Opening the Virtual Door to Digital Learning
HB 7063 – Passed
Florida is one step closer to harnessing the power of technology to transform and customize education for the digital age.
Expand Access to All Students:
Florida expanded digital learning options for students in grades 2-5 who want to enroll in a full-time virtual school – Florida Virtual School, a district virtual instruction program or a virtual charter school – by removing the eligibility requirement that these students must have spent the prior school year in a public school. Now any public, private or home education student can enroll full-time in a virtual program as long as they are eligible to attend elementary school.
Expands Part-Time Options:
This legislation allows elementary school students who meet the eligibility requirements to take an individual, part-time digital learning course through the Florida Virtual School or through a District Virtual Instruction Program. As a result of this legislation, these programs are expanded to include part-time instruction to eligible K-12 students. For example, a 3rd grader is now able to enroll full-time in public school and take a Spanish class online if they so choose.
Allow Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities:
Similar to Florida’s “Tim Tebow” law that permits home educated students to enroll in their local public school’s extracurricular activities, this legislation allows full-time Florida Virtual School students to participate in their local school’s interscholastic extracurricular activities, such as athletics, marching band, chorus and academic clubs.
Position Papers