Florida Virtual School
| Florida Virtual School | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Address | |
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2145 Metrocenter Blvd, Suite 100 Orlando, FL 32835 United States |
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| Coordinates | Coordinates: 28°31′08″N 81°28′01″W / 28.519°N 81.467°W 28.519°N 81.467°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public |
| Established | 1997 |
| Founder | Julie Young |
| Administrator | Jodi Marshall (CEO) |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Accreditation |
AdvancED Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS CASI) North Central Association (NCA CASI) Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) |
| Website | www |
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) was founded in 1997 as the first statewide Internet-based public high school in the United States. In 2000, FLVS was established as an independent educational entity by the Florida Legislature. Recognized as its own district within the state, it provides online instruction to Florida students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. According to its website, "FLVS is part of the Florida public education system and serves students in all 67 Florida districts. FLVS also serves students, schools, and districts around the nation through tuition-based instruction, curriculum provision, and training." As a public school, its funding is tied directly to student performance.
Florida Virtual School began as a progressive initiative that sought to explore innovative teaching models based in online learning. During the 1996 school year, the Florida Department of Education awarded two counties, Orange and Alachua, with "Break the Mold" grant funds. The $200,000 grant for the legislative project set the stage for FLVS to become the nation’s first statewide online public high school. After a 6-month planning period, the school launched in August 1997 with 77 students and five courses.
Julie Young, former president and CEO of FLVS, describes how "there were no rules and no roadmap for us to follow" as the school was launched. Young, having previously worked as an administrator and technology integration trainer in the Florida education system, was hired to head the project. FLVS became an independent educational entity in 2000. During its first few years following the receipt of its initial grant funding, it was funded as a line item in the state budget.
By 2003, the school had increased to 24,000 half-credit enrollments (considered one segment or semester) and became part of the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). It was the first school to directly tie student performance to funding through the reporting of students’ successful half-credit completions. At this time, FLVS also established its in-state franchise program by forming partnerships with school districts throughout Florida. In 2012-2013, FLVS franchise programs operated in 47 Florida districts.
FLVS is currently affiliated with all 67 districts and has been followed as a global model for initiatives in distance learning. During the 2012-2013 year, FLVS had 410,962 successful half-credit, semester completions based on part-time students.
Within the state, the Florida Virtual School district offers multiple options at no cost to students who are Florida residents. FLVS Flex, renamed from FLVS Part Time in 2016, allows public, private, or homeschool students to enroll on a per-course basis with rolling enrollment open year-round. Students may take courses with FLVS Flex to supplement current studies or as part of a home education program. Because credits are applied to the transcript of a student's local school or toward a homeschool portfolio, students of the FLVS Flex program do not receive a diploma from FLVS. The FLVS course catalog includes over 150 middle and high school courses. Courses include core subjects, world languages, electives, honors, and Advanced Placement courses. FLVS Flex also offers flexible, personalized online learning for elementary students in Kindergarten through 5th grade.
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Wikipedia