South Florida State College is a public college in Florida with campuses in Highlands, DeSoto and Hardee counties. The college is part of the Florida College System. South Florida State College was founded in 1965 and serves around 19,000 students a year. The 228 acres (0.92 km2) Highlands Campus is located two miles (3 km) south of Avon Park, Florida. The college is on an isthmus, bounded on the north by Lake Lelia, to the south by Lake Glenada, and to the west by U.S. Highway 27. It is a public college offering college credit certificates, career certificates, and associate degrees in over 73 fields of study as well as several bachelor's degrees.

Hardee County is a county located in the Florida Heartland of the Central Florida region in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,327. Its county seat is Wauchula.