FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
?
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
June 21, 2006
TO:
District School Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents for Instruction,
District
Student
Services
Directors,
District Directors of Secondary Education,
Secondary Principals, Secondary Guidance Counselors
FROM:
John L. Winn
Subject:
Florida Virtual School as School Choice Option
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is a fully-accredited public virtual school that offers free online courses to
middle and high school students in Florida. All FLVS teachers are Florida-certified in the subjects they
teach and all courses are aligned with Florida’s
Sunshine State Standards
.
Florida Virtual School provides options for students, parents, school districts, and schools.
Through
FLVS, parents and students have expanded access to courses, and school districts have options to help
ease overcrowding and/or to provide their students with additional course and acceleration opportunities.
Students with limited or no access to a specific course are given priority for enrollment. Florida Virtual
School may also be a good fit for students who have medical or behavioral issues that may limit success
in the traditional classroom or for students needing a more flexible schedule due to training for other
extra-curricular endeavors.
The Florida School Code establishes Florida Virtual School as an educational choice and an acceleration
option for parents and students. Approximately 96 percent of FLVS students exercise this option as a
supplement to their public, home, or private school education and average 1.1 courses per student.
Almost two-thirds of FLVS students are public school students. Articulation agreements are in place
between FLVS and school districts to develop a seamless partnership for students. For the most part,
access to FLVS courses and the subsequent transfer of successful credit completions for public school
students has been routine. However, in some cases, students, parents, and school district staff have posed
questions regarding access to FLVS courses and transfer of FLVS credits. The following questions and
answers address these questions.
325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org
1.
?
Can public school districts and schools deny access to a Florida Virtual School (FLVS)
course?
No.
Section 1002.37(3(c), F. S
., clearly states that school districts may not limit access to FLVS
courses. However, the school counselor will determine if the course is academically appropriate
for the student based upon course prerequisites and the student’s academic history and age.
2.
?
Can public schools deny access to an FLVS course if the school offers the same course?
No. The Department of Education issued
DPS Memo 05-036
, Student Progression Plan Revision
Charts 2004-2005 Correction, which clarifies that schools may not deny access even if they offer
the same course.
The DPS memorandum that addresses this may be viewed at:
http://info.fldoe.org/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-2441/05-036.pdf.
3.
?
Can a student be enrolled in the same course at the traditional public school and at FLVS at
the same time?
No. A student cannot enroll in the same course concurrently at two different public schools.
4.
?
Section 1001.42(21), F.S., requires school districts to provide access to FLVS during or after
the normal school day and through summer school enrollment. What does this mean?
Students indicating a desire to take courses with FLVS during the summer, or during and/or after
the normal scope of a school day, must be allowed access to FLVS courses. Access means the
student must be allowed to take an FLVS course as part of the student’s full day curriculum
(during the school day), in addition to the normal school day (e.g., 7
th
period), and during the
summer term. For a student choosing to take an FLVS course as part of his or her full day of
instruction, the school should make every effort to provide a place for the student to access FLVS
content at the school site or allow the student to access the FLVS course at another location.
5.
?
Can a district limit the number of credits a student may earn at FLVS based on school
board policy that limits the number of credits a student may earn in one or more school
years?
No. Florida Statutes place no limits on the number of credits a student may earn at FLVS during
a single school year or multiple school years.
6.
?
Can a district limit the number of courses a student may take from FLVS during the school
day by requiring the student to take a minimum number of courses at the traditional
school?
No. The law sets no minimum or maximum number of courses a student may take from FLVS
during the school day.
7.
?
How many courses may a student take from FLVS and still earn a high school diploma
from his or her district of residence?
Students should check with their school districts of residence to obtain information about district
policies for earning a diploma. FLVS is a regionally–accredited public school like many other
traditional public schools in Florida. Thus, district policies regarding awarding diplomas and
student movement/transfers among accredited public schools should also apply to students
earning credits from FLVS.
FLVS does not award high school diplomas. However, full-time FLVS students can be admitted
to colleges and/or universities and receive Bright Futures Scholarships based upon completion of
the required high school courses, grade point average, college entrance exam score, and other
admission criteria. FLVS has a guidance department info@flvs.net and information regarding
planning for education beyond high school at the following web address:
http://www.flvs.net/students_parents/index_of_links_sp.php
8.
?
Does the required access to FLVS include middle school courses, even though middle school
students only receive grades and do not earn “credits” for completion?
When speaking of access to FLVS courses, Florida Statute does not differentiate between middle
and high school content. Therefore, students have access to both middle and high school courses.
However,
middle school
students who want to take
high school
courses should check with their
guidance counselors about district policies related to this. For purposes of funding, the DOE has
taken the position that successful completion of middle school courses is equal to credit earned.
9.
?
Must receiving public schools accept credits and course completions from Florida Virtual
School?
Yes, this is the intent of state law.
10.
?
Must receiving schools accept FLVS credits at face value? In other words, can a student
take an honors course at FLVS and be refused the honors designation on the student’s
transcript after completion of the course?
Section 1001.42(21), F.S.,
lists the duty of the district school board to provide students with
access to enroll in courses available through the Florida Virtual School and to award credit for
successful completion. The following points further require the acceptance of FLVS credits.
•
?
Florida Virtual School is funded through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP).
•
?
SBE Rule 6A-1.09441, FAC,
requires that courses which are funded through the FEFP and
courses for which students may earn credit toward high school graduation must be listed in
the
Course Code Directory
.
•
?
The
Course Code Directory
, which is incorporated into rule, also states that districts must use
course numbers and official abbreviated titles as listed in this directory on permanent records
and report cards.
Honors courses have different numbers and short titles than the related
general courses. All FLVS courses are based on the
Sunshine State Standards
and are listed
in the
Course Code Directory
. Thus, they are the same courses offered in traditional public
schools.
•
?
SBE Rule 6A-1.09941, FAC
, requires that credits earned and offered for acceptance shall be
based on official transcripts and shall be accepted at face value, subject to validation if
required by the receiving school’s accreditation.
•
?
Florida Virtual School is regionally accredited by
Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS)
. When schools are accredited by SACS, they agree to accept credits from
other SACS-accredited or regionally-accredited schools at face value.
Therefore, for students’ permanent records, FLVS transfer credits should be treated as other
transfer credits for courses listed in the
Course Code Directory
and/or from regionally-accredited
Florida public schools.
However, the methodology for the grade point average (GPA) calculations to determine class
rank and valedictorian or salutatorian status is determined at the local level. FLVS credits should
be addressed in the same manner as other transfer credits from regionally-accredited Florida
public schools. District and school policies regarding the determination of class rank and
academic honors should be addressed with the student before the student takes the FLVS course.
11.
Can adult students enroll in FLVS courses?
No. Adult students cannot enroll in FLVS courses. However, FLVS has revised some courses to
be used for adult students for the
Florida Adult and Technical Distance Education
Consortium (FATDEC)
. The public school districts in this consortium are working together to
deliver curriculum in a web-based environment for adult education and career technical programs
in Florida's secondary and postsecondary public institutions.
FLVS provides the online courses
to the districts and trains the teachers, but does not teach the courses. The following website has
additional information about this consortium and which districts are members:
http://www.fatdec.com.
12.
What statutes address FLVS as a school choice option?
Numerous statutes address FLVS as a school choice option for parents, students and school
districts. These are listed as follows:
Section 1002.20(6), F.S., regarding K12 student and parent rights includes the Florida Virtual
School as an option for parental choice.
Section 1002.37(3)(c), F.S., clearly states that districts may not limit student access to courses
offered by the Florida Virtual School.
Section 1001.42(15)(a), F.S., includes as a duty of the district school board the requirement to
adopt procedures to inform the general public of the educational programs, needs, and objectives
of public education, including the educational opportunities available through the Florida Virtual
School.
Section 1001.42(21), F.S., lists a duty of the district school board to provide students with access
to enroll in courses available through the Florida Virtual School and to award credit for
successful completion. It also stipulates that access shall be available to students during or after
the school day and during summer school enrollment.
Section 1003.02(1)(i), F.S., requires school boards to notify parents at the beginning of the school
year about acceleration mechanisms, including the opportunity and benefits of Florida Virtual
School courses.
Section 1003.03(3)(b), F.S., relating to maximum class size requirements provides, as an
implementation option, the adoption of policies to encourage students to take courses from the
Florida Virtual School.
Section 1000.04(4), F.S., designates the Florida Virtual School as a component of the delivery of
public education within Florida’s K-20 education system.
Section 1007.27(1), F.S., states that it is the intent of the Legislature that a variety of articulated
acceleration mechanisms be available to public secondary and postsecondary students and lists
the Florida Virtual School as one of those acceleration options.
Thank you for your assistance and dedication in providing a variety of education opportunities and
options for your students. For further information, please contact Sally Roberts at 245-0502 or visit the
following website: www.floridaschoolchoice.org.
