A revised bill in the Florida Senate would allow students to attend virtual schools across district lines.
Sponsor Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, said the measure would extend the state’s new open-enrollment policy for public schools “into the virtual arena.”
A law passed last year allowed Florida parents to transport their students to any public school in the state that had room for them. An amendment to SB 868, which passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously today, would extend that policy to “virtual charter schools, and district virtual programs.”
Florida Virtual School functions like a statewide school district, enrolling students in online classes full- and part-time.
But supporters of the change said right now, geographic boundaries still apply to Florida’s other online learning options, like virtual charter schools, school district-run Virtual Instruction Programs and local FLVS franchises.
Tillie Elvrum, the president of publicschoolsoptions.org, a national advocacy group, told the committee 30 other states allow students to enroll in virtual classes across district lines.
“We support the parent’s right to choose the education model that fits their children best, and that includes virtual and online schools,” she said. “I urge the committee to vote in favor of this amendment because we know open enrollment opens more opportunities and pathways to success for virtual school students.”
The bill would also eliminate Florida’s last remaining restrictions for part-time virtual courses. The House is advancing similar legislation by Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, but it does not include the Senate’s open-enrollment provisions.
Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, raised questions about an analysis by legislative staff, which showed the eligibility expansion could cost the state $4.4 million.
In response, Baxley said expanding virtual education could save the state money in the long run, because “any virtual option is far less expensive to us than supplying brick and mortar space for an individual” student.
“There is only fiscal savings when people choose virtual options,” he said.
