Florida Superintendent Newsletter Guide

Florida superintendents lead districts in one of the most active school choice and accountability environments in the country. School grades, scholarship programs, and a rapidly evolving policy landscape mean Florida families have both more options and more information to navigate than in most states. Consistent, proactive superintendent communication is one of the most important tools for maintaining community confidence.

Communicate FAST assessment results promptly

Florida's Assessment of Student Thinking replaced the FSA as the state's primary assessment. Superintendent newsletters that explain the FAST assessment, report the district's results with year-over-year context, and describe the district's response, give families the information they need before the school grade cycle begins.

Get ahead of school grade releases

Florida school grades generate significant media attention and community reaction. Superintendents who communicate the context for school grades before they are released, and who respond immediately after release with an honest explanation and response plan, maintain their credibility as the authoritative source of information about the district.

Address the state's reading guaranty requirements

Florida's reading guaranty requires that students who are not reading at grade level by third grade be retained unless they meet exemption criteria. This is a consequential policy for families of early elementary students. Superintendent newsletters that explain the policy, describe what the district is doing to support students before the retention threshold, and communicate families' rights and options, serve families who need this information most.

Communicate in the community's languages

Florida's large Spanish-speaking and Haitian Creole-speaking populations, concentrated in South Florida but present across the state, mean that English-only superintendent communication reaches a fraction of the community. Translated newsletters are a basic communication standard in Florida's diverse districts.

Build the case for district public schools

In Florida's school choice landscape, superintendent newsletters that document student outcomes, program quality, and community value are enrollment communications. Families who receive consistent, credible information about public school performance are better equipped to make informed enrollment decisions.

Sample excerpt

"Our FAST results are in. In English language arts, 61% of our students scored at Level 3 or above, compared to 58% last year and the state average of 59%. In math, 55% scored at Level 3 or above. Our school grades will be released by the state in late September. I will share those grades with you directly, with full context, as soon as they are available. I will not wait for families to hear about them elsewhere. Our reading intervention program is currently serving 1,247 students in K-3 who did not reach grade-level proficiency on the FAST. Every one of those students is receiving additional reading support this fall."

Daystage delivers superintendent newsletters to every family inbox in Florida districts, ensuring that the district's voice is the first and most reliable source of information for every family.