Welcome to
Florida DECA!
Every school day, hundreds of dedicated educators across Florida empower over 12,000 high school DECA members to lead, grow, and prepare for success in college and the global workforce. Our members represent over 160 chapters statewide, united by a shared drive to become the next generation of business and marketing leaders.
Florida DECA members actively live out DECA’s core values of Innovation, Teamwork, Competency, and Integrity. Through competitive events, conferences, leadership training, school-based enterprises, and real-world experiences, students build the skills and confidence needed to thrive in their careers and communities.
Our History
Florida DECA’s story began in the 1950s, when distributive education programs first emerged in high schools across the state. Although only eight such programs existed in 1955, the need for a statewide student organization quickly grew.
On April 26, 1957, the Florida Association of Distributive Education Clubs of America was officially chartered by National DECA. The first chapter was at Edgewater High School in Orlando, led by advisor William Dannenburg.
Florida DECA’s first state officers were elected in the 1958–59 school year, and the first statewide conference was held in 1961 at the San Juan Hotel in Orlando with 532 student members representing 25 programs.
From there, Florida DECA continued to grow:
1961: Florida’s first national delegation attended the National Leadership Conference in Chicago.
1965: A post-secondary division was formed — the Florida Association of Managerial Education.
1970s: Florida had some of the highest chapter counts in the country. Jones High School in Orlando had as many as 27 chapters.
1980s: Membership reached an all-time high with over 7,000 high school students in 145 chapters.
1993: Oversight of vocational student organizations shifted from the Department of Education to individual boards. Florida DECA became a separate nonprofit corporation with its own Board of Directors and employed staff for both its high school and collegiate divisions.
Today, Florida DECA proudly serves over 12,000 student members across 160+ chapters, continuing a legacy of leadership, competition, and career readiness that spans more than six decades.