When the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, Florida Virtual School came to the rescue of more than just students in the Sunshine State. It jumped at the opportunity to partner with more than 160 new schools and districts to quickly put in place online learning programs.
This week, the organization unveils its new brand, FlexPoint Education Cloud, to reflect its worldwide focus and provide school districts around the globe with tools and resources to provide online learning programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
The program’s new, trademarked name reflects a more than 20-year reputation for providing schools and districts worldwide with digital curriculum and educator training. The FlexPoint launch will provide resources to even more learners, teachers, schools, districts, and beyond as cultural norms around the world continue to shift and students’ educational journey becomes more individualized.
“Launching FlexPoint is personal to us because we are educators at heart,” said Louis Algaze, president and chief executive officer of Florida Virtual School, as it will continue to be known as in its home state. “We know firsthand the challenges school administrators face every day because we are a public school district, and our virtual doors opened in 1997. We understand what truly matters to them, which is the success of their students and that teachers feel supported.
“We are thrilled to work with schools and districts to continue individualizing the student learning experience by equipping them with the tools and training they need to drive high student performance outcomes in an online learning environment.”
A new FLVS survey conducted in August revealed that more than 75% of parents believe online learning allows their children to gain critical skills they would not acquire in a traditional in-person setting, from communication and time management skills to online behavior etiquette. Most parents also note that online learning positively impacts their children’s education experience, resulting in increased ability to focus, motivation to finish homework, and the confidence to be authentically themselves.
Among the 160 new schools and districts that partnered with FLVS as they looked for ways to quickly implement online programs:
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (AK DEED) In early 2020, before the pandemic, AK DEED already was working with FLVS to create its first statewide virtual school. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing school closures and requiring AK DEED to press fast forward on their plans. In a matter of two weeks, FLVS partnered with AK DEED to launch Alaska State Virtual School in March 2020, two years ahead of schedule. FLVS also licensed its digital curriculum with more than 180 courses and hosted intensive teacher training for more than 190 Alaskan teachers who wanted to help as many of their students as possible by teaching online during the pandemic.
Michigan’s Grand Ledge Public Schools (GLPS) When the COVID-19 pandemic forced GLPS to start the 2020-21 school year remotely, the district partnered with FLVS to provide the school district’s approximately 5,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students with an online learning option. Through their work with FLVS, GLPS offered more than 180 customizable digital courses to support student learning and was able to serve all its students safely and effectively. Throughout the 2020-21 school year, the district maintained an average weekly participation rate of 94%.
FlexPoint has worked with schools and students around the nation and worldwide in 65 countries and three U.S. territories. FlexPoint offers more than 180 engaging and effective digital courses that can be customized to various state standards and seamlessly implemented across a variety of online platforms, extensive staff training and professional development, and around-the-clock customer service support to ensure that educators are getting what they need, when they need it.
