Community-driven partnership joins statewide effort to build a Talent Strong Florida
When Mark Smith joined Thomas Williams of PLANit Sarasota at a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) workshop, he saw firsthand the barriers many families face when trying to complete the form. This was following the 2023 rollout of the revamped FAFSA when students across the country encountered technical glitches, confusing changes, and a growing need for one-on-one assistance.
Although the form was intended to simplify the process, it left many behind. That experience was a turning point for Smith, who is now mobilizing his rural community to launch a new cross-sector initiative in DeSoto County aimed at eliminating those barriers: the DeSoto Local College Access Network (LCAN).
Led by United Way Suncoast and supported by the Florida College Access Network (FCAN), the DeSoto LCAN brings together schools, nonprofits, employers, and higher education institutions with a shared mission of helping students access and complete education beyond high school that leads to rewarding careers.
“We know we can’t do this alone,” said Smith, who is leading the LCAN’s launch. “Our students deserve a future full of possibility, and it’s going to take everyone—educators, employers, parents, and community partners—to make that happen. Collaboration will be the foundation of our success.”
With only one high school in the county and a postsecondary attainment rate of 16.7%, DeSoto ranks among Florida’s lowest in credential and degree attainment. Nearly a third of residents are Spanish speakers, and 16% live below the national poverty line. Still, the community has shown progress: FAFSA completion in the county more than doubled this year, and the new LCAN aims to push that rate to at least 40% for the next cycle.
“Strong local networks are essential for meeting Florida’s SAIL to 60 goal—ensuring that 60% of working-age residents hold a high-value credential or degree by 2030,” said Braulio Colón, executive director of FCAN. “DeSoto LCAN brings new energy, leadership, and urgency to this statewide effort.”
The network will initially focus on improving FAFSA completion rates and later expand to increase postsecondary enrollment and credential attainment. Events will include bilingual workshops, peer-led outreach, and strategic engagement with families, schools, and employers. Early partners include South Florida State College, Links2Success, DeSoto County Schools, and the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce.
“United Way Suncoast is proud to serve as the backbone organization for this work,” said Jessica Muroff, United Way Suncoast’s chief executive officer. “While our education efforts have always been ongoing, the formation of this LCAN brings sharper focus, data-driven action, and a collective strategy for lifting student success in DeSoto county.”
As DeSoto LCAN collaborates on naming the network and building community identity, it joins 18 other LCANs across the state united by FCAN’s Talent Strong Florida movement–– a campaign centering on the indisputable facts that increasing postsecondary attainment is not only life-changing for students—it delivers significant societal and fiscal benefits for communities and the entire state.
When students earn credentials that lead to higher wages, everyone wins. And in DeSoto County, that future is already taking shape.