In other business, School Board members will consider:

• Changes to the district’s student progression plan. Those changes include allowing middle school students who take high school courses for high school credit and earn grades of “C” or worse to have their grades replaced with grades of “C” or better in comparable courses. The new grades will be used to calculate the students’ grade-point averages.
• The Flagler County Education Association contract.
• The 2012-2013 contract with Florida Virtual School for the iFlagler franchise. The iFlagler program uses the same curriculum as Florida Virtual School, but provides local teachers for students.

For the rest of the article, go to Top state education official to visit Flagler

Leon County officials are not sure how the plan will work for Tallahassee elementary schools because of the many factors involved in scheduling, computer access, and adult supervision, but they will soon begin discussions on how best to accommodate the online options.

The new law also will require the Florida Virtual School to provide services for exceptional student education and also requires the school to provide the English for speakers of Other Languages program.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual school to expand services

The donation is in support of the Laptop for Learners Program, which provides needy Virtual School students with a loaner laptop. Currently more than 35 students are being assisted through the program, according to a news release.

The 2011 Florida’s Digital Learning Act requires all public high school students to complete an online course before graduating. Florida Virtual School is a free public option.

For the rest of the article, go to Everest boosts Florida Virtual School’s laptop loaner program

Students enrolled in nearly 260,000 courses through the school in the 2010–2011 school year.

Florida trails other states in the number of students enrolled full-time in online programs, but a recently approved bill that expands full-time enrollment could raise those numbers. In addition, 56 school districts operate online programs offering full-time and part-time instruction.

For the rest of the article, go to Florida Virtual School Nation’s Top Online Course Provider

But at the same time, this major symbol of the virtual education movement is facing increasing scrutiny about its effectiveness as the popularity of online education has expanded in Florida and the country. Some observers of the field want more proof that the FLVS model leads to academic success for students.

Established in 1997 as a state sponsored e-school, and also designated as a school district, Florida Virtual provides more than 110 courses and grew to nearly 260,000 half-credit enrollments in the last school year. Along the way, its funding model has evolved. The school is paid only when its students successfully complete a course. FLVS receives a portion of the per-pupil funding provided to schools and districts by the state for every half-credit course a student completes. That portion is a bit less than a brick-and-mortar school would receive: a full-time FLVS student is funded at $4,840 by the state versus $6,999 for a traditional student.

For the rest of the article, go to Examining the Florida Virtual School

The bill (HB 7063) received final passage Friday in the Senate on a 36-3 roll call. It passed in the House on Tuesday.

The Florida Virtual School would be allowed to expand part-time course offerings to children in kindergarten through third grade.

For the rest of the article, go to Bill expanding Fla. virtual learning goes to Scott

Specifically, the legislation authorizes establishment of virtual charter schools, authorizes blended learning courses, and allows K-12 students from anywhere in the state to enroll in Florida Virtual School Full Time (FLVS FT). Previously, students could only enroll in the school if they lived in approved school districts. Also, students used to be required to attend a brick-and-mortar public school before enrolling in FLVS FT – but, the Act removes that restriction.

For the rest of the article, go to Jeb Bush’s Rally For Education Reform

Florida Virtual School reported scores that averaged 12 percentage points higher than conventional high schools on the 2011 AP exams. The Internet-based school offered 15 AP courses to 3,053 students, an 18 percent increase from the previous year.

Some 58 percent of FLVS test-takers achieved qualifying scores of 3, 4 or 5, compared with 46 percent at conventional campuses around Florida. The FLVS success rate matched the national average.

For the rest of the article, go to Spending $2,159 Less Per Student, Online School Outscores Florida Campuses on AP Exams

“She could drive me, so it was really convenient,” said Dombrowski, who racked up his college credits during the school year and over the summer high school break. “I didn’t have to deal with the transportation problems that a lot of kids who don’t have their license have.”

And the price was right.

“That I don’t have to pay for tuition or books was a major factor in me wanting to dual enroll,” he said.

For the rest of the article, go to Pasco High student gets head start on college with extra classes

Those online courses generally are provided by the Florida Virtual School and Florida Connections Academy, both approved by the state. Students take the courses at no cost and their respective school districts pay the tuition fees.

Treasure Coast educators want to develop a locally produced virtual school program that would use and pay local teachers, not online teachers from out of the area.

For the rest of the article, go to Editorial: School district cooperation evident in creation of Treasure Coast virtual school