Eligibility Requirements

Important News!

  • Second semester enrollment for all district K–8 virtual school programs begins Monday, November 16, 2009 and remains open through Friday, January 15, 2010. 
  • Enrollment for the Home Education program (for students in grades 6–8 statewide) remains open until further notice. 

You must meet specific state or district and program requirements to attend Florida Virtual School’s Connections Academy. Student eligibility requirements in Florida are determined by the State of Florida and in some cases, students’ resident school districts, which are the authorizing bodies for Florida Virtual School’s Connections Academy. Before enrolling, review the following eligibility requirements carefully to determine if your student is eligible to participate in grades K–8 for the 2009–10 school year.

Age Limitations

Kindergarten: Any student enrolling in kindergarten must be five (5) years old on or before September 1, 2009, to be eligible for enrollment.

First Grade: Any student enrolling in first grade must be six (6) years old on or before September 1, 2009, to be eligible for enrollment.

Required Documents

A copy of one of the following documents must be provided for every student to verify age eligibility.  To avoid unnecessary delays, provide a copy of this document along with your enrollment documents.

  • Birth certificate
  • Passport

Geographical Limitations

Grades K–8: Students must reside in the state of Florida and provide acceptable proof of residency to be eligible for enrollment. Additionally, to be eligible for a district-operated program, students’ residency within that district will also be separately verified by the district.

NOTE: Students entering grades K–5 who live in a resident district that does not contract with FLVSCA will not be eligible to attend. View a list of current district programs. You may register for a district program even if your district does not currently have a contract. We will notify you if your district does not offer FLVSCA.

Required Documents

A copy of one of the following documents must be provided to verify your legal residence.  If you do not have any of these documents, please contact the Enrollment Team to discuss acceptable alternatives.

  • Gas, electric, or water bill from the last 60 days that includes your name and service address
  • Mortgage statement or lease agreement

Immunizations

Some programs may require proof of immunizations. You will be notified before the start of the school year as to what is required.

Prior Public Schooling Limitations

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade:: Eligible students must have been enrolled in a Florida public school during both October 2008 and February 2009. Students who were enrolled in a district or state-operated K–8 virtual school program during these time periods were in a public school and are eligible to enroll for 2009–10. Please see the exception for children of the U.S. Armed Forces residing in Florida.

Sixth through Eighth Grade: Students are not required to have been previously enrolled in a Florida public school. However, students’ previous public school status will determine which program they will be assigned and their status as a public school student or a “Home Education” student.

Students who live in a resident school district offering the FLVSCA program and were enrolled in a Florida public school during both October 2008 and February 2009 may enroll in a district program. Students who were enrolled in a district K–8 virtual school program during these time periods were in a public school and are therefore eligible to enroll for 2009–10. View a list of districts currently offering the program.

Students who were NOT enrolled in a Florida public school during both October 2008 and February 2009 or reside in a school district not offering the FLVSCA program may enroll but will need to register with their district as a “Home Education” student. Students will be considered by the resident district as a “homeschooling” student. They must still follow the FLVSCA school calendar and all school policies and procedures, including reporting attendance. IMPORTANT: Homeschooling students will not be considered prior public school students for the purpose of enrolling in a district virtual school program for the following school year. You will be provided with instructions as to how to register as a “Home Education” student with your resident school district.

Exception for children of U.S. Armed Forces: The legislature has currently provided an exception for students who are dependent children of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who was transferred within the last 12 months pursuant to a permanent change of station. These students, including students entering grades K and 1, do not have to meet the requirement for previous public school enrollment. Parents will be required to submit copies of their orders to verify the students' status under this exception.

Supporting Documentation

Your eligibility will be verified through state and district data. You do not need to submit verification of your eligibility unless you dispute the state or district determination of your eligibility, or you are claiming the exception for children of U.S. Armed Forces. If you dispute a finding that you are not eligible, we will provide you with information as to how to appeal that finding if you have other proof of enrollment.

Other Documentation

You may need to provide additional documentation if any of the following circumstances apply:

  • Custody order: If your legal guardianship is determined by a court order, please submit a copy of the order.
  • Report Card: We encourage all applicants to supply their most recent report card during the enrollment process. It is exceptionally helpful to ensure that students receive the personalized learning that our program offers.
  • Gifted evaluation: If you are requesting enrollment in a course that is ahead of or behind the student's age-based grade level or you are requesting placement in a Gifted course, a placement counselor will contact you to request a report card and/or state test scores.
  • IEP or 504 plan: For students with an IEP or a 504 plan, providing a copy of the plan and Educational/Psychological Assessment Report will speed the student's proper course placement.
  • Military orders: If you are enrolling your student under the exception for children of U.S. Armed Forces, you will need to provide copies of your orders.

Return to Florida Virtual School’s Connections Academy enrollment instructions.