Recent social science research has made significant progress in understanding what motivates people to prepare for hazards, but the floodplain management community has not effectively used this research to inform public education programs. This paper draws on "actionable risk theory" to advance a theoretical framework for flood preparedness education. The framework identifies best practices for flood education, and suggests actions that encourage "milling" behaviors among citizens. In order to motivate collective, rather than only individual, responses to risk, the framework also builds on social network and social movement research to propose activities that help build a "community identity around risk." Through a review of education programs in the earthquake sector of the natural hazards community, this paper demonstrates how components of this framework are already working to motivate preparedness. Finally, reviewing past flood education efforts, it recommends ways to improve flood programs so they better motivate preparedness.