Tuskawilla Middle Assistant Principal Named Florida Finalist for Top State Honor

Ryan Garrett, an assistant principal at Tuskawilla Middle School in Oviedo, earned a spot among Florida's final three candidates for the 2026 Assistant Principal of the Year, standing as one of just three educators selected from a nominee pool that spans all 67 school districts in the state.

The Florida Department of Education named Garrett a finalist for the Outstanding Assistant Principal Achievement Award Program, which evaluates school leaders on instructional leadership, professional growth, community engagement, and measurable improvements in student outcomes. Seminole County Public Schools announced his finalist status on April 9.

Before becoming an assistant principal, Garrett served as Dean of Students within Seminole County Public Schools, a role centered on conflict resolution and community engagement. Those roots shaped his approach at Tuskawilla, where he oversees English Language Arts and Reading, ESOL, English for Career and Instruction, career and technical education through the iSeries program, foreign language, clerical and clinic staff, and substitute teacher coordination. It is a portfolio that puts him at the intersection of core literacy, workforce-aligned programming, and English language learner support. WFTV described him as "a Central Florida assistant principal known for tackling tough school challenges and student support issues."

Tuskawilla Middle, located at 1801 Tuskawilla Road, serves approximately 1,060 students in grades 6 through 8 under principal Randy Shuler. Garrett works alongside fellow assistant principals Cynthia Woods and Nicole Rottler-Wysong. The school's 56 full-time classroom teachers maintain a student-to-teacher ratio of roughly 19 to 1. On Florida's 2023-24 FAST assessments, approximately 62 percent of Tuskawilla students scored proficient or above in math, with reading proficiency ranging from 47 to 53 percent.

The award process required each district superintendent to submit a single nominee; nominations opened in January 2026. In recent award cycles, state finalists received cash prizes ranging from $725 to $1,000, while the statewide winner received $2,500. The FLDOE typically conducts site visits, documentation reviews, and interviews before announcing the winner later in the spring.

Garrett's recognition adds another credential to a district that already carries considerable statewide standing. Seminole County Public Schools, the 12th-largest district in Florida, enrolls approximately 62,211 students across 76 schools, holds an 'A' rating from the FLDOE, ranks second among Florida's 14 largest districts in performance measures, and spends approximately $9,536 per student annually.

Should Garrett claim the state title, Florida's designee may advance to the national Assistant Principal of the Year program administered by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.