Candidate: Victoria L. Smith

Vickie Smith is a nationally recognized educator who has had a profound influence on area students, her fellow teachers and our state’s curriculum.

Smith has taught for the past 26 years in both Citrus and Hernando County schools, beginning at Central High in Brooksville and most recently at Citrus High.  Her students’ test scores have been consistently higher than the state average.  She has been a math department chair, was tapped to present at the National Mathematics Conference, and worked early on with the state to ensure the FCAT standardized test design was aligned with textbooks in general use.

For 10 years Smith served as president of the Citrus County Educators Association, where she often bucked the national trend and encouraged participation from conservatives and Republicans while improving pay and working conditions for all teachers and support staff.  She continues to “teach the teachers” by leading classes in professional development throughout the state.

Married to former State Representative Jimmie T. Smith, Vickie was hand-picked by Florida’s education leaders to serve on the committee that reviews mandated state tests to ensure questions are unbiased and sensitive to the wishes of parents and the community.

She and Jimmie have a son, a daughter and three grandchildren.  They are active members of Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto.