Legislative Updates
Elementary Students Attend FLVS Day at the Capitol
By Guest Blogger on April 17th, 2017
Pictured from left to right: Adriana, Andrew, and Branden with FLVS Communications Specialists Diana Furey & Suzan Kurdak
If you ask me, there is nothing like the rush of sharing with our state legislators the unique ways FLVS serves Florida students, and it’s even better when students themselves get to share their stories.
On April 5, 2017, that’s exactly what happened in Tallahassee.
Florida Virtual School executives, board members, staff, parents, and students walked into the state Capitol with a mission.
It was FLVS Day at the Capitol and we wanted our state Senators and Representatives to know how important access to virtual education is for students of all ages. Right now, students in grades 2-5 wishing to take FLVS courses on a part-time basis have to meet a list of eligibility requirements, with the most problematic being that they must have been enrolled in a Florida public school the entire year prior.
House Bill 833 and Senate Bills 868 and 692 remove those eligibility requirements.
Passing these bills means FLVS Flex Elementary students can continue their education with FLVS, allowing them to learn from the hospital, abroad, and from home without restriction. Continue reading
Supporting Access to Online Education for All
By Guest Blogger on February 23rd, 2017
Today is Digital Learning Day!
It’s a day when the whole nation celebrates all the wonderful benefits of online learning and digital literacy.
You know, everything from the cool and advanced technology of courses and anytime learning, to the digital literacy skills that online learning provides to strengthen a student’s learning experience.
This not only includes finding and learning from digital content, but also creating authentic digital content, and communicating or sharing it in multiple formats.
It also includes valuable soft-skills that today’s employers are asking for – like time management and being efficient in using online resources.
While we are thrilled to be celebrating today with other online learning providers, families, and students, we at FLVS have to admit that we celebrate this stuff everyday!
We can’t help it – our passion for online education comes from our awesome students and families who we serve. It doesn’t take long to see the difference we make in students’ lives, and get excited about what we can do next in order to keep our students thriving. Continue reading
Every Student Succeeds
By Guest Blogger on March 21st, 2016
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
The ESSA will replace the familiar No Child Left Behind Act as the federal government’s comprehensive legislation which governs education and, famously, accountability for schools, teachers, districts, and states.
This new collection of laws will certainly usher in a period of change for American schools – but just how much does it change, and when (and how) will that change occur? Continue reading
Flexibility and FLVS
By Guest Blogger on April 17th, 2015
I love Google Alerts.
I’ve got one set up that notifies me any time Florida Virtual School is mentioned on a forum or in an article. I usually start my day sorting through two or three of them, and continue to receive notifications from Google throughout the day.
Some of my favorite alerts are generated by prospective students. It’s interesting to me to see how different each student plans to use FLVS as a part of his/her education. For example, yesterday I received one from a high school student posting on a forum asking if he can take four classes at his traditional school, but then two classes through FLVS. I read it and nodded my head, thinking, “Yes, you can!” Continue reading
Two Big Priorities in America
By Guest Blogger on February 17th, 2015
Health care and education – two big priorities, important to all Americans.
The two often compete for dollars in state budgets. I recently read Turn and Face the Strain: Age Demographic Change and the Near Future of American Education by Dr. Matthew Ladner, Senior Advisor of Policy and Research for the Foundation for Excellence in Education.
I was impressed to learn how the two can work together to secure a better future. Intrigued? Continue reading
National Career & Technical Education Month
By Guest Blogger on February 6th, 2015
February is National Career & Technical Education (CTE) Month.
In order to recognize the important contribution that CTE makes to our educational system, and ultimately our economic success, Governor Rick Scott released a Proclamation declaring February 2015 as Career & Technical Education month in the State of Florida.
In his proclamation, Governor Scott commends the efforts of CTE to both stimulate economic growth as well as preparing students for success in college and careers. Florida Virtual School currently provides CTE opportunities to over 10,000 Florida students annually through 28 different course options. Continue reading
The Missing Piece
By Guest Blogger on July 15th, 2014
Have you ever put a puzzle together only to find out that the last piece or two are missing? Without all of the pieces, you can’t see the whole picture, not to mention the frustration felt from being unable to achieve your goal. Think of education as a puzzle. There is a piece for each different component, but the “access to Wi-Fi” piece is either broken or missing completely.
In this day and age, students need Wi-Fi access at school. It’s as simple as that. They deserve education tailored to preparing them for their future, and that involves newer technologies. Whether they are taking an FLVS virtual course during the school day or needing to access the Internet for a biology project in a traditional classroom setting, Wi-Fi can strongly enhance the learning experience as it allows much more access to a variety of tools. Continue reading
One Size Fits No One
By Guest Blogger on March 26th, 2013
It’s legislative season in Tallahassee again. We know that March will come every year, yet every year it seems such a shock to us that FLVS must stand ready to defend its district against those who would cut first and consider later.
This battle is recursive—we do it over and over and over again. But, when you are a space-creator, you must also be a space-holder. Continue reading