The platform

Where Sam Stands

Sam's commitments to Polk County families, in his own framing.

Parental Rights

Parents are responsible for their own children. The school system should support that responsibility, not work around it.

Parents get the final say in what their children are taught
Curriculum and classroom materials open and easy for any parent to review
Schools keep parents informed rather than leaving them to find out later

↑ Back to the topic list

Planning for Growth

Polk County is one of the fastest-growing places in Florida. Sam's answer to the district's biggest challenge is to plan for that growth before classrooms are overcrowded — not after.

Long-term enrollment planning, so capacity arrives before the students do
Use the school buildings the county already has efficiently before building new ones
Coordinate with city and county governments on where the growth is actually going

↑ Back to the topic list

Back to Basics

Polk County's schools should be measured by how well they teach reading, writing, mathematics, and civics — not by how well they follow the latest trend.

Systematic phonics, daily practice, vocabulary, and writing in the early grades
No more unproven, trendy reading programs
Refocus classrooms on math, reading, civics, and American values

↑ Back to the topic list

Teachers in Every Classroom

Polk County cannot teach children with vacant classrooms. Filling and keeping those positions is the first job.

Competitive pay and performance bonuses to fill teacher vacancies
Less bureaucracy and paperwork so teachers can teach
Discipline policies that back teachers up instead of leaving them alone

↑ Back to the topic list

School Safety and Discipline

Every Polk County school should be safe and orderly — for students and for the adults who teach them.

Make sure every campus has the security resources it actually needs
Restore a culture of discipline and respect for teachers and school leaders
Back up school staff when they enforce the rules

↑ Back to the topic list

Accountability for Your Tax Dollars

Sam opposes the property tax referendum. He believes the district should optimize the budget it already has before asking Polk County families for more.

Optimize existing spending before asking taxpayers for a new property tax
Review the budget for administrative costs before classroom costs
Quarter-by-quarter public reporting on district spending and outcomes
If cuts ever become necessary, protect teacher positions, instructional materials, and school safety first

↑ Back to the topic list

School Choice

Sam calls school choice a fundamental right. Every option should stay available to Polk County parents, and accountability should follow the student wherever they sit.

Keep the full range of choices available to Polk County families
Make enrollment and transfer simpler for parents to navigate
Hold every school accountable for results, whichever kind it is

↑ Back to the topic list

Technology in the Classroom

Technology is a tool, not a replacement for thinking. Students need to read, write, and reason without it.

Get cell phones out of Polk County classrooms
Protect student data
Screens do not replace books

↑ Back to the topic list

Faith and Values

Families of every faith should be respected in Polk County schools, and the values this country was built on should not be treated as something to apologize for.

Protect every family's freedom to worship
Accommodate students of various faiths with respect
Honor the Judeo-Christian values the nation was founded on

↑ Back to the topic list

Where Sam stood

These were his commitments to Polk County families in the 2026 School Board race.

About Sam Read Sam’s Letter