Kate Wallace, Polk County School Board - District 3

08/17/2026

Last week, more than 117,000 students walked back through the doors of Polk’s public schools: some for the very first time, and seniors for their last, all of them carrying a little bit of nervous excitement that never really goes away. It’s a reminder of why this work matters. It’s also a good moment to pause and share where Polk County Public Schools stands, because the numbers tell a genuinely encouraging story.

Read more of my column in the Lakeland Sun here:

This week, more than 117,000 students walked back through the doors of Polk’s public schools: some for the very first time, and seniors for their last, all of them carrying

08/11/2026

Welcome back to school, Polk County! 🎒☀️

This morning I rode Bus 2348 through Bartow and Alturas, picking up and dropping off Bartow Elementary Academy, Gause Academy, Union Academy and Bartow Middle students on their first day. Their smiling faces and excited waves were a great reminder of why this work matters. It was also a beautifully clear morning!

A special thank you to driver Shantelle Woodard for her hospitality and professionalism. Our bus drivers are the first smiling face our kids see every day. And on my last stop, I got to see my favorite PE Coach at Bartow Middle!

To every student, teacher, and parent starting this year: I am wishing you all a wonderful year ahead. Let’s make it a great one, Polk County Public Schools!

08/07/2026

Congratulations to Bartow Elementary Academy, Mrs. Van Hook and the entire staff for your A-MAZING work! Was an honor and privilege to take part in the celebration. Can’t wait to see what this year will bring!!

07/30/2026

Had the privilege of attending my first Polk County Public Schools Transportation Department Back-To-School In-Service meeting this morning. Seeing the faces of hundreds and shaking hands with our dedicated staff was touching, and it was exciting to celebrate them as we prepare for a new school year. During my address, I let the drivers know why they’re so important to student success: increasing access to opportunity and supporting student attendance. I also believe more students are crossing busier highways than ever, and I want to work with lawmakers to enhance and modernize our busing eligibility criteria. Thank you to our bus drivers!

07/29/2026

While I have been thrilled to celebrate the more than 30 Polk County Public Schools who improved their letter grade or maintained an A, one in particular had an extra special achievement: climbing from a D to a B and was only one percentage point shy of earning an A! As a former Lakeland resident and longtime supporter of Dixieland Elementary, I was thrilled and honored to join Principal Nikki Jones, Asst. Principal Craig Hilgenberg, and the entire staff to celebrate this extraordinary achievement. Staff enjoyed a delicious catered breakfast and beautiful decorations and cake to mark the occasion and were joined by community partners, Dr. William Allen and Lakeland Comm. Ashley Troutman. Congratulations to the entire DES team - you’re proof of what’s possible, and our students are the real winners because of your transformative work! Will you join me in congratulating them? 👏 🥇

07/17/2026

Thank you to the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce & Welcome Center for hosting its first annual Legislative Update breakfast at the Bartow Civic Center, featuring all four of Polk County’s State Representatives. We heard about education, public safety, childcare, property taxes, balancing home rule vs. pre-emption, the strong dynamic they enjoy as a delegation, and upcoming priorities for 2027. As a board member, I was grateful to them for including $201 million in additional funding to pay our veteran teachers more. While we still have more work to do, that is a step in the right direction.

I thank our Polk state reps, Jennifer Canady, Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, Jon Albert and Hilary Holley for their leadership and look forward to working with each toward a brighter future for Polk!

07/09/2026

Have you heard of the TASSEL Project? If not, stop scrolling — this one’s worth a minute. 💙

Polk Schools Tassel Project exists so that no Polk County Public Schools student faces a barrier to success because of an unmet basic need. That support extends to their whole household, because a child can’t thrive if their family is struggling.

This week I had the privilege of touring the TASSEL warehouse in north Winter Haven, and I was blown away. Shelves stocked with new and gently used clothing, shoes, underwear, toiletries, school supplies, kitchenware, toys, and prizes for students of every age — even gifts for the adults in their lives. There’s also a robust food pantry filled with healthy, non-perishable foods.

Every item is donated by community partners, with major support from Walmart, Feeding Tampa Bay, and Fleet Feet Lakeland. Special thanks to them!

Here’s how it works: PCPS social workers and teachers refer students and families in need, and deliveries are coordinated internally — so families get help quickly, without red tape or waiting. This past year, over 18,000 people were served via nearly 3,000 staff referrals.

And a note for our educators: classroom teachers and administrators can also schedule an appointment to shop TASSEL’s warehouse for incentive prizes and classroom supplies. 🍎

Want to help? Churches, businesses, and nonprofits across Polk already collect toys, clothing, food, and household items year-round to support our students, and TASSEL would love more partners. Reach out at [email protected] to learn more.

When Polk County shows up for kids, our kids can show up for school. 📚 Thank you for your support.

Special thanks to Mr. Jason Alexander and the team at TASSEL for hosting me on a most informative tour!

06/30/2026

Last week, I was honored to join Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Department of Education Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsas to announce Florida’s record high FAST scores for the 25-26 school year. The move from once-annual high-stakes tests with no feedback during the school year to progress monitoring at the beginning, middle and end of the year is giving teachers, parents and students instant feedback to react to in real time, and now 61 percent of Florida students are testing at or above grade level - new high from 49 percent in 2022. Thank you to Harrison School for the Arts for hosting all of our distinguished guests as we celebrated the hard work and success of our students and staff. As I said, we thank Polk County parents for entrusting us with your children’s education, and we want to earn your trust through objective measures every year. Polk County Public Schools