The kindergarten through 8th grade virtual school was created in the Florida schools in
2003. It was sold to lawmakers as a great way to save money, offering coursework to replace
on-campus teachers and classrooms at a savings of $700 per student. Only students who
had attended the Florida schools the previous year were eligible to participate at a cost to
the Florida schools of $4,800 per student. The savings over physical classroom instruction
for the Florida schools was expected to be $700,000 with a 1,000 student enrollment in the
virtual school program.
Though in theory the money saved by the Florida schools was substantial, someone forgot to
tell the rules to Jim Horne (then education commissioner). He allowed kindergarten and first
grade students, who had never attended the Florida schools previously, to enroll in the
virtual school. These newly eligible students accounted for 27 percent of all students enrolled
at a taxpayer cost of $4,800 per student. All projected savings were lost, and it ended up
costing the Florida schools an additional $653,000, according to a March 14th article in the
Palm Beach Post.
The Florida schools have found the virtual school a success, even though a costly one in the
beginning. All participating students must meet the Florida Sunshine State Standards and
must take the state-required Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).
In March, the House education committee approved HB 799, which expands the K-8 virtual
school program. If passed by the Senate, all home and privately schooled children in Florida
will be allowed to participate in the virtual school program with no cap on the number of
students enrolled.
Currently, the virtual program is limited to 1,384 students at a $5,200 per student cost for a
total of $7.2 million funding cost to the Florida schools. Though few privately schooled
children are expected to enroll (a parent must be present during use of the program), there
are currently 52,000 children in Florida being home schooled. The expanded program, which
provides parents with a computer, books, software and online access to teachers, could
easily cost the Florida schools about $312 million with a per student cost increase to almost
$6,000.
Such a cost to the taxpayers and the Florida schools may force lawmakers to place an
enrollment cap on the virtual school program. Backers believe the Senate will insist upon it,
since they expect a tight budget this year.
The bill also requires all program providers to be nonprofit. Current contracted providers are
the Virginia-based K12 and Maryland-based Connections Academy. The Florida subsidiaries
of these two firms are currently making a transition to nonprofit status in compliance with HB
799. Though the subsidiaries will be nonprofit, they will be allowed to continue purchasing
supplies and equipment for the virtual school program from their for-profit parent companies.
The bill does not require competitive bidding by these providers.
The expanded virtual school bill, HB 799, is sponsored by Representative Will Weatherford
(R-Wesley Chapel). He believes that the parents of home and privately schooled children
pay taxes, and their children should have equal opportunity to participate in this state-paid
program of the Florida schools, too.
2003. It was sold to lawmakers as a great way to save money, offering coursework to replace
on-campus teachers and classrooms at a savings of $700 per student. Only students who
had attended the Florida schools the previous year were eligible to participate at a cost to
the Florida schools of $4,800 per student. The savings over physical classroom instruction
for the Florida schools was expected to be $700,000 with a 1,000 student enrollment in the
virtual school program.
Though in theory the money saved by the Florida schools was substantial, someone forgot to
tell the rules to Jim Horne (then education commissioner). He allowed kindergarten and first
grade students, who had never attended the Florida schools previously, to enroll in the
virtual school. These newly eligible students accounted for 27 percent of all students enrolled
at a taxpayer cost of $4,800 per student. All projected savings were lost, and it ended up
costing the Florida schools an additional $653,000, according to a March 14th article in the
Palm Beach Post.
The Florida schools have found the virtual school a success, even though a costly one in the
beginning. All participating students must meet the Florida Sunshine State Standards and
must take the state-required Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).
In March, the House education committee approved HB 799, which expands the K-8 virtual
school program. If passed by the Senate, all home and privately schooled children in Florida
will be allowed to participate in the virtual school program with no cap on the number of
students enrolled.
Currently, the virtual program is limited to 1,384 students at a $5,200 per student cost for a
total of $7.2 million funding cost to the Florida schools. Though few privately schooled
children are expected to enroll (a parent must be present during use of the program), there
are currently 52,000 children in Florida being home schooled. The expanded program, which
provides parents with a computer, books, software and online access to teachers, could
easily cost the Florida schools about $312 million with a per student cost increase to almost
$6,000.
Such a cost to the taxpayers and the Florida schools may force lawmakers to place an
enrollment cap on the virtual school program. Backers believe the Senate will insist upon it,
since they expect a tight budget this year.
The bill also requires all program providers to be nonprofit. Current contracted providers are
the Virginia-based K12 and Maryland-based Connections Academy. The Florida subsidiaries
of these two firms are currently making a transition to nonprofit status in compliance with HB
799. Though the subsidiaries will be nonprofit, they will be allowed to continue purchasing
supplies and equipment for the virtual school program from their for-profit parent companies.
The bill does not require competitive bidding by these providers.
The expanded virtual school bill, HB 799, is sponsored by Representative Will Weatherford
(R-Wesley Chapel). He believes that the parents of home and privately schooled children
pay taxes, and their children should have equal opportunity to participate in this state-paid
program of the Florida schools, too.
by: Patricia Hawke
2008 (c) notjustmyflorida.com