October 19, 2025 — Last week, the energy in Orlando was electric as hundreds of educational choice advocates, visionary educators, school leaders, governing board members, and passionate stakeholders came together for the 2025 Florida Charter School Conference + School Choice Summit (FCSC+SCS) — the largest and most inspiring gathering of its kind in the state!
The Florida Charter School Alliance (FCSA) made a powerful impact throughout the event — from hosting an interactive exhibitor booth and delivering a thought-provoking breakout session to sponsoring the Opening Session and leading one of the most anticipated moments of the entire conference: the 2nd Annual Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year Celebration.
The conference kicked off with a bang, with stirring remarks delivered by Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutas, Florida’s Commissioner of Education, and Dr. Tony Arza, FCSA’s Chief Strategy Officer. Shereen Reid, the 2025 Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year, delivered an inspirational speech reminding attendees of their responsibility to students. “Teaching is more than lesson plans, grades, and standards,” said Ms. Reid. ” It’s about relationships. It’s about creating classrooms where students feel seen, valued, and capable. Because no matter their age, every student walks into our classroom asking the same quiet question: ‘Do you see me?’ ‘Do you care about me?’ Do I matter here?” Let’s make sure the answer is always a resounding yes!”
The excitement continued with a heartwarming and powerful tribute to Ralph Arza, a legendary figure in the school choice movement. Honored for nearly 30 years of unwavering advocacy, Ralph received a special recognition presented by former Senator Jim Horne, who aptly dubbed him the “Jason Bourne of the charter school movement” for his behind-the-scenes brilliance and relentless drive to expand quality educational opportunity for Florida families. [Pictured above (left to right): Ralph Arza, Jim Horne, and Adam Emerson, Executive Director, Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, FLDOE]
Breakout sessions throughout the summit were nothing short of outstanding, covering everything from practical recovery strategies and immersive learning technologies to cutting-edge science behind student motivation. Whether attendees were diving into ESE best practices with Dr. Christy Noe and the Florida Charter Institute, exploring insurance and FEMA recovery with Egis Insurance & Risk Advisors, or unlocking new ways to motivate students and transform learning, the sessions delivered fresh insights, hands-on tools, and real-world takeaways.
One of the standout sessions, Enrollmania Masterclass 2.0: A Practical Path to Lasting Enrollment Growth, led by Lynn Norman-Teck (FCSA) and Travis Hostetter (atlearning.org), gave attendees a high-impact roadmap for student recruitment and retention — complete with actionable strategies and downloadable resources. (Access the presentation: Enrollmania 2.0_FCSC+SCS 2025).
But the true heart of the conference came at the close of Day Two, during the 2nd Annual Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year Reception, hosted by FCSA. The room buzzed with emotion and pride as three extraordinary educators were honored, culminating in the announcement of the 2026 Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year: Ms. Nicole Leon, an inspiring 4th and 6th-grade Language Arts teacher from True North Classical Academy in Miami-Dade County. Her passion, dedication, and impact on students left the audience on their feet in applause. As the 2026 Teacher of the Year, Nicole Leon will serve as an ambassador for Florida’s public charter school movement and will represent the sector as a nominee for the next Florida Department of Education’s Florida Teacher of the Year program. Click here to learn more about the Charter School Teacher of the Year celebration.
