), establishes the primary mission and responsibility of Florida College System institutions as responding to community needs for post secondary academic education and career degree education.

This mission and responsibility includes:[2] A separate and secondary role for Florida College System institutions includes the offering of programs in: In addition, s. 1007.33(2), F.S., requires that any Florida College System institution that offers one or more baccalaureate degree programs: In 2023, the presidents of the system's member institutions issued a joint statement against Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and stated that they "will not fund or support any institutional practice, policy, or academic requirement that compels belief in critical race theory or related concepts such as intersectionality".

[3] The schools athletic teams are governed by the Florida State College Activities Association (FSCAA) and compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 8.

James L. Wattenbarger, distinguished service professor emeritus, University of Florida and Harry T. Albertson, former chief executive officer, Florida Association of Community Colleges, outlined the history of the Florida College System through 2009.

Legislature approves statutory revisions permitting junior colleges to separate from K–12 Legislature establishes the Division of Community Colleges Legislature approves measure allowing community colleges to be governed under local boards