Frequently Asked Questions

What is Florida Virtual School Full Time?

Florida Virtual School Full Time (FLVS FT) is an award-winning K–12 school where coursework is done from a home environment, blending online and offline content. Partnering with Connections Academy, we are proud to offer this 180-day comprehensive program, which gives districts and students numerous benefits, such as:

High standards and accountability
Alternatives for students who perform better outside of a traditional classroom
A school calendar that mirrors a traditional school year but with greater flexibility
Highly qualified, Florida-certified teachers, specializing in online education
Proven curriculum built on Sunshine State Standards
State-of-the-art content and engaging multi-media lessons

How much does the program cost?

FLVS FT is a state-funded school program. As such, it is a free service to eligible Florida residents.

What grades does FLVS FT serve?

FLVS FT serves students in grades K–12.

What are the qualifications for enrollment and the differences between the public program and home education program?

We are proud to offer both a public program (grades K–12) and home education program (grades 6–12) students for the 2011–12 school year:

Public Program: Our Public Program is available to students in grades K–12 for the upcoming school year. A diploma option will be added for the 2012–13 school year, enabling the first FLVS FT Public graduating class of 2013. Students entering grades 2–5 must have been enrolled in a Florida public school during defined periods during the previous school year; have a sibling who was enrolled in a full-time virtual instruction program through their district during the previous school year or meet the criteria for children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces. (See Enroll/Eligibility for more information.) FLVS FT will be the student’s school district of record and students will receive a school report card from FLVS. A diploma option from FLVS will be available beginning with the graduating class of 2013. Students must meet all public school requirements for attendance and standardized test participation.

Home Education Program: A full or part-time selection of courses in grades 6–12 is available to any Florida resident student. Students in this program are considered “Home Education” students. Students are still required to register as Home Education students with their resident school district. There are no other eligibility requirements to participate and students are not required to take the FCAT, or complete any required end of course exams or graduation requirements for high school students. Home education students are not eligible to receive a diploma from Florida Virtual School or for any other services that may be provided to public school students. Students do follow a standard school calendar. Additional courses for students in grades 6–12 who want a more flexible schedule than the FLVS FT 6–12 program are also available through the Florida Virtual School. Visit Florida Virtual School for more information.

How does grade level impact eligibility to enroll in a Florida Virtual School Full Time program for the 2011–12 school year?

Students entering grades K and 1: Any student entering grades K or 1 is eligible to attend FLVS FT as a public program student.
Students entering grades 2–5:
Eligible students must have been enrolled in a Florida public school during both the October 2010 and February 2011 state enrollment surveys. Students who were enrolled in the state-operated program or in a district K–12 virtual school program during these time periods were in a public school and are therefore eligible to enroll as well. Additionally, students are eligible who have a sibling who was enrolled in a full-time virtual instruction program through a district during the previous school year or meet the criteria for children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Students entering grades 6–12 have two program options:
Public Program:
Any Florida students in grades 6–12 are eligible to participate in FLVS FT's Public Program. No registration with your local district is required. You will register with Florida Virtual School as your enrollment district.
Home Education Program:
Any Florida students in grades 6–12 are eligible to participate in FLVS FT's Home Education program. Students are still required to register as “Home Education” students within their resident school district. Home Education students in FLVS FT must still follow the FLVS FT 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.
All Children of U.S. Armed Forces:
The legislature has currently provided an exception for students entering grades 2–5 who are dependent children of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who was transferred to Florida within the last 12 months pursuant to a permanent change of station. These students do not have to meet the requirement for previous public school enrollment.

What are the differences between the public program and home education program?

There are very few differences in the educational programs (except as indicated below) or the school’s policies and procedures. The differences are as follows:

Public: Technology may be available to students based on legislatively-defined hardship criteria. FLVS FT, will make the final hardship determination. Students must take the state’s standardized tests (FCAT, End of Course exams). Students are considered public school students. Students must attend full-time with a standard public course load of 6 courses per semester for grades 6–12 or equivalent for grades K–5.
Home Education: Students use their own technology. Students must be registered as “Home Education” students with FLVS and within their resident district. Students are not considered public school students and are therefore not eligible for any program limited to public school students. Students are not required to take the state’s standardized tests. Students generally will attend full-time, but enrollment may be flexible with options to take up to 6 courses per semester for grades 6–12.

Are students who were not in Florida public schools last year eligible?

Yes, all Florida students entering grades K–1 and 6–12 are eligible for the Public Program. Students entering grades 6–12 are also eligible for the Home Education program. Students entering grades 2–5 who were not enrolled in a Florida public school for both the October and February state surveys of the previous school year are NOT eligible to enroll in FLVS FT with a few exceptions as follows.

Students entering grades 2–5 who are dependent students of members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were transferred to Florida within the last 12 months and students with siblings who are currently enrolled in their district's Virtual Instruction Program may also be eligible for the District Program even if they were not enrolled in a Florida public school during the previous school year.

What is the role of the parent?

Hands-on involvement in the learning is more acute in the early years, where more of the work is completed offline versus online. The parent plays the role of Learning Coach, taking attendance and providing the onsite supervision and support that is so critical. As students move into higher grades, the online curriculum increases, along with the role of the instructor. The hands-on role of the parent in the actual learning process gradually diminishes. However, the structure, love, discipline, and support that only a parent or guardian can provide at home never diminishes. Our goal is to partner with you in the role of seeing your children grow into mature, independent learners.

What does a FLVS FT family receive?

All course content is either delivered online or directly shipped to you when textbooks or supplemental materials are needed. In addition, you will work directly with Florida-certified instructors, who will guide your child each step of the way throughout the course. Your child can also access numerous other online and community resources through field trips, special events, meet and greets, contests, academic clubs, and much more.

What curriculum does FLVS FT provide?

FLVS FT students are the lucky recipients of the combined curricula of Florida Virtual School and Connections Academy—two international leaders in online learning curriculum and programs. These state-of-the-art courses continually set industry standards with their engaging design, ease of use, research-based practices, and for the variety of choices that the courses provide students.

What subjects does FLVS FT offer?

The FLVS FT program is comprehensive in that all required courses for graduation are included. In addition, students can choose from a variety of enrichment and elective courses. In grades 3–8, students may participate in Talented courses in Science, Language Arts and Math. At the high school level, students may opt for any of 11 Advanced Placement courses. We also provide foreign language (Spanish and Mandarin Chinese), advanced Math and Science courses (Physics, Calculus, etc.), and other electives. Please view our program guide for a detailed listing of available courses. Further detail about the FLVS Physical Education Policy is available at our partner page.

What happened to the District Virtual Instruction programs that offered FLVS FT during 2010–11? What is the difference between FLVS FT offered by a school district, direct enrollment in FLVS FT and a district FLVS franchise program?

The Florida Legislature has authorized Florida Virtual School to enroll full-time public school students directly as their school district of record starting with the 2011–12 school year.

Some school districts may also continue to offer the FLVS FT program. If your student enrolls with FLVS FT through your resident school district, you may be eligible for additional services, such as special education services, that will be provided by your resident district. If the student is a graduating senior, the student will receive a diploma from the resident district rather than through FLVS. If you register with FLVS FT, you may indicate that you want to be informed if FLVS FT is available through your resident school district and we will have a district representative contact you.

Please note that some districts offer a franchise program through the Florida Virtual School. This program is not the same as FLVS FT.

Is the FLVS FT program accredited?

Both FLVS and Connections Academy are fully accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges.

Are your teachers certified?

Yes. All FLVS FT teachers are Florida-certified instructors and have achieved "highly qualified" status in their subject areas. In addition, all instructors have undergone an extensive interview, screening, and training process to ensure only the highest quality instructors are working with your child.

How much time do students spend on the computer?

The answer to this question varies by grade level. In order to meet the needs of younger students, more content is offline and includes physical materials. As students increase in grade level, they will do more work online, though there is always a healthy balance between working online and completing offline projects. In fact, even at the high school level, where most curriculum is online, the courseware and instruction are designed purposefully to get students away from the computer to complete portions of the work. For instance, students will conduct science experiments offline, work on a fitness routine, interview a family member, or participate in a field trip.

What computer skills do FLVS FT students and parents/guardians need?

Students and Learning Coaches do not need advanced computer skills to attend Florida Virtual School Full Time. We make it easy to become completely familiar with our system by providing orientation courses to students and parents. Our program also provides technology literacy courses that allow students to develop advanced technology skills.

What do current parents think about FLVS FT?

Every year we ask families to rate our program. See our Proven Results page to see how parents rate our school.

Are there opportunities to meet other FLVS FT families?

Yes. Florida Virtual School Full Time understands the importance of students and parents interacting with others in the program and in the community. We facilitate numerous activities, online and in person. Our community coordinators and school staff plan field trips, special projects, and group meetings with other families in your area. Our online discussion groups and private email system allow you to communicate with other FLVS FT students and parents.

Will my child be required to take standardized tests?

Public school students enrolled in FLVS FT are required to follow all state assessment requirements, so they will need to participate in all standardized testing, including the FCAT and applicable Florida End of Course Assessments. It is highly recommended that Home school students take the standardized tests, but this is not required.

Can my child participate in team sports and other activities at the local school?

Please contact your district directly to find out if your student is eligible to participate in team sports and other activities through your local school.

Is there a required school calendar?

Beginning in the fall semester, all students are required to be enrolled for 180 days. Students beginning in the second (spring) semester are required to be enrolled for 90 days. Attendance must be recorded for all students, even students registered as "Home Education" students.

Will students receive a computer, printer, or a subsidy payment for an Internet connection?

FLVS FT households will generally need to provide their own computer, printer, and Internet service. Please check to be sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements. If your student is enrolled in the FLVS FT Public Program, you may be able to apply for a technology hardship exception if you qualify for the Free/Reduced Price Lunch program and meet technology hardship provisions. Instructions for how to apply for a technology hardship are included with your enrollment materials.