3 Florida Districts Take Learning Online
Three school districts in Florida are offering online options for their students, introducing virtual courses to secondary students via Kaplan Virtual Education.
Glades County School District, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and Polk County Public Schools have all partnered with Kaplan in an effort to meet a Florida state mandate to provide online learning opportunities to students.
The courses are being offered to high school students in all three districts, as well as middle school students in Glades County and Miami-Dade. The instruction is being made available tuition-free, and courses meet graduation requirements for Florida middle schools and high schools.
"Kaplan Virtual Education is excited to offer Florida students an education solution that provides rigorous, high-quality courses that can be tailored to meet their unique needs and prepare them for success in the 21st century," said Charles Thornburgh, president of Kaplan Virtual Education, in a statement released late last week. "Through these partnerships, students can get one-on-one attention from teachers, take advantage of engaging learning tools and study virtually anywhere at any time via the Internet."
Glades County School District serves students in four schools. Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves more than 350,000 students in 221 elementary schools, 60 middle schools, and 47 high schools, as well as 28 charter elementary schools, 19 charter middle schools, 12 charter high schools, and various specialized and alternative education centers. Polk County Public Schools serves more than 90,000 students in 65 elementary schools, 19 middle schools, and 18 high schools, as well as various other schools.