POLK VISION INC

POLK VISION IS A BROAD, COMMUNITY-LED PARTNERSHIP OF ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT, AND INDIDIVUALS WORKING TO ALIGN RESOURCES AND DEVELOP LASTING SOLUTIONS TO CRITICAL ISSUES FACING OUR ENTIRE COUNTY. AS FACILITATORS OF A COUNTYWIDE COLLABORATION AMONG SCHOOLS, NON-PROFITS, BUSINESSES AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR, POLK VISION PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT TO A RANGE OF COMPLEX ISSUES. POLK VISION VOLUNTEER TEAMS HAVE DEVELOPED A DIFFERENT STRATEGY AND A RANGE OF TACTICS TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES TO INCREASE THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE; INCREASE CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS; AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.A COUNTYWIDE OUTREACH WAS PERFORMED WITH 72 ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS HELD WITH PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND CIVIC LEADERS TO DISCUSS BOTH CURRENT AND EMERGING CHALLENGES. A SERIES OF THIRTEEN FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONVENED TO GATHER VALUABLE INSIGHTS AND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES OF RESIDENTS. FOLLOWING THE FOCUS GROUPS, POLK VISION SOUGHT WIDESPREAD INPUT THROUGH AN ONLINE SURVEY WHICH WAS OPEN FROM MAY 1, 2024, THROUGH JUNE 12, 2024, AND GARNERED THE OPINIONS OF 3,622 UNIQUE RESPONDENTS.THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY THIS RESEARCH ARE DOCUMENTED AND ORGANIZED WITHIN SEVEN INTERDEPENDENT AREAS OF FOCUS. PRIORITIES WITHIN EACH AREA OF FOCUS ARE TIED TO IDENTIFIED STRATEGIES AND DATA FOR BENCHMARKING. DURING A JOINT SESSION OF THE POLK VISION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ITS OPERATING BOARD ON JUNE 20, 2024, THE RESEARCH RESULTS WERE REVIEWED AND RELATED STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING OUTCOMES WERE APPROVED. ON AUGUST 20, 2024, THE UPDATED VISION WAS ENDORSED BY THE POLK COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.