week.  

According to the National PTA website, “We’re celebrating the magic that happens when dedicated educators pour their hearts into helping our children grow.  Every day, teachers transform ordinary moments into extraordinary discoveries.  They turn curiosity into confidence, challenges into triumphs and classrooms into launchpads for dreams.”  

The National PTA offers a Teacher Appreciation Week Toolkit that can be downloaded in both English and Spanish at this link: https://www.pta.org/home/events/PTA-Teacher-Appreciation-Week#:~:text=Teacher%20Appreciation%20Week%20is%20May%204%E2%80%938%2C%202026.,Donating%20school%20supplies%20to%20your%20child's%20teacher.  The toolkit includes thank you cards, certificates, flyers, coloring pages, social media graphics and more.  

Member schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) are encouraged to recognize, honor and thank their teachers as part of the 2026 Teacher Appreciation Week.   

“The hard work of Florida’s teachers has a huge impact on the charter school movement in our state,” said FCPCS President Robert Haag.  “Teachers are the backbone of our schools and we hope FCPCS members honor their teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.” 

In Florida, finalists for the state Teacher of the Year Award are announced in May by the Florida Department of Education.  A state selection committee interviews Florida Teacher of the Year finalists during June.  The winning Florida Teacher of the Year and all of the finalists are honored in July.    

The Florida Department of Education says its Florida Teacher of the Year program, “is meant to celebrate the thousands of outstanding professional educators in Florida schools, not to single out any individual as the best teacher in Florida.” 

About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools 

The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state.  Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools.

Florida Public Charter Schools to Celebrate National Volunteer Week April 19-25, 2026 and Florida School Volunteer Appreciation Month in April 

Member Schools of Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) are Encouraged to Recognize and Honor School Volunteers 

DAVIE, Fla. (April 14, 2026) – April 19 to April 25, 2026 is National Volunteer Week, and many of Florida’s public charter schools are expected to celebrate by recognizing the many volunteers who work hard on behalf of their schools.  National Volunteer Week also coincides with Florida School Volunteer Appreciation Month, celebrated in April.  

Member schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) are encouraged to participate in the 2026 celebration of National Volunteer Week and Florida School Volunteer Appreciation Month. 

National Volunteer Week is organized by the Points of Light Foundation with a mission “to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take actions that change the world.” 

According to information posted on the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) website, Florida School Volunteer Appreciation Month highlights the outstanding dedication provided by volunteers in support of Florida’s educators and students.  

The FDOE description of Florida School Volunteer Month reads, “School volunteers are a vital part of building relationships between schools, parents, community members and business partners, while adding value to the educational experience of students.  From donating time to assist with classroom and school activities to mentoring students, volunteers play a significant role in our schools.  We are grateful to our volunteers who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment to quality education in Florida.  When schools and volunteers work together to support learning, everyone benefits.”  

Schools are encouraged to share volunteer recognition activities at @EducationFL and tag #FLSchoolsVolunteer as another means of highlighting their school volunteers.  

“Our thanks go out to all of the volunteers who make a real difference at members schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools,” said FCPCS President Robert Haag.  “We applaud the strong efforts of our member schools to recognize and honor their volunteers, particularly during National Volunteer Week and Florida School Volunteer Appreciation Month.” 

About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools  

The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state.  Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools.

Lehigh Acres Charter School Named a National Finalist for Future Forward Schools Prize and Fellowship Program 

Donna J. Beasley Technical Academy is a Member School of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) 

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. (March 19, 2026) – Donna J. Beasley Technical Academy, a public charter school located in Lehigh Acres, Fla., and a member school of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS), has been named a national finalist for the Future Forward Schools Prize recognizing middle and high schools helping students explore and prepare for future careers. 

Beasley Technical Academy is one of ten national finalists and the only Florida charter school in the running for the new prize and fellowship program, with five winning schools to be announced later this year, when they will share $250,000 in prize funding.  

Located at 60 Bell Boulevard North in Lehigh Acres, Beasley Technical Academy is designed as a second-chance school and offers a smaller, supportive environment where students learn at their own pace with a technology-based, flexibly-scheduled program.  Students at Beasley Technical Academy choose from college, military or trade pathways that lead to career independence and long-term success. 

The Future Forward Schools Prize was created by Building Hope in partnership with Britebound.  Building Hope is a national nonprofit that supports the growth and success of innovative schools, while Britebound is a national nonprofit working to change the way young people learn about careers and navigate to postsecondary education and career success. 

The national initiative highlights schools creating innovative, scalable models for career exploration and career-connected learning.  Winning schools ensure students have access to experiences that help them understand their strengths, interests and potential career pathways.  National finalists for the 2026 Future Forward Schools Prize include eight charter schools, one public school and one private school.  

“The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools congratulates Donna J. Beasley Technical Academy for being one of ten finalists for the Future Forward Schools Prize,” said Robert Haag, President of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools.  “Their unique mission and meaningful impact on the students they serve makes them a standout among the nation’s and Florida’s public charter schools.” 

About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools   

The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state.  Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools. 

About Building Hope

Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with schools and communities by providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services.  We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school.  During our 22-year history, Building Hope has supported more than $2 billion in charter school projects. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org. 

About Britebound

Britebound, formerly American Student Assistance (ASA), is a national nonprofit at the forefront of changing the way young people learn about careers and navigate to postsecondary education and career success through access to career readiness information, resources, and experiences for all.  Britebound helps middle and high school students to know themselves—their strengths and their interests—and understand their education and career options so that they can make informed decisions.  Britebound fulfills its mission by providing free, digital experiences directly to millions of students, and through advocacy, impact investing, research, thought leadership, and philanthropic support for educators, organizations, and others.  Britebound fosters a generation of confident, crisis-proof young people who are ready for whatever path comes next after high school.  To learn more about Britebound, visit www.britebound.org.