Founded in 1997 by President and CEO Julie Young, the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 online middle and high school with a new full time elementary school program through Connections Academy. In 2009. Florida Virtual School won the prestigious CODIE award for Best Virtual School Solution for Students.

According to its website, "FLVS is part of the Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 public education system and serves students in all 67 Florida districts. FLVS also serves students, schools, and districts around the nation through tuition-based instruction, curriculum provision, and training."

Julie Young is a winner of the 2011 Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education for her pioneering work in education technology. www.mcgrawprizeined.com

Law

A state law required all districts to provide full-time virtual programs by the 2009-10 school year for kindergarten through eighth grades. Legislation was passed in May to expand the option to high school students, but that won't start locally until January. Many of these virtual programs are implemented through Florida Virtual School which allows students of a specific county to log into the county's program through the main Florida Virtual School website and use the "Educator" program.
As of the 2011 school year, Florida Virtual School is changing Learning Management Systems

Learning management system

A learning management system is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content...

 from the Educator platform to the Blackboard Learn platform.

Funding

FLVS is free to Florida residents who fund the program through state taxes; students outside of Florida may take the courses on a tuition basis. The fee is $375 for a half-credit (one semester) course and $750 for a full-credit (2 semester) course. There is an added $25 fee per semester for AP courses.

Grading scale

Students are scored based on the same system as any public school in Florida under the following grading scale.

• A: 90-100%
• B: 80-89
• C: 70-79
• D: 60-69
• F: 0-59

Middle School

The following are academic courses offered for middle school

Middle school

Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...

 students:

• M/J Orientation to Art 2-D
• M/J Keyboarding
• M/J Career Education
• M/J Language Arts 1
• M/J Language Arts 2
• M/J Language Arts 3
• M/J Reading 1
• M/J Spanish - Beginning
• M/J Spanish - Intermediate
• M/J Comprehensive PE 6/7
• M/J Comprehensive PE 7/8
• M/J Fitness
• M/J Mathematics 1
• M/J Mathematics 2
• M/J Mathematics 3
• M/J Comprehensive Science 1
• M/J Comprehensive Science 2
• M/J Comprehensive Science 3
• M/J U.S History
• M/J World Cultures
  World cultures
  World Cultures is an electronic and paper peer-reviewed academic journal of cross-cultural studies. It was founded in 1985 by Douglas R. White, who was the editor in chief until 1990, when Greg Truex took over, followed by J. Patrick Gray and Peter Peregrine . Gray remains the current editor. The...
  
  
• M/J World Geography

High School

The following academic courses are offered for high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 students:

• Computing for College and Careers
• Web Design 1
• Web Design 2
• Computer Programming 1
• English 1*
• English 2*
• English 3*
• English 4*
• Reading for College Success
• Chinese 1
• Chinese 2
• Chinese 3*
• Latin 1
• Latin 2
• Latin 3*
• Spanish 1
• Spanish 2
• Spanish 3*
• French 1
• Fitness Lifestyle Design
• Life Management Skills
• H.O.P.E. (Health Opportunities Through Physical Education)
• Personal Fitness
• Algebra 1
• Algebra 2*
• Geometry
  Geometry
  Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
  
  *
• Liberal Arts Mathematics
• Pre-Calculus*
• Calculus
  Calculus
  Calculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
  
  *
• Critical Thinking and Study Skills
• Drivers Education/Traffic Safety
• Biology 1*
• Chemistry 1*
• Physical Science*
• Earth-Space Science*
• Marine Science*
• Physics 1*
• American Government*
• American History*
• American History - Conspiracy Code
• Economics
  Economics
  Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
  
  *
• Global Studies
  Global Studies
  Global studies, in its broadest definition is the academic study of political, economic, social and cultural relationships of the world. Furthermore, it can also include the study of political and cultural processes, the impacts of globalisation, markets and communications. Global Studies...
  
  
• Psychology 1
• World History
  World History
  World History, Global History or Transnational history is a field of historical study that emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1980s. It examines history from a global perspective...
  
  *

 *Also offered as an Honors' Course.

AP

The following are AP (Advanced Placement) courses offered:

• AP Art History
  AP Art History
  AP Art History is a course offered in high school through the Advanced Placement Program that gives college level material at the high school level. This class is operated by College Board...
  
  
• AP Biology
  AP Biology
  In the United States, Advanced Placement Biology , is a course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn placement credit for a college-level biology course....
  
  
• AP Calculus AB
• AP Calculus BC
• AP Computer Science
  AP Computer Science
  Advanced Placement Computer Science is the name of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn college credit for a college-level computer science course...
  
  
• AP English Language and Composition
  AP English Language and Composition
  Advanced Placement English Language and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program....
  
  
• AP English Literature and Composition
  AP English Literature and Composition
  Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The Course:This course is designated for motivated students with a command of standard English, an...
  
  
• AP Environmental Science
  AP Environmental Science
  Advanced Placement Environmental Science is a course offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program to high school students interested in the environmental and natural sciences...
  
  
• AP Macroeconomics
  AP Macroeconomics
  Advanced Placement Macroeconomics is a course offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program for high school students interested in college-level work in economics...
  
  
• AP Microeconomics
  AP Microeconomics
  Advanced Placement Microeconomics is a course for students interested in college-level work in microeconomics and/or gaining advanced standing in college. The course begins with a study of fundamental economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity costs, production possibilities, specialization,...
  
  
• AP Psychology
  AP Psychology
  The Advanced Placement Psychology course and corresponding exam is part of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. This course is tailored for students interested in the field of psychology and as an opportunity to earn placement credit or exemption from a college-level psychology course...
  
  
• AP Spanish Language
  AP Spanish Language
  Advanced Placement Spanish Language is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The course:...
  
  
• AP Statistics
  AP Statistics
  Advanced Placement Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program...
  
  
• AP US Government and Politics
• AP US History

FLVS also offers AP exam reviews, free to Florida residents and $100 to non-Floridians. The reviews contain tips and strategies for taking the exam, as well as a number of released practice exams and essays. The following are AP exam reviews offered:

• AP Art History
• AP Biology
• AP Calculus AB
• AP English Language and Composition
• AP English Literature and Composition
• AP European History
  AP European History
  Advanced Placement European History is a course and examination offered by the College Board through the Advanced Placement Program...
  
  
• AP Macroeconomics
• AP Spanish Language
• AP US Government and Politics
• AP US History

Clubs

FLVS also offers numerous clubs that students can join.

Future Business Leaders of America Club. -a club to promote leadership skills and develop skills for success in the business field.

History Club. – join other students interested in exploring history topics and competitions.

International Club. – this club promotes international awareness in the school and the community.

Latin Club. – this club encourages an interest in and an appreciation for the culture, language and literature of Latin.

Science Club. – explore various topics in science and participate in the annual Science Fair and Science Olympiad.

National English Honor Society Club. an honor society to expand the knowledge of English in the minds of those who need tutoring and those who are tutoring, this club leads various literacy initiatives at FLVS and in the community.

Model UN Club. – join other students with similar interests as you step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's agenda.

Newspaper Club. – explore the field of journalism, creative writing, and news reporting with other student writers as we create the student newspaper.

Student Ambassadors Club. – join other students to help represent FLVS in elluminate sessions, on Facebook, and with Legislators.

Former

Florida SMG

The Florida Stock market game is no longer offered it is now only offered in Mrs Sibsons Economics course as a collaboration credit.

Game ran from 2007-2011

Awards

(From the FLVS site)
Awards
FLVS has received numerous state, national, and international awards, including:

2011

• FLVS Named Champion at 6th Annual Sterling Conference Storyboard Competition
• Ucompass.com and Florida Virtual School Receive Platinum IMS Learning Impact Award
• Learning 100 Award Recipient, sponsored by Elearning! Media Group. The awards recognize excellence in learning across enterprises that invest in a truly immersive learning culture.
• Dianna Miller Finalist for Online K-12 Teacher of the Year Award

2010

• FLVS Teacher Awarded Florida Social Studies Teacher of the

Year 2010 by the FCSS

• FLVS Teacher Receives the Nation's First Online K-12 Teacher

of the Year Award

• FLVS Reading Coach Named "2010 Just Read, Florida! High School Reading Coach of the Year"
• 2010 CODiE Awards for Best Reading/English Instructional Solution and Best Social Studies Instruction
• Gold Award for Learning Impact from the IMS Global Learning Consortium
• 2010 Best Practices in Distance Learning Programming Award

2007

• EdNet Pioneer Award
• USDLA 21st Century Awards Best Practices in Distance Learning
• Speak Up 100 School (NetDay)
• Chief Learning Officer, Pam Birtolo, wins Wagner Award

2004

• “Excellence in IT Leadership for Central Florida” award from ITFlorida, a not-for-profit membership organization representing Florida's diverse information technology communities.
• Finalist - EdNET HERO Awards are given to the organizations having made the most significant positive impact on education through educational technology and telecommunications. Although the top award was given to NASA's Center for Distance Learning, FLVS was honored to be included as one of the top 3 finalists in the nation for the award and to be named beside such prestigious organizations as NASA.

2003

• FLVS was named one of the web Smart 50 top organizations by BusinessWeek magazine. The November 24, 2003 issue of the magazine named FLVS in the "cutting edge" category. Read the story at BusinessWeek online.
• FLVS and two of its staff were recognized by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) for excellence in programming and teaching, and for individual accomplishment in the field of distance learning. This is the third time within four consecutive years that FLVS has been recognized by the USDLA for its quality of service and commitment to the distance learning field.
• Dr. Dhyana Ziegler, FLVS Board Member and assistant vice president

of instructional technology at Florida A&M was named "One of the 50 Most Important African Americans in Technology" for the second year in a row.

1999-2002

• 2002 - The Global Alliance for Transnational Education (GATE) "Medallion of the Alliance" award to FLVS President and Chief Executive Officer, Julie Young
• 2000 - Canadian Association for Distance Education Award of Excellence
• 1999 - SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIR*TEC) for schools that have demonstrated best practices in instructional technology.