Kate Wallace
Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in November 2025 to fill the vacancy created by the death of board member Rick Nolte.
How they got on the ballot: Led Aug 18 primary with 45.1% (39,265); forced to runoff
Campaign finance: state and county candidates file with the Florida Division of Elections or the county Supervisor of Elections. Search contributions ↗
Sources last checked 2026-09. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Education & school choice Strongly agrees· stated position
Wallace says she has been open about her support for robust school choice, and her campaign site says she worked in Tallahassee for statewide public school choice and for expanded scholarships for students with unique abilities, and helped bring IDEA Public Schools charter schools to Lakeland. She lists empowering parents with more quality options among her top three priorities.
"support for robust school choice"
Library and classroom materials Leans disagree· stated position
Wallace says she is a firm believer in parental rights and in transparency about a child's own access, but that one family's preferences should not automatically decide for every other family; she frames her role as applying state law and the district's review process.
"one family's preferences should not automatically decide what is available to every other family"
Teacher and staff pay Leans agree· stated position
Wallace says Polk County should increase and modernize teacher compensation to reward effectiveness rather than tenure, and pay more in the hardest schools and roles, moving away from outdated pay scales. She did not say pay should come ahead of other spending.
"Polk County should increase and modernize compensation to reward effectiveness, not just tenure"
No public position found on 4 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Property taxes, Gender identity laws, School safety approach. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Reading instruction and screen time — Wallace says schools must commit fully to the science of reading and adopt only evidence-based, high-quality instructional materials, with intensive reading intervention. She also says screen time for the youngest learners should be little to none.
- Fundraising and outside mailers — More than $78,000 raised through Sept. 18. In early October, mailers repeating claims about Sims and styled like her campaign's ads were paid for by the political committee Celebrate Achievement.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Aug. 2026: voted with the board majority to retain two challenged library books ('Thirteen Reasons Why' and 'Check and Mate'), citing the district's parent opt-out policy; says she is open to an opt-in system.
- Sept. 8, 2026: voted against a motion (passed 4-3) to include rehired teachers in a union pay grievance; in July she had joined a 6-1 majority upholding the grievance.
Endorsements (as reported)
- Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd
- Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd
- State Board of Education Chair Ryan Petty
- All four of Polk County's state representatives
- Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd
- School Board Member Justin Sharpless
- Polk County Republican Executive Committee (voter guide also recommends NO on the school millage referendum)