Florida Celebrates April as Florida College System Month

April 1, 2026

FDOE Press Office 850-245-0413 [email protected]

Florida Celebrates April as Florida College System Month

Tallahassee, Fla., April 1, 2026 - Today, Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas kicked off Florida College System (FCS) Month, highlighting the powerful impact of Florida's 28 state colleges as the primary gateway to postsecondary education and one of the key drivers of economic growth across the state. Florida ranks number one in the nation in higher education, workforce education, graduation rates, affordability, and attracting and retaining talent.

"I'm proud to celebrate our Great 28," said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. "Florida is the number one state in workforce education, and our colleges are essential to that success. With high-quality, affordable programs that limit student debt, the FCS sets the national standard for excellence. Governor DeSantis continues to invest in expanding career pathways and strengthening campus safety, and our colleges are putting those investments to work with student results that speak for themselves."

"Florida's college system is second to none, leading the nation with innovation and purpose," said Senior Chancellor Kevin O'Farrell. "With more than 800 career and academic programs, the FCS puts students on a path to prosperity and equips them with hands-on experiences and the skills needed for Florida's future workforce. I am honored to recognize our dynamic colleges for helping students succeed and for delivering workforce solutions statewide."

Since 2019, Florida has invested more than $12 billion in workforce education, yielding strong returns. In the 2024-25 academic year, FCS students earned 137,090 degrees, certificates and industry certifications. Industry certifications alone grew by more than 8%, building on a 15% increase the previous year and helping students gain verifiable, career-ready skills. Career and Technical Education enrollment has grown 54% since 2018-19, with over 293,000 students enrolled across FCS institutions in 2024-25.

From seamless articulation and acceleration transfers to workforce credentials that lead directly to employment, here are the highlights of FCS successes that make Florida the #1 place to learn, work and build a future:

• Putting degrees to work: For the students earning degrees in 2023-24, nearly two-thirds of the Associate in Arts graduates transferred the next year into bachelor's degree programs and nearly 90% of the workforce program graduates were working or continuing their education the next year right here in Florida.
• Serving service members and their families: In 2024-25, colleges enrolled more than 43,000 active-duty service members, veterans, reservists and their families. The Purple Star Campus Designation recognizes institutions for their exceptional support of military students and families. Since the inception of the program in 2023, 19 colleges have earned the designation.
• Providing opportunities for high school students: During the 2024-25 academic year, FCS institutions served 103,668 secondary students through college credit and career dual enrollment, saving Florida families more than $95 million in tuition and fees.
• Emphasizing civic literacy: In 2024-25, FCS students completed over 127,000 U.S. History and Government courses with civic literacy, more than doubling the number of students per year who take these courses, demonstrating Florida's commitment to graduating citizens who will be well-equipped to preserve America's constitutional republic well into the future.

Additional information about the Florida College System is available at: https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/.