Meet Dr. David Moore—Florida’s 2024 Superintendent of the Year and the bold, visionary leader behind Indian River County’s dramatic educational turnaround.
When he accepted his statewide award, Dr. Moore declared:
“I came in 2019 with the unwavering expectation we will do what is ‘best by kids.’ We are going to put the needs of children in front of the desires of adults.
”From day one, he recognized a unique opportunity: a deeply invested community ready to reimagine public education—and a school system in need of courageous, values-driven leadership.
This episode explores how Dr. Moore led Indian River County to become one of the highest-performing districts in Florida by:
Grounding every decision in the belief that all children can succeed
Championing the principle of “best by kids” as a non-negotiable
Being consistently present in schools as a visible, trusted partner to educators
Normalizing feedback as a tool for growth, not evaluation
Building systems that help adults learn fast and adapt even faster
Establishing a culture of continuous improvement across the district
Embracing the power of dynamic public-private partnerships to accelerate change
This is not just a story of one leader—it’s a case study in how intentional leadership can turn a vision into a movement.
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