Welcome back, Polk County: A look at where our schools stand
Kate Wallace serves as the Polk County School Board Member for District 3.
Kate Wallace isn’t new to this fight. She grew up in Bartow, graduated from Bartow High’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme — the same program her father helped bring to Polk County when she was seven years old — and has spent her entire career working to expand opportunity for kids from every background.
Her mother taught nursing students at Polk State College and led teen bible studies for decades. Her parents opened their home to hundreds of local young people, and that servant-hearted example is the foundation of everything Kate does.
Kate earned a degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida and a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School. She currently serves as Director of State Government Affairs for Spectrum in Florida, is a lifetime member of First Presbyterian Church of Bartow, and was appointed to the Polk County School Board, District 3, by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2025.
She isn’t running because she wants a title. She’s running because she knows what’s possible, and she knows Polk County deserves better.
Kate doesn’t just want to improve Polk County’s school grades. She has literally taught other states how to do it. Long before her appointment to the school board, Kate was already changing outcomes for Polk County kids. As founding Executive Director of Lakeland Leads — now ConnectED Polk — she helped bring the Junior Achievement 3DE Program and the Barnett Family Discovery Center to Polk County. She persuaded philanthropists to award a landmark grant that brought IDEA Public Schools, one of America’s highest-performing charter networks, to Lakeland, where it now serves more than 700 first-generation college-bound students who might otherwise have had no path to a four-year degree.
At the national level, Kate partnered with the Foundation for Excellence in Education to advance K-12 reforms across nine southern states — including the comprehensive K-3 literacy laws that helped fuel what the New York Times has called the “Mississippi Miracle.”
What Mississippi did, Polk County can do too. Kate also fought in Tallahassee for statewide public school choice and expanded scholarships for students with unique abilities.
In her role at Spectrum, Kate has secured millions in rural broadband grants, connecting more than 11,000 underserved Polk County households with high-speed internet because access to opportunity doesn’t stop at the classroom door. For Kate, this is not about having a title. It’s about expanding opportunity to Polk County families.
Improving outcomes for Polk County students isn’t just about policy positions — it’s about who picks up the phone when you call.
Over two decades, Kate has built working relationships with governors, state legislators, school superintendents, national philanthropists, and education reform leaders who can deliver real resources for Polk County families. She has sat in those rooms. She has made the introductions. She knows how to translate a good idea into a funded program that actually reaches kids.
No other candidate for this seat can say the same.
This is the moment. Polk County is at an inflection point: with new school choice options expanding and academic performance still lagging the state, Polk County needs a proven leader who can move fast and deliver results. Kate has spent 20 years preparing for exactly this.
The question isn’t whether Kate is ready. The question is whether Polk County is ready to see what’s possible.
Every Polk County child deserves an A+ education. Help Kate make it happen.
Whether you can volunteer an afternoon, share her story with your neighbors, or make a contribution to the campaign — every bit of support brings us closer to the schools our kids deserve.
This isn’t just a campaign. It’s a continuation of work that’s already changing lives.
Kate Wallace serves as the Polk County School Board Member for District 3.
As a Polk County School Board member and a candidate for a full term, I have been open about my support for robust school choice.
Polk scores have consistently lagged behind the state average by about 10 points but show a parallel upward trajectory.
Wallace brings proven, conservative track record of A+ results for Polk County families