Kelly Speer was born and raised in Plant City, so the community has always meant a lot to her. Speer is the Founder and Director of the Plant City Homeschool Collective. “When our family began homeschooling, I saw how much effort parents were putting in and how alone many of them felt trying to figure it all out,” Speer said. “Families are doing their best, but the options are scattered and often far from home. Bringing together my love for this community, my heart for families, and my professional experience, I felt a strong pull to build something local that truly supports both parents and children.”
Plant City Homeschool Collective opened its doors at the St Peter’s Episcopal Church banquet hall in September of 2025 with a simple goal: to create a welcoming, enrichment-focused community for home-based learners right here in Plant City. “From the very beginning, families helped shape what this became,” Speer said. “We listened closely, paid attention to what was working and what wasn’t, and allowed the program to grow naturally instead of forcing it into a rigid model. It’s always been about meeting real needs, not checking boxes.”
A common misconception about homeschooling is that it lacks accountability/structure, or social opportunities. “In reality, most homeschool families are incredibly thoughtful about both,” Speer said. “Parents spend a lot of time thinking about how their children learn best and how to help them grow as whole people.”
Another misconception is that parents have to do everything themselves or be trained teachers. That’s not true. “Many families use curriculum and programs created by experienced educators, while staying closely involved in their child’s learning,” Speer said. “There’s also the idea that homeschooling looks the same for everyone, and that it’s easy. It’s not. It would be hard to find two families whose homeschool journey looks the same. Families choose this path for many different reasons, but what they often share is love, intention, and sacrifice. Homeschooling usually means giving up careers, convenience, adjusting schedules, and carrying more responsibility, all because parents believe their child is capable of more and deserves something that fits their child’s unique needs.”
Plant City Homeschool Collective is different than other homeschool networks that are spread out across Lakeland, Brandon, and Tampa. “Each one has its own cost, schedule, and commute,” Speer said. “For many Plant City families, trying to make all those pieces fit just isn’t realistic, and that’s where homeschooling can start to feel isolating and overwhelming. What we’re building is a local answer to that. A place close to home where families can gather, connect, and access enrichment without constantly being on the road, traveling to Brandon for this piece, then to Lakeland for that piece. We welcome all home-based learners, no matter the curriculum or approach.”
Families can choose a parent-present enrichment option or the collective’s new drop-off enrichment option launching this Spring. “At the heart of everything we do is life skills, leadership, and civic mindedness, helping children learn how to communicate, work through challenges, and grow into confident members of their community,” Speer said. “My hope is that Plant City Homeschool Collective keeps growing in a thoughtful, steady way while staying rooted in community.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Plant City Homeschool Collective, you can visit their website at https://www.plantcityhomeschool.org.
