Recently, decorated Green Beret, Lieutenant Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Jay Collins announced ‘Operation F3, Florida Families First: Education on Florida’s Terms’ in Tampa.
“Florida’s families need a governor who truly understands the classrooms, the challenges and the dreams of Florida’s children,” said Jay Collins. “Florida doesn’t need more Washington-style bureaucracy. We need bold, practical leadership rooted in our values, and that’s exactly what I’ll deliver as your next governor.”
Jay Collins emphasized the importance of building an education system on Florida’s terms, respecting parental rights and ensuring Florida’s education is practical, not bureaucratic.
Operation Florida Families First has three main pillars:
1. Cybersecurity and Protecting Our Kids
We cannot put our children’s education solely in the hands of artificial intelligence. There must be humans in the education and security loops. As governor, Jay Collins will direct immediate investments into cybersecurity, training and partnerships with Florida’s world-class defense and technology sectors. ‘Families First’ needs to be backed by action, not just talk. That means keeping our children’s data safe. This is now more important than ever after the recent Canvas hack that disrupted college students during finals week.
2. Rejecting One-size-fits-all Bureaucracy
Children must have the option to customize their education tailored to their career goals, whether they choose to go to college, learn a trade or join the military. Every child is unique and our education system should reflect that. However, giving each child an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a bureaucratic nightmare. It would pass on an enormous cost to taxpayers, create new bureaucracy and defeat the purpose of IEPs, which are meant for students with disabilities.
3. Trade Opportunities and Agricultural Training
Florida is home to many industries, including agriculture. Our education must prepare students for good-paying jobs and make all industries accessible to them. Furthermore, teaching life skills should be a priority. There is nothing wrong with a four-year degree, but Florida must lead on teaching children real skills and building apprenticeships.
Jay Collins was joined by Second Lady Layla Collins and Bernadette Pello, president and co-founder of Livingstone Academy, who shared their firsthand experience in education policy to support Jay Collins’ approach. They emphasized the importance of integrating workforce education and ensuring each student has the ability to customize their education. See the biographies of the guest speakers below:
Layla Collins, Second Lady, State of Florida
Layla Collins has had a storied career in the United States Army (USA) which began in 1994 and spanned over two decades. During that time, she was deployed in support of operations in several countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq.
Layla Collins served in multiple SOF units with a wide range of focus. Layla Collins was selected to be a core member of a Special Actions Team that evaluated security protocol at the highest levels of our government. She collaborated to develop curriculum and courses to train and educate other service members on sensitive skills and best practices. Working within the SOF community allowed Layla Collins to not only practice her skills as a counterintelligence agent but also expand her aperture through working on projects that included shaping policy for the federal government that had a direct and lasting change on funding, procurement and training.
Layla Collins is the proud wife of Jay Collins, and mom of two precious boys, Gabe and Colt. Layla Collins has been very active in her children’s education, substitute teaching, volunteering and advocating for adaptive sports and the veteran community. Layla Collins has a special place in her heart for exceptional student education (ESE) students and families.
Bernadette Pello, President and Co-founder, Livingstone Academy
Pello is the President of Livingstone Academy, which she co-founded in 2003. Livingstone Academy is an independent, nonprofit, private school that specializes in ministering to the needs of children with unique abilities and their families. Livingstone Academy serves students in grades one through 12, providing a continuum of services based on the individual requirements of each student. It provides a positive learning environment for students with specific learning disabilities, autism, Asperger’s, speech and language disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and cognitive and/or developmental delays and intellectual disabilities.
Pello also serves as the chief strategy officer of the Florida Trade Academy and has been active in her community as the chair of the board for the Brandon Chamber of Commerce.
Jay Collins is a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces, having served in combat around the world defending our nation. He currently serves as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ lieutenant governor. He is a dedicated husband and father and is running to continue his life of service as Florida’s next governor. For more information, visit www.jayforflorida.com.