--- title: The Florida Story | Lisa Buie description: "Lisa Buie, an author for NextSteps: Step Up For Students, focuses on education news, particularly school choice and scholarship programs. Her writing frequently covers legal developments in education policy across various states and highlights the impact of these initiatives on students and families." --- [![SUFS-LOGO\_circle-1](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/hs-fs/hubfs/SUFS-LOGO_circle-1.png?width=150&height=150&name=SUFS-LOGO_circle-1.png "SUFS-LOGO_circle-1")](https://www.stepupforstudents.org/) English × # The Florida Story Browse By: Everything ## Posts by Lisa Buie: [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Heritage-map-cropped.png)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/national-report-florida-a-five-time-winner-in-education-freedom) ## [National report: Florida a five-time winner in education freedom](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/national-report-florida-a-five-time-winner-in-education-freedom) For the fifth consecutive year, a national group ranked Florida as the top state in education... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Rhode-Malivert-headshot.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/florida-ed-choice-scholarships-allow-a-chemical-engineer-to-give-up-a-corporate-career-and-fulfill-her-true-purpose) ## [Florida ed choice scholarships allow a chemical engineer to give up a corporate career and fulfill her ‘true purpose’](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/florida-ed-choice-scholarships-allow-a-chemical-engineer-to-give-up-a-corporate-career-and-fulfill-her-true-purpose) You may not know the name Rhode Malivert. But you’re familiar with her work if you ever tasted the... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sensei-Leanna.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/fifty-years-of-kicks-and-katas-prepare-tampa-bay-karate-family-to-open-dojo-based-co-op) ## [Fifty years of kicks and katas prepare Tampa Bay karate family to open dojo-based co-op](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/fifty-years-of-kicks-and-katas-prepare-tampa-bay-karate-family-to-open-dojo-based-co-op) TAMPA, Fla. — A half-century ago, John and Cindy Ingram built a strong reputation emphasizing... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/JFK-onstage-1-.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/step-up-for-students-conference-supports-innovation-as-more-families-seek-varied-options) ## [Step Up For Students conference supports innovation as more families seek varied options](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/step-up-for-students-conference-supports-innovation-as-more-families-seek-varied-options) ORLANDO, Fla. — As public education has evolved from a one-size-fits-all system to one where... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Ron-at-AUTX-cropped-.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/step-up-for-students-thought-leader-shares-florida-education-choice-success-story-with-students-at-the-university-of-austin) ## [Step Up For Students thought leader shares Florida education choice success story with students at the University of Austin](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/step-up-for-students-thought-leader-shares-florida-education-choice-success-story-with-students-at-the-university-of-austin) Students at the University of Austin are getting an overview of the nation’s rapidly expanding... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Image-17.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/education-choice-supporters-protest-union-backed-lawsuit-that-would-strip-them-of-access-to-learning-options) ## [Education choice supporters protest union-backed lawsuit that would strip them of access to learning options](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/education-choice-supporters-protest-union-backed-lawsuit-that-would-strip-them-of-access-to-learning-options) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Parents, students, and education leaders who gathered at the Florida Capitol on... [![](https://bnextstepsdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Star-Lab-fishing-e1746452211689.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/new-florida-law-offers-private-schools-more-relief-from-zoning-rules) ## [New Florida law offers private schools more relief from zoning rules](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/new-florida-law-offers-private-schools-more-relief-from-zoning-rules) A new state law has replaced Florida’s patchwork of local zoning rules that had prevented some... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AFC-chart-2-1536x633-1.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/new-report-shows-scaling-florida-scholarship-program-11-times-more-effective-at-improving-student-performance-than-increasing-public-school-funding) ## [New report shows scaling Florida scholarship program 11 times more effective at improving student performance than increasing public school funding](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/new-report-shows-scaling-florida-scholarship-program-11-times-more-effective-at-improving-student-performance-than-increasing-public-school-funding) New research by the [American Federation for Children](https://www.federationforchildren.org/) found that scaling Florida’s Tax Credit... [![](https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/copy_of_yass___identity-logo_navy_background__1__720.jpg)](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/florida-schools-win-big-in-yass-prize-competition) ## [Florida schools win big in Yass Prize competition](https://go.stepupforstudents.org/the-florida-story/florida-schools-win-big-in-yass-prize-competition) If anyone needs more proof that the future of education is in Florida, take a look at the winners... [facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/stepup4students/) [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stepupforstudents/) [twitter icon](https://twitter.com/StepUp4Students) [instagram icon](https://www.instagram.com/stepup4students/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.youtube.com/StepUp4Students) © 2026 All rights reserved.