About April Fleetwood
April Fleetwood, Director of Accountability, Research, and Measurement, manages university and internal research opportunities at FLVS that focus on best practices and student achievement in online learning for grades K-12. She started her career teaching high school English after graduating from the University of Florida with her Master of Education in 2007. She joined FLVS and received her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida in 2017.
Study Highlights the Benefits of Online Learning for Hospital-Homebound Students
By April Fleetwood on June 14th, 2022
Hospital-homebound students face a variety of situations that can interfere with their educational and personal wellbeing. For example, frequent absenteeism from brick-and-mortar institutions results in missed opportunities as well as challenges with reentering school1. Online education may provide an opportunity for these students to move forward in their education2 and help them overcome or avoid educational and social barriers3.
Continue readingStaying Connected Through Blended Learning
By April Fleetwood on June 23rd, 2020
Florida Virtual School supports Blended Learning Community (BLC) settings in schools across the state of Florida and beyond. In these blended environments, students learn through a combination of online and face-to-face learning. Over the past two years, the FLVS Analysis, Assessment, and Accountability Research Team has partnered with the University of Central Florida to study the unique environment that Blended Learning Communities offer FLVS students, teachers, and Florida schools.
Continue readingFLVS Collaborates with Research Partners
By April Fleetwood on May 15th, 2020
Blended and online learning are still relatively new modes of Kindergarten-12th grade learning. As they continue to grow, learning more about what makes them effective for students is critically important.
Research and Evaluation is an arm of our Analysis, Assessment, and Accountability department at Florida Virtual School. Part of this team’s work includes collaborating with universities and other research partners to broaden and contribute to blended and online learning research focused on primary and secondary educational environments.
Continue readingCreating Social Presence Amid Social Distance
By April Fleetwood on April 24th, 2020
Like most educators in the past weeks, I’ve been thinking about students across the state of Florida, particularly students who have little to no experience with online learning. My mind also wanders to their teachers and the fast-paced transition to online teaching and learning each of them has been facing.
Continue readingVirtual School, Real Success
By April Fleetwood on September 9th, 2019
In a definition search of the word “virtual,” multiple synonyms and meanings appear. Words such as “almost” and “nearly” are the first, which make clear why some may have misconceptions of being a full-time student of virtual school. While most people know that virtual school most directly means school that happens online, how many understand the day-to-day realities of virtual students?