Alternatives to Public Schools In Person - Facebook -

Florida is well know for places like Disney World and dazzling beaches. In addition to being a tourist attraction, Florida has been a place with diverse educational opportunities.

Before Coronavirus, parents had a large number of options in Florida for sending their kids to a physical classroom. These school choices can vary from district to district. Due to safety concerns associated with spreading Coronavirus, many parents and teachers are hesitant about sending their kids to a traditional classroom setting and teachers are hesitant about teaching in this environment. Based upon these concerns, a lot of school districts in Florida will not start the year with the option for kids to attend schools in a physical classroom.

Although these safety concerns are valid, there is still a concern that children will fall behind in school. What shall parents do? The solution will be different for each parent. To assist parents with deciding on how to handle their kid’s education, we are providing parents with the alternatives that are available to them. For choices, please read below.

Student Learning Virtually
Student Learning Virtually

Public Virtual Schools

Florida and some county governments have public virtual schools that are not affiliated with a specific schools. Reference below for information on these options.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS)

FLVS is a convenient and trustworthy option as a public school district in the state of Florida. Florida virtual school has provided courses for students in and out of the state of Florida. They are currently offering four types of programs for kids:

COVID-19 Florida LVS is supporting parents in providing quality education from Kindergarten to 12th grade.

Program Types:

  • FLVS Flex is for Public, Private, and Charter Students. They will supplement their school with one to three courses per semester at FLVS.
  • FLVS Flex is for Home-school Students. Home school students can supplement their home schooling with one to six courses per semester
  • For Non-Florida Residents with one to six courses per semester FLVS Global School
  • FLVS Full Time six courses per semester.

Advantages

  • Free for residents of Florida
  • Flexible and catering, private-public and charter students
  • Quality education by staying safe at home
  • Certified teachers

Disadvantages

  • Students enrolling in FLVS Global School have to pay tuition fees. The Global School is for students that do not live in the state of Florida.
  • Potential lack of social interaction with other kids.

 Cost

FLVS all programs are tuition fee-free for residents of Florida except FlVS global. Enrollment is available anytime throughout the year.

Chances of Exposure To COVID

Zero chances of exposure to the coronavirus as classes are virtual. This is a great option in this corona pandemic to educate your children virtually by staying at home.

Contact Information

  • Florida Virtual School
    • Phone: 850-245-0502
    • Toll-Free Phone: 800-447-1636
    • Fax: 850-245-0960
    • E-mail: [email protected]
    • Website: http://www.flvs.net/
    • Mailing Address:
      • Florida Department of Education
      •  Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice
      •  Virtual Education
      •  325 W. Gaines Street, Room 1044, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Student at Compter
Student At Computer

County Virtual Public Schools

You may like the idea of a publically funded virtual school but Tallahassee seems a little far away. Some counties in Florida also have Public Virtual Schools. Some of them are listed below.

In Person Learning
Some Private Schools MAY Have In-Person Options

Private Schools (In-Person and Virtual)

Private schools are another option. As long as the private school is meeting the health and safety guidelines established by local, state and federal governments, there may be opportunities for your kid to learn in a physical classroom. The options will vary for each school.

Some private schools also include virtual learning. Some have always had a virtual option and others have recently added them. If you are interested in virtual learning through a private school, please contact the private schools directly to find out their opportunities. For your convenience, some of the private schools that are linked with Florida virtual school (FLVS) are below:

Advantages

  • Qualified teachers
  • Safety by staying at home (if virtual)
  • May offer full or part-time in class options.

 Disadvantages

  • There may be significant costs if the school is not affiliated with FLVS.
  • If the virtual option is selected then there may be a lack of social interaction with other kids.
  • If the in-person option is available and selected then there is a higher possibility of being exposing kids to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Cost

These schools may not free. Every school has a different fee structure depending upon courses and facilities. You can visit their website or call them for detailed information. There are also some scholarship opportunities available through the Florida Department of Education’s School Choice program. For additional information, go here.

Exposure to Corona

Minimal exposure to corona if virtual option selection. Increased risk of exposure to Coronavirus if in-person option selected due to contact with other students and teachers.

Contact Information

There are quite a few virtual charter school options. For your convenience, we are providing two options. These options are associated with the Florida Virtual School

Learning Virtually
Student Learning Virtually

Charter Schools (Virtual and In-Person)

Another option for kids is Charter schools. In general, charter schools are a hybrid between a private and a public school. Although they are operated by private organizations but a significant portion of their funding may be from public funds. Depending upon the school, students may access may interact with the teachers in a classroom or virtually. Florida’s charter schools are currently educating over 900,000 students each year. Each school has its own approach to teaching.

Advantages

  • Qualified teachers
  • Diversified and innovative scheme of studies
  • Well supported
  • Free.

Disadvantages

  • Every charter school has different rules and regulation. Those rules and regulations may differ from a typical public school.
  • There may be a lack of social interaction with other kids if the virtual option is selected..
  • Some charter schools may have strict admission criteria
  • There is a higher possibility of being exposed to Coronavirus (COVID-19) if the in-person option is available and selected.

Cost

Charter schools are funded from public funds. They cannot charge a tuition fee for the regular school days.

Exposure to Corona

Zero exposure to corona as these are online schools. Students have to take online classes by staying at home.

Contact Information

You can find contact details and information on their websites on through a website search.

Mother Homeschooling Daughter
Mom Homeschooling Daughter

Home School in Florida

Another option is homeschooling. Homeschooling typically parent-directed educational alternative. This convenient method satisfied all requirements for regular school attendance. If you decide to Home School your kid then you must notify the county superintendent. This is because Florida Statute 1003.01(13) requires all children ages 6-16 to attend school regularly. If you don’t notify them about your intention to home school then they make think you are breaking the law.

Advantages

  • Class Hours are flexible. Allows for teaching sessions to be held in the evenings or weekends.
  • Flexible teaching methods.
  • Personalized approach and attention
  • Fewer distractions from other kids.

Disadvantages

  • Parents or Private Tutor must plan and teach the students.
  • There may be a lack of Social Interaction with other kids of similar age.

Cost

Cost varies depending upon the curriculum selected. Supplies and equipment are paid by the parents.

Exposure to Corona

Zero exposure to corona since the kid will stay at home.

Contact Information

The Florida Parent-Educators Association exists solely to serve homeschooling parents in Florida. This association serves a large chunk of homeschooling families in Florida. they are delivering great support, guidance, and information to new and long-time homeschooling parents

  • Florida Parent-Educators Association (Assists Homeschooling Parents)
    • Phone: 877.ask.FPEA or 877.275.3732
    • Fax: 321.872.6620
    • Address: 255 East Drive, Suite E, Melbourne, FL 32904
    • Website: https://fpea.com/
Private Teacher Giving a Hi-five
Private Teacher Gives Student a Hi-Five

Private Teacher for One Family 

Another option is to hire a personal teacher or tutor for you the kid(s) in your family.

FYI: If the private teacher is not a registered school within the State of Florida, you may still need to register your kid as a Home School Student. Reference the home schooling section for additional information.

Advantages

  • Personalized approach and attention
  • Keep motivated your children
  • Fewer distractions of children

Disadvantages

  • Hiring a quality tutor with the right qualifications and experience may expensive

Cost

The cost will vary based upon family’s requirements. The number of children in the family, ages, subjects, education levels, location, urgency, travel and demand for private teachers.

Exposure to Corona

Exposure to corona is possible if you hire a private teacher because the teacher has to come daily or teacher may get infected or a silent career of corona

Contact Information

You can find private teachers through word of mouth. Some online resources for finding tutors are Thumbtack, Tutor.com or Rent-a-Tutor There are probably other sources as well, please feel free to mention them in the comments section.

Study Group

Group of Friends Hire a Private Teacher or Teach Themselves (Micro-School or POD)

As you all know, hiring a private teacher is expensive, so a group of friends can hire a private teacher. The other option is the parents teach the children themselves. Children must be the same age or following a similar curriculum so the teacher can teach them simultaneously.

FYI: If the private teacher is not a registered school within the State of Florida, you may still need to register your kid as a Home School Student or enroll them in a virtual school. Reference the home schooling and virtual sections for additional information.

Advantages 

  • Cost-effective
  • Quality education at home
  • Time-saving

 Disadvantages

  • Safety concerns due to possible Coronavirus exposure from other students, parents or the teacher.
  • Student to Teacher Ratio may be higher due to more students.
  • Parents from different families may not agree on the curriculum.

Cost

The cost will vary based upon the group’s requirements. The number of children, ages, subjects, education levels, location, travel and demand for private teachers. It may be a more economical solution than a private teacher for one family because the cost may be divided upon more parents.

 Exposure to Corona 

There are chances to expose corona, but it is also possible to keep the distance and take precautionary measures like wearing masks or sanitizing the hands.

Contact Information

You can find private teachers through word of mouth or http://www.thumbtack.com. Thumbtack has a section for finding education professionals. There are probably other sources as well, please feel free to mention them in the comments section.

Student Discussing Progress with Tutor
Student Discussing Progress With Personal Tutor

Hiring A Virtual or In-Person Tutor

If you decide to go with a virtual option, a tutor may also be beneficial. Since a virtual classroom may not have enough personal interaction for your child to succeed, a tutor may be able to feel in the gaps from the virtual learning.

Advantages

  • A cheaper alternative to a personal teacher.
  • Safe option in corona pandemic.
  • Friendly environment.
  • A great option for people who are living in a remote area
ABC - Summary

The Wrap-Up

I hope this article will guide you in exploring alternatives to public schools in these corona pandemic days. Choose wisely by keeping in mind your child’s needs and capabilities.

For parents that are interested in the private school option, The Kid On The Go is providing some scholarship options for private schools. Reference here.

If you have other suggestions or recommendations for other parents, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.

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