Starting in the Fall of 2009, children in Florida will be able to complete their entire K-12 public school education without ever setting foot inside a classroom. Indeed, under the terms of a new state law, they must be able to. Districts are now required to create their own full-time virtual schools, collaborate with other districts or contract with providers approved by the state, the Palm Beach Post reports.
The law is believed to be the most wide-ranging virtual mandate in the nation. “The rest of the country will be watching to see how it goes,” said Julie Young, president and chief executive officer of Florida Virtual School and a board member of the North American Council for Online Learning. By August, school superintendents must settle everything from how to provide the needed technology to how to engage squirmy kindergartners who lack the attention span to sit at a computer for hours.
The state already funds two online schools catering to students in kindergarten through eighth grade as well as the Florida Virtual School, which offers middle and high school courses, notes the Post.
A very ambitious goal, especially in the case of the youngest and the oldest students. Since most school districts have a physical school that can handle their denizens, I find it a little odd that this program is being pushed to completion so quickly, though. I believe there should be a much longer period of testing what actually works when trying to teach K-12 students. I may be looking at the dark cloud in the silver lining, but I’m guessing the first iteration of this online school program will be a little shaky. It would take a very long time to get any school (not to mention a public school) up to snuff with their curriculum and technology. Regardless of my doomsaying, here’s hoping for the best possible outcome, so we can save on the many associated costs of schooling young people.