School Handbook Supplement

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Note: The policies in this Handbook Supplement are specific to the Florida Virtual School Full Time Public Program and are updated as needed throughout the year. If there are any

variances between this Handbook Supplement and the General Handbook, the policies in this Supplement should be considered more relevant to Florida Virtual School Full Time Public Program than the policies in the General Handbook, and therefore the Supplement policies should be followed.

Full-Time Public Program

School Handbook

Supplement

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4 Attendance ... 17

4.2 Marking and Verifying Attendance ...17

Connexus® Attendance Codes ... 17

Hours of Schooling ... 17

Learning Coach Responsibilities ... 18

School Responsibilities ... 19

School-Initiated Withdrawals ... 20

4.3 Attendance Status and Escalation Systems ...20

4.4 Truancy ...21

Definition of “A Day of School” at Florida Virtual School Full Time public program ... 22

5 Grading and Student Evaluation ... 22

5.1 Promotion and Retention ...22

Placement in courses ... 23

Grade Forgiveness ... 23

6 High School Programs and Policies ... 24

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Graduation Requirements by Cohort Grade ... 24

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2011-2012 School Year ... 24

Other Graduation Information ... 36

Can a student who selects the 24-hour credit program graduate early? ... 36

What is the distinction between the 18-credit ACCEL option and the 24-credit option? ... 36

Where is information on Bright Futures Scholarships located? ... 36

State University System ... 37

The Florida College System ... 37

Career and Technical Centers ... 37

Where is information on financial aid located? ... 38

High School Promotion ... 38

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility ... 38

Community Service ... 39

Early Graduation... 39

High School Course Credit ... 40

Class Rank ... 40

Release of High School Educational Records ... 41

Prerequisites ... 41

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses ... 42

Grade Forgiveness ... 42

Schedule Changes ... 42

Transcripts ... 42

Credit from other Schools ... 43

Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester ... 44

Middle School Courses ... 44

Credit for Other Experiences ... 45

Students Driving To Sanctioned Events ... 45

7.1 Education Act (IDEA) Eligible Students ...47

Enrollment Requirements ... 47

During the School Year ... 48

Conducting IEP Meetings ... 49

Related Services ... 49

Attending Special Education and Related Service Sessions ... 49

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New Referrals ... 50

Waiver of the FCAT and EOC Graduation Requirements ... 51

7.4 Gifted Students ...52

Gifted Evaluations ... 53

Instructional Program Modifications and/or Adaptations for Gifted Students ... 53

8 Community Events, Trips, and Activities ... 55

9.2 Bullying and Other Forms of Prohibited Behavior ...55

Florida Virtual School Policy Against Bullying, Hazing, and Harassment ... 55

Complaints ... 61

9.3 Discipline and Due Process for Students ...67

Discipline Measures ... 67

Due Process for Students ... 70

9.4 Academic Honesty ...71

Plagiarism and Cheating ... 71

Consequences for Infractions by Students in Grades 9-12 ... 72

FS 1002.321 Regarding Academic Integrity ... 73

9.5 Due Process for Parents ...74

Parent Remedies ... 74

Grievance Process ... 75

10.2.4 Use of Personal Equipment and Software ... 75

Technology Hardship Scholarships ... 76

Technology Hardship Scholarship Application Process ... 76

10.2.5 Use of the Internet ... 76

Internet Subsidy... 76

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Eligibility

By Florida state statute, students must meet the following requirements in order to participate in the public program offered by the Florida Virtual School Full Time program (FLVSFT).

1. Students must reside in the state of Florida, AND

2. Meet the age requirements according to Florida statutes.

Additional eligibility criteria are determined by the grade level the student is entering.

Kindergarten: Students are not required to have been previously enrolled in a Florida public

school. However, students must have turned 5 years of age on or before September 1 of the school year in order to be eligible to enter kindergarten in that year.

First Grade: Students are not required to have been previously enrolled in a Florida public

school. Students may enroll in first grade if they have turned six years old on or before

September 1 and have successfully completed kindergarten. Students who are from out-of-state are eligible to enroll in first grade if they turn six years old after September 1, meet the age requirement for public kindergarten admission from the transferring state, and have successfully completed kindergarten.

3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

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Parents/guardians of students in Title I schools are able to access information, brochures and documents regarding the components of the Title I Program that are listed below at the school site. Additionally, the documents named below that are marked with an asterisk (*), will be distributed to parents by the school site, and are made available in English and appropriate student languages, based on student population.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS:

• Title I Program Parent Notification Letter

• Title I School’s District Wide Parental Involvement Policy • Title I School-Parent Compacts

• Title I Annual Parent Meeting

Should you need further information regarding the Title I program at your children’s school please contact the Title I parent involvement liaison.

3.4 School Contact Information

School Information School Contact K – 8 Program Phone Number (321) 418 – 3360

HS Program Phone Number (866) 574 – 7210

K – 8 Program Fax Number (407) 226 – 7101

HS Program Fax Number (407) 264 – 6457

K – 8 Program School Address 5401 S. Kirkman Road, Suite #550 Orlando, FL 32819

HS Program School Address 2145 Metrocenter Blvd, Suite 200 Orlando, FL 32835

School Hours 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST, M - F

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School Information School Contact K – 8 School Principal

9 – 12 School Principal

Marcie Trombino Katie Santana

WebMail All staff and Support Services are located in the Connexus® WebMail address book.

3.5 School Schedule

3.5.1 The 2014-2015 School Year Calendar

Event Date

First Day of School August 18, 2014

Labor Day (No School in Session) September 1, 2014

Teacher In-Service Days (No School for Students) October 1 – 3, 2014

Columbus Day (No School in Session) October 13, 2014

Teacher In-Service Day (No School for Students) October 24, 2014

Veterans’ Day (No School in Session) November 11, 2014

Thanksgiving Break (No School in Session) November 24 – 28, 2014

Winter Break (No School in Session) December 22, 2014 – January 2, 2015

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School in Session) January 19, 2015

First Semester End Date January 21, 2015

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Event Date

Second Semester Start Date January 26, 2015

Presidents’ Day (No School in Session) February 16, 2015

Teacher In-Service Day (No School for Students) March 13, 2015

Spring Break (No School in Session) March 16 - 20, 2015

Memorial Day (No School in Session) May 25, 2015

Last Day of School June 10, 2015

3.5.2 Recommended Required Instructional Hours

Based on a 180 day school year:

• Grades K – 3 = 720 hours (4 hours per day) • Grades 4 – 12 = 900 hours (5 hours per day)

Note that these are the minimum hours required by the state and that students are responsible for mastering all material, which may require additional time.

3.6 Enrollment, Withdrawal, and Transfers

Enrollment of Students Expelled from Another School

Pre-Expulsion

If a district has found probable cause for an expulsion but has offered student an alternative program, Florida Virtual School Full Time program may be utilized as solution for providing instruction for said students. Florida Virtual School Full Time program reserves the right to deny enrollment depending on the nature of the misconduct that resulted in the student being

considered for expulsion.

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If a student has been expelled from a public school, Florida Virtual School Full Time program may be utilized as solution for providing instruction for said students. Students who have been expelled from a Florida public school and who subsequently attempt to enroll in as either a homeschooled student or through enrollment in a private school program may be denied access to Florida Virtual School Full Time program.

Florida Virtual School Full Time program reserves the right to deny enrollment depending on the nature of the misconduct that resulted in the student being expelled. All requests shall be made to the principal for grade levels requested, and approved by, the Senior Director, Instructional Operations.

Enrollment for Middle School Students:

The Florida Virtual School Full-Time Enrollment department will require an unofficial transcript for students entering FLVS FT Public in grades 6-8. This unofficial transcript must include academic history from previous middle schools: courses taken and courses completed with grades. The transcript must also contain final promotion/retention status from the previous school. All students will be reviewed by Academic Placement Services during the enrollment process to confirm pupil progression requirements have been met. After the student is officially enrolled with FLVS FT Public, official copies of the transcript will be requested from previous school(s), reviewed by the school counselor, and merged with the official FLVS FT Public transcript. This process has been established in order to comply with the Florida State Pupil Progression for Middle Grades Promotion (S. 1003.4156 ).

3.6.3 Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester

Students may enroll after the start of the school year or semester up until the point that

enrollment is closed. The actual date on which enrollment closes is determined annually and is at the discretion of the school. Students enrolling after the start of the year and mid-year are subject to all the same enrollment and course completion requirements (see section 3.9) as students who enroll prior to the start of the school year or semester.

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Florida Virtual School Full Time is a full service school of choice. Eligibility for participation in courses outside of the FLVS FT program must be reviewed with a student’s guidance counselor to review and ensure academic appropriateness.

FS. 1006.15 allows FLVS Full Time students meeting specific academic and conduct

requirements to participate in extracurricular activities at the public school to which they would be assigned by their resident district. In certain special circumstances where participation in extracurricular activities requires attendance in a course, it may be possible for a student to participate in a course or activity at their local school, within the parameters described below. Seeking such permission should be initiated after the start of the Florida Virtual School Full Time program school year. The parent’s decision whether or not to enroll in the Florida Virtual School Full Time program should not be contingent on approval to participate in a course or activity at another institution.

To make these arrangements, parents must obtain the Request for Local School Activities form from the Virtual Library. The form essentially outlines the activity, lists contact information, and indicates that the cooperating principal agrees to: 1) not claim or collect any state, local or federal funding for the student, and 2) assume all liability for that student while on the school grounds. Once the form is completed and signed, the parent should present it to the Virtual School Liaison at the student’s resident district, who will ensure that the student is in good standing and call the local school principal and make a final approval decision (on the form). Violations of this policy may be grounds for dismissal from the program.

FLVS FT 9 – 12 students wishing to participate in extracurricular sports activities within their home school district need to meet the requirements set forth in the FHSAA policy 16.3.5

3.6.7 Location Change

Florida Virtual School Full Time polices related to Location Change follow the policies in the School Handbook: General Portion, with the following changes/additions:

1. Permanent In-Area Location Change: change of residence within the school’s

service area. FLVS families must contact the Enrollment team no later than 10 days

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2. Temporary Location Change: Travel or relocation away from student’s residence

for longer than three (3) weeks. General Handbook policies apply, with the following

addition: Relocation that occurs during state testing windows when the student is required to test in the zoned school district (according to permanent address on file) will not be permitted unless the Caretaker confirms that the student will be transported to the test site in the zoned school district and according to the previous address on file.

Failure to participate in mandatory state testing may cause the student to be immediately withdrawn from the school.

3. Alternate Learning Location(s) Change: Student learning regularly occurs in an alternate location but there is no change in the student’s residence. General Handbook policies apply, with the following addition: Relocation that occurs during state testing windows when the student is required to test in the zoned school district (according to permanent address on file) will only be permitted if the alternate location does not prevent the student from testing in their assigned/zoned school.

3.7.3 Mandatory Testing

Students attending the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program will be required to take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), in accordance with Florida public school requirements.

The FCAT, administered to students in Grades 3-11, contains criterion-referenced tests (CRT), measuring selected benchmarks in Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing from the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS). More information about the administration of the tests will be posted by the principal once the school year is under way, including specific dates and locations.

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FLVS FT students are required to participate in all state mandated tests. Earning a diploma is contingent upon participation and meeting minimum requirements, as set forth by the FLDOE, including testing. Graduation requirements may change due to legislation. Students are also required to participate in the Florida End of Course Assessments for specific high school level courses. These tests will be administered in accordance with state policy. Note that for some students the End of Course assessment may count as part of the student’s final grade for that course; for other students, passage of the EOC Assessment is a requirement to earn the course credit. Check the state website or contact the school counselor for detailed information. These tests are administered by the student’s school district.

FLVSFT receives a school grade annually. 50% of the grade is based on participation and performance on mandatory state tests. To ensure that our program receives the highest

rating possible, which maintains our viability as an education option for our students, FLVSFT requires 100% participation and completion. Failure to participate, failure to complete ALL required testing, or failure to follow test site procedures resulting in dismissal from testing are grounds for dismissal. The tests are administered at the

student’s zoned School of Enrollment per Florida Statute and the student is responsible for all transportation and other requirements related to attending the testing. The FLVS FT school will work with the student and the zoned school of enrollment to arrange testing dates and times. Household address information must be up to date to ensure student reports to the correct zone school for statewide assessments

State Testing Calendar

Florida state testing is completed during state testing windows. FLVS FT students will be provided with a specific testing date, time, and location for each required test. Families do not have the ability to choose a date within the state outlined testing window.

Florida Standards Assessments (FSA)

Dates Assessment Grade Level

December 1 – 19, 2014 FSA English Language Arts – Writing Field Test (selected schools only)

4 – 11

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March 23 – April 10, 2015

FSA English Language Arts*/Mathematics* 3 – 4

April 13 – May 8, 2015 FSA English Language Arts 5 – 11

April 13 – May 8, 2015 FSA Mathematics 5 – 8

FSA End –of Course Assessments

April 20 – May 15, 2015 Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 HS

*Indicates a based test, all other assessments are computer-based only, with paper-based accommodations available for eligible students with disabilities.

Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) Assessments

Dates Assessment Grade Level Florida Comprehensive

Assessment Test FCAT 2.0

October 6 – 17, 2014 and March 23 – April 10, 2015

FCAT Mathematics Retake (SSS) and FCAT 2.0 Reading Retake

Retained 10 – AD

April 13 – May 8, 2015 FCAT 2.0 Science* 5 and 8

NGSS End-of-Course Assessments

September 15 – 26, 2014 Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry Retake, U.S. History

HS

December 1 – 19, 2014 Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, Geometry Retake, U.S. History

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March 23 – April 10, 2015 Algebra 1 Retake HS

April 20 – May 22, 2015 Biology 1, Civics, U.S. History HS

July 13 – 24, 2015 Algebra 1 Retake, Biology 1, Civics, U.S. History

HS

*Indicates a based test, all other assessments are computer-based only, with paper-based accommodations available for eligible students with disabilities.

Other Statewide Assessments

Dates Assessment

July – October 2014 Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screening (FLKRS) (Administered within the first 30 instructional days of the school year)

August 2014 – May 2015 Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR)

(optional – K12) September – December 2014 ACT Plan®

October 15 and 18, 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)

January – March, 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Grades 4, 8, and 12 Reading, Mathematics, and Science

March 2 – April 3, 2015 Comprehensive English Language Learning Assessment (CELLA)

TBD Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Disabilities

May 2015 Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

Year Round Postsecondary Educations Readiness Test (PERT)

*Computer-based test

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3.8.4 Placement Changes during the School Year (K-12)

Refer to section 6.0 (High School Program and Policies) in this handbook for information related to changing courses at the high school level. Additional options for acceleration per FS

1003.4295 are included in the FLVS district student progression plan.

3.9 Course Completion

Courses at the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program are made up of lessons, which are grouped into units. Within each unit are quizzes and other smaller assessments. At the end of each unit there is a unit test which covers the entire unit. At the end of most courses, the last unit test is cumulative over the entire course and serves as a final exam. All lessons and assessments must be completed for a course to be considered complete.

“Lesson status” (i.e., incomplete or complete) is a Connexus tool used to assist teachers and Learning Coaches in their planning, organization and communication. It is not relevant for determining course completion. Learning Coaches or students mark lessons complete when they believe the student has done the requisite amount of work to adequately master the lesson’s learning objectives, and the student has completed any assessment associated with the lesson.

Student mastery of the course material is the goal of the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program. Therefore, as the student moves through the course, teachers may exercise two options as needed to ensure students have mastered the course material. These options are intended to help the student understand the material and therefore arrive at the end of the course with a passing grade:

• After the teacher and/or Learning Coach have worked with the student on mastering the material, the teacher may allow the student to take one or more alternative assessments and/or turn in special projects. The teacher will create a custom assessment in the Grade Book and insert the new grade.

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* In some exceptional cases, a teacher may request of the school’s Curriculum Lead that a student be allowed to skip a lesson, and drop the corresponding assessment, if the teacher believes that the student would benefit from skipping that lesson to spend more time on other lessons. Teachers do not have the authority to skip lessons without the approval of the Curriculum Lead. Requesting permission to skip a lesson and assessment is an instructional decision based on the teacher’s understanding of the student’s needs; therefore,

students/Learning Coaches should not ask their teacher for permission to skip a lesson and corresponding assessment. Lessons that are essential to covering a state’s standards may not be skipped.

The purpose of the final exam is to assist in validating that students have demonstrated mastery of key course concepts and standards. The final exam, unto itself, is not the sole determiner of student achievement; however, students are required to take a final exam in all FLVS courses in order to be eligible for course credit.

The FLVS Academic Integrity department may, at its discretion, require a proctored segment exam for any student on a situational basis. Academic Integrity proctored exams must be successfully passed (grade of 60% or higher) in order for a student to be eligible for course credit.

As a means of ensuring comprehension and integrity, each course contains built in assignments that are designated to be completed verbally, during a discussion between the teacher and student. A student who does not complete and pass the discussion based assessments in his/her course is ineligible for course credit.

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A passing grade in the course will be accepted for high school credit. Postsecondary institutions determine college credit awarded, based on the AP Exam score earned. FLVS strongly

encourages students who take AP courses to sit for the course AP Exam in May. Students shall be exempt from payment of any fees or costs associated with AP Exam participation, with the following two exceptions:

• students who incur late registration fees will be responsible for fee payment, and • non-military family students who take the test outside the United States will be

responsible for registration costs.

4 ATTENDANCE

Please refer to SPED policy regarding mandatory attendance for special education and/or related service session(s) (if applicable) as designated on your child’s IEP.

4.2 Marking and Verifying Attendance

Learning Coaches document student attendance in the Education Management System (EMS or “Connexus®”); the school verifies that the attendance records are accurate.

Connexus® Attendance Codes

The following attendance codes are available in Connexus:

Code Definition of Code Who enters the code? 0 – 9 Hours of Schooling Learning Coach (and the

school, as necessary)

V Vacation Learning Coach

E Excused Absence The School

U Unexcused Absence The School

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In order to meet the state’s requirements (located in the School Schedule section of this handbook), families should aim to complete the following minimum hours of schooling each week:

Grade (s) Recommended Hours per Week

Recommended Hours per Year

K – 3 20 720

4 – 12 25 900

Learning Coach Responsibilities

• Record Hours of Schooling - For each instructional day, Learning Coaches enter a 0 – 9 in Connexus to indicate the number of hours of schooling that occurred. They should aim to meet the weekly totals listed above to ensure compliance with state regulations. Coaches may also ask for assistance from the school to enter attendance records if they are unable to access a computer on a given day, per the Marking and Verifying Attendance section of the General School Handbook.

• Alert School of Student Absences – Coaches are not permitted to enter “E” attendance codes in Connexus. If a student is absent, the Coach must send information to the school about the absence, and the school determines if the absence can be classified as excused, per the guidelines listed in the General School Handbook.

• Complete defined school year – Regardless of the number of hours of schooling a student may complete prior to the last day of the school year (as defined in the school year calendar in this handbook), students are required to meet the weekly required instructional hours up to and including the last day of the school year.

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Note that regularly-scheduled school holidays, vacations, etc. must still be marked with a “V” if the student did not complete any educational activities on that day; they are not

automatically recorded as vacation days in Connexus.

Students who start after the beginning of the school year will not be permitted to take vacation time for any school holiday or vacation days that occurred prior to their start date. For example, if a student starts school September 5 but school officially started August 18, the student is not entitled to use Labor Day as a vacation day, but is still entitled to all vacation days that are scheduled after his/her official start date.

If a student has used his or her allotment of vacation days, any day on which no educational activities are completed (i.e., no hours are recorded) will be treated as zero hours. If that student is able to meet the weekly stated hours requirement on the days in which he/she does work, then the zero hour day will not adversely affect the student’s attendance

percentage. If the hours are not made up during that same week, however, the student will be considered absent and their Escalation Status could be adversely impacted.

School Responsibilities

• Review Attendance Records – Teachers monitor and review attendance records on a weekly basis. They remind Learning Coaches to enter hours of schooling for all days of the week. If a teacher has concerns about the validity of a student’s attendance records, he or she may place the student in an “alarm” status, and contact the school’s designated

attendance coordinator for further assistance.

• Monitor Attendance Issues – The school’s attendance coordinators monitor student attendance. They contact families with low attendance rates, and work to help them stay in compliance. Attendance Coordinators also identify and record excused absences, and can alter Learning Coaches’ attendance records (with proper documentation), if necessary. • Maintaining the Integrity of the Attendance Data – After the weekly records are reviewed

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• Official Attendance Record – the Connexus attendance system is the record of Learning Coach documented attendance. It is however only one of many sources used to determine if a student is meeting the minimum instructional hours requirement. In certain cases, where it has been determined that a student has not completed enough work or that certain other program requirement have not been fulfilled, the attendance coordinator may invalidate the Learning Coach record resulting in sanctions up to and including withdrawal.

School-Initiated Withdrawals

Students will be withdrawn from the school if they have 10 consecutive or 15 unexcused absences in a 90 day period, or if they are out of compliance for two weeks or more with a Performance Improvement Plan or Success Plan that addresses any area of escalation. Other reasons for school initiated withdrawal are if a student is out of compliance with attendance requirements for Exceptional Student Education services, or if they do not participate in all mandatory state testing. If a Learning Coach is logging attendance, but the student is not participating regularly or attaining a passing score in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, the student may be placed in an intervention program designed to improve support for the student and the Learning Coach. At the end of that intervention the Learning Coach and school staff will evaluate whether or not the student should continue with Florida Virtual School Full Time public program or seek an alternative educational setting

4.3 Attendance Status and Escalation Systems

Enrolled students are in one of three attendance statuses at all times: 1. On-Track

2. Approaching Alarm 3. Alarm

4. Exempt

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Attendance status is based on several criteria, as outlined in the General School Handbook, and is a combination of measures that indicate if a student is demonstrating adequate participation (and therefore attendance) in the program. This not only includes the actual attendance hours recorded by the Learning Coach, but also lesson and assignment completion rates, and amount of communication with the teacher. Therefore, even though a Learning Coach may record a high number of instructional hours in the attendance records, if a student’s work completion rates are not on track or is he or she fails to communicate on a regular basis with the teacher, he or she will be placed in an Alarm status. It is important to recognize that just marking proper attendance will not keep a student’s attendance status On-Track.

When a student is in the Approaching Alarm status, he or she is in danger if being withdrawn. The school will work with the family to help get the student’s attendance back on track. If these efforts fail, the student will be escalated to the Alarm status which could quickly lead to the student’s official disenrollment. (See School-Initiated Withdrawals)

4.4 Truancy

In order to maximize student learning, regular attendance is imperative. The Florida Virtual School Full Time public program offers a great deal of flexibility about how many hours students spend each day on school work and on what days of the week they complete that work. Due to this flexibility, Florida Virtual School Full Time public program has zero tolerance for truancy. Caretakers are held legally responsible for ensuring that their students are fully participating in school, even if they have designated another individual as their student’s Learning Coach. The information below is intended to help Caretakers understand to how avoid having their student be considered truant, and to understand the consequences of truancy.

In order to avoid truancy, the Caretaker must ensure that the following activities are taking place:

• The student completes assigned lessons and assessments.

• The student participates in educational activities for an appropriate number of hours, as outlined in the Required Hours of Instruction section (3.5.2) of this Handbook

Supplement, and the Caretaker or Learning Coach records these attendance hours in Connexus on a daily basis.

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• The student is able to demonstrate that he/she is doing his/her own schoolwork. • The student attends all mandatory state testing.

• The Caretaker or Learning Coach has communicated with the homeroom teacher in advance if he or she needs to deviate from the regular school calendar (for example, switching a vacation and school day).

If the students’ teachers become aware that the student is not fully participating in school as outlined above, the student will be marked absent at the teacher’s discretion. The principal or homeroom teacher may override the number of attendance hours previously entered by a Learning Coach, changing the attendance hours as appropriate, if the student’s teacher(s) believe the student has not participated as required. These absences will be considered “unexcused” Absences are considered “excused” only for documented student illness or the death of an immediate family member. The final decision about whether an absence is considered excused or unexcused will be made by the principal.

Florida law defines "habitual truant" as a student who has 15 or more consecutive unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the knowledge or consent of the student's parent or guardian, and who is subject to compulsory school attendance.

Definition of “A Day of School” at Florida Virtual School Full Time public

program

Missing a “day” of school is defined as “missing a day’s worth of hours” For a Florida Virtual School Full Time public program student in grades K-3, this would be the equivalent of

completing fewer than 16 hours of school in a week and for a student in grades 4-12 would be the equivalent of completing fewer than 20 hours of school in a week.

5 GRADING AND STUDENT EVALUATION

Florida Virtual School Full Time public program uses the scale below for all work completed in the program.

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Grades K-5: In order to receive credit for a course, the student must pass the course (achieve a

final grade of 60% or greater) and complete all of the assigned assessments. Incomplete

assessments will be assigned a 0%. Promotion into the next grade level is dependent on a final passing score in core classes Language Arts and Math. Final decisions regarding promotion and retention will be made by the school according to the district Student Progression Plan.

Grades 6-12: In order to receive credit for a course and be promoted to the next course or

level, the student must pass each semester of their four core courses (Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies) by completing all assigned assessments and achieving a final grade of 60% or greater. Incomplete assessments will be assigned a 0%. Final decisions regarding promotion and retention will be made by the school according to the district Student Progression Plan.

Percent Letter Grade

90 – 100 A 80 – 89 B 70 – 79 C 60 – 69 D ≤59 F

Placement in courses

Student placement into courses is based upon academic appropriateness as determined by the student, parent, school counselor and school administrator. Students may be placed to meet graduation requirements, need for acceleration, and/or need for remediation. For more information please reference FL statute (1002.37 F.S.)

Grade Forgiveness

A student in the middle grades who takes any high school course for high school credit and earns a grade of "C", "D", or "F", or the equivalent of a grade of "C", "D", or "F" shall be allowed to retake the same course or a comparable course and replace the grade with a grade of "C" or higher, or the equivalent of a grade of "C" or higher.

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6 HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES

Graduation and Diploma Requirements

NOTE: Florida Virtual School Full Time program will begin awarding diplomas in the 2012-13 school year to students who have met Florida graduation requirements.

A student must finish school before or during the year in which s/he turns nineteen (1(9) years old. Students who cannot meet graduation requirements as outlined below, prior to the end of the school year during which they attain the age of twenty (20) in the fall semester of that year, shall not be permitted to attend beyond that academic year. To be eligible to receive a diploma from FLVS-FT, a student must:

1. complete the required number of credits as outlined in the FL graduation requirements, 2. earn at FLVS-a minimum of 6* of the credits (or 12 courses) required for graduation, with

at least 3 of these credits (or 6 courses) earned in the semester immediately prior to graduation,

3. pass all state-mandated graduation tests,

4. earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and

5. meet any other additional graduation requirements required by the state.

*AdvancED Accreditation requires the assurance that “the institution ensures that students graduating from the institution complete at least 25% of the courses for graduation at the institution.” www.advanc-ed.org

Exceptions must be approved by the Senior Director, Instructional Operations.

Graduation Requirements by Cohort Grade

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2011-2012 School Year

What are the diploma options?

Students must successfully complete one of the following diploma options: • 24-credit standard diploma

• 18-credit Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) option • Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) curriculum

• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma curriculum

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Students must pass the following statewide assessments: • Grade 10 reading (or ACT/SAT concordant score)

• Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) if Algebra I is taken after 2010–2011 or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.)

Students must participate in the following EOC assessments:

• Algebra I (if enrolled after 2010-2011) • Biology I (if enrolled after 2010-2011) • Geometry (if enrolled after 2010-2011) • U.S. History (if enrolled after 2011-2012)

What are the requirements for standard diploma designations? Scholar Diploma Designation

In addition to meeting the 24-credit standard high school diploma requirements, a student must

• Earn 1 credit in Algebra II;

• Earn 1 credit in Statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course; • Pass the Biology I EOC;

• Earn 1 credit in Chemistry or Physics;

• Earn 1 credit in a course equally rigorous to Chemistry or Physics; • Pass the U.S. History EOC;

• Earn 2 credits in the same World Language; and

• Earn at least 1 credit in AP, IB, AICE or a dual enrollment course.

A student is exempt from the Biology I or U.S. History assessment if the student is enrolled in an AP, IB or AICE Biology I or U.S. History course and the student

• Takes the respective AP, IB or AICE assessment; and • Earns the minimum score to earn college credit.

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Scholar Diploma Designation

• Meet the standard high school diploma requirements

• Attain one or more industry certifications from the list established (per s. 1003.492, F.S.)

What are the requirements for the 24-credit standard diploma option? 24-credit standard diploma option

4 Credits English Language Arts (ELA) 4 Credits Mathematics

• One of which must be Algebra I and one of which must be Geometry • Industry certifications that lead to college credit may substitute for up to two

mathematics credits (except for Algebra I and Geometry)

3 Credits Science

• One of which must be Biology I, two of which must have a laboratory component

• An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I)

• An identified rigorous Computer Science course with a related industry certification substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I)

3 Credits Social Studies

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24-credit standard diploma option

1 Credit Fine and Performing Arts, Speech and Debate, or Practical Arts

• Eligible courses are specified in the Florida Course Code Directory at http://www.fldoe.org/articulation/CCD/default.asp.

1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health 8 Elective Credits

1 Online Course

Students must earn a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2012-2013 School Year

What are the state assessment requirements?

Students must pass the following statewide assessments: • Grade 10 reading (or ACT/SAT concordant score)

• Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) if Algebra I is taken after 2010–2011 or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.)

Students must participate in the following EOC assessments: • Algebra I (if enrolled after 2010-2011)

• Biology I (if enrolled after 2010-2011) • Geometry (if enrolled after 2010-2011)

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What are the requirements for standard diploma designations? Scholar Diploma Designation

Merit Diploma Designation

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24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits Mathematics

• An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one science credit (except for Biology I)

• 1 credit in World History • 1 credit in U.S. History • .5 credit in U.S. Government • .5 credit in Economics

1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health 8 Elective Credits

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Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2013-2014 School Year

Students must pass the following statewide assessments: • Grade 10 ELA (or ACT/SAT concordant score)

• Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.)

Students must participate in the EOC assessments and the results constitute 30 percent of the final course grade. These assessments are in the following subjects:

• Algebra I • Biology I • Geometry • U.S. History

• Algebra II (if enrolled)

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4 Credits English Language Arts (ELA)

• ELA I, II III, IV

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24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits Mathematics

• Two of the three required credits must have a laboratory component. • An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one

science credit (except for Biology I)

• 1 credit in World History • 1 credit in U.S. History • .5 credit in U.S. Government

• .5 credit in Economics with Financial Literacy

1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health

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24-credit standard diploma option 8 Elective Credits

1 Online Course

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2014-2015 School Year

Students must pass the following statewide assessments: • Grade 10 ELA (or ACT/SAT concordant score)

• Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) or a comparative score on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.)

Students must participate in the EOC assessments and the results constitute 30 percent of the final course grade. These assessments are in the following subjects:

• Algebra I • Biology I • Geometry • U.S. History

• Algebra II (if enrolled)

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• Pass the ELA Grade 11 statewide assessment; • Earn 1 credit in Algebra II (must pass EOC); • Pass the Geometry EOC;

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24-credit standard diploma option 4 Credits English Language Arts (ELA)

• ELA I, II III, IV

• ELA honors, Advanced Placement (AP), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), International Baccalaureate (IB) and dual enrollment courses may satisfy this requirement

4 Credits Mathematics

• Two of the three required credits must have a laboratory component. • An industry certification that leads to college credit substitutes for up to one

science credit (except for Biology I)

• 1 credit in World History • 1 credit in U.S. History • .5 credit in U.S. Government

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1 Credit Physical Education - To include the integration of health

8 Elective Credits 1 Online Course

Other Graduation Information

Can a student who selects the 24-hour credit program graduate early?

Yes, a student who completes all the 24-credit program requirements for a standard diploma may graduate in fewer than eight semesters.

What is the distinction between the 18-credit ACCEL option and the 24-credit

option?

• 3 elective credits instead of 8 • Physical Education is not required • Online course is not required

All other graduation requirements for a 24-credit standard diploma must be met (per section 1003.4282(10)(d)1.-5., Florida Statutes [F.S.]).

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The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program rewards students for their academic

achievements during high school by providing funding to attend a postsecondary institution in Florida. For more information, visit the following website:

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/.

State University System

Admission into Florida’s public universities is competitive. Prospective students should complete a rigorous curriculum in high school and apply to more than one university to increase their chance for acceptance. To qualify to enter one of Florida’s public universities, a first-time-in-college student must meet the following minimum requirements:

• High school graduation with a standard diploma • Admission test scores

• 16 credits of college preparatory academic courses • 4 English (3 with substantial writing)

• 4 Mathematics (Algebra I level and above) • 3 Natural Science (2 with substantial lab) • 3 Social Science

• 2 World Language (sequential, in the same language) • 2 approved electives

See also Planning for College at http://www.flbog.edu/forstudents/planning.

The Florida College System

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Florida also offers students 46 accredited career and technical centers throughout the state, which provide the education and certification necessary to work in a particular career or technical field. Programs are flexible for students and provide industry-specific education and training for a wide variety of occupations. See also the listing of District Technical Centers at http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/pdf/DistrictTechnicalCenterDirectors.pdf.

Where is information on financial aid located?

The Office of Student Financial Assistance State Programs administers a variety of postsecondary educational state-funded grants and scholarships. See

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/.

High School Promotion

The following credits are required to be promoted from one grade to the next:

Classification Grade Minimum # of Credits

Sophomore 10 5

Junior 11 11

Senior 12 17

At the time of a student’s enrollment, school counselors will establish estimated grade levels based on preliminary information about previously earned credits. Student grade levels are then automatically updated twice each year—once in the fall and once again at the end of the school year—based on the student’s earned and verified credits recording in the Education

Management System.

In certain situations, the counselor, in consultation with the student, Learning Coach, and/or school administrator, may adjust the student’s grade to most appropriately match the student’s current academic needs.

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In order to be eligible for National College Athletic Association (NCAA) scholarships, students must meet certain academic and other requirements, including but not limited to taking NCAA-approved high school courses. Many of FLVS’s core and elective courses are NCAA-NCAA-approved; however, students interested in NCAA scholarships should contact their school counselor to determine an appropriate course schedule that will help them meet NCAA requirements. Students should also visit the NCAA Eligibility Center for more information.

Community Service

FLVSFT 9-12 students are not expected to complete volunteer hours as a graduation requirement, however they are encouraged to be involved in their communities. Students interested in earning service hours to be eligible to receive one of the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Awards must complete a program of community service work that includes a minimum number of hours based on that award. Students must contact their guidance counselor for approval prior to the start of their community service plan to ensure they are meeting all of the requirements as defined by FLVSFT and Bright Futures.

Early Graduation

Students who have completed all graduation requirements at any time prior to the end of the second semester of their senior year may request early graduation by contacting the school principal. The principal and other appropriate school staff will then review the student’s records to ensure that all graduation requirements have been met. After the principal grants approval for early graduation, he/she will initiate the “withdrawal for graduation” process. This includes marking the student’s transcript to indicate graduate status. Once the student has graduated, the student will no longer be enrolled in Florida Virtual School Full Time and will not have access to Connexus.

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Unofficial transcripts will be available to students via Connexus as long as the student is enrolled in Florida Virtual School Full Time, and official transcripts will be available at any time by contacting the school. Early graduates will receive their diplomas at the end of the second semester, when the rest of the graduating class receives their diplomas. Early graduates are welcome to join in any and all graduation activities offered by FLVS Full Time, but must inform the school of their desire to participate in graduation activities at the same time they request early graduation.

High School Course Credit

Students are awarded credit only for courses in which they have earned a grade of D (60%) or higher and/or a passing score on the applicable Florida End of Course Exam. This applies both to courses taken at FLVS Full Time public program and at other schools. Courses required for graduation with no affiliated EOC must be re-taken by the student if a grade of D (60%) or higher is not earned, and re-taking such courses may delay the student's graduation. The school’s grading scale is below.

Semester and year-end GPA calculations will follow a four point scale (below). Grade point averages will only include graded courses; pass/fail courses will not be averaged into a

student’s GPA. Passing grades for Honors courses are weighted with one-half (0.5) extra grade point. Passing grades for Advanced Placement (AP) courses are weighted with one (1) extra grade point

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Florida Virtual School Full Time public program will calculate the class rank for each public high school student two times per year, shortly after the conclusion of each semester. Students who have not yet successfully completed any high school courses for credit directly from the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program will be excluded from the class rank calculation. For the purposes of calculating the class rank, the student’s cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) will be used, which may include weighted grades for Honors or Advanced Placement courses. Courses transferred in from other accredited institutions will also be included in the class rank as long as there is a grade assigned for that course. EOC exam scores are not computed into class rank.

The cumulative GPA is calculated to the thousandth of a point. Students whose class rank rounds off to the same thousandth of a point will be considered tied and will receive the same class rank. The ranking will compare students within the same grade level at the same school. The class rank is not included on the student’s official high school transcript, but is available for release upon written request.

Release of High School Educational Records

Florida Virtual School Full Time will provide educational records, including unofficial high school transcripts, and letters of recommendation to third parties such as post-secondary institutions, scholarship committees, and/or potential employers, only with prior written approval from the student’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s), or from the student if he or she is aged 18 or older or an emancipated minor.

To ensure that application deadlines are successfully met, we require advance notice of at least

10 working days for requests to provide educational records to students, parents, and/or

third parties. We require 30 days’ notice for letters of recommendation. Requests for records should be made using the Authorization for Release of Educational Records Form available in the Virtual Library under Forms, Colleges and Careers, or from within the College Admissions Data View, for transcripts being sent to Post-Secondary institutions.

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Most Florida Virtual School Full Time public program courses do not have prerequisites. However, for those courses that do have prerequisites, students must fulfill the prerequisite before enrolling in the course. Part A and B of a course may not be taken simultaneously. Generally, Part A must be completed before beginning Part B, although in some cases, Part A and Part B may be taken simultaneously. Contact your school for more details.

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

To receive Advanced Placement (AP) credit, students must take the Advanced Placement Exam in the subject in which they are enrolled. Final grades for successful AP completions will not be released each year until after student participation in the May AP exam is verified as complete.

Students will be informed by FLVSFT when it is time to register for their AP exams. It is the student's responsibility to contact their district assigned test site to complete their registration by the deadline in order to participate in testing and have the opportunity to earn AP credit.

Grade Forgiveness

Beginning in the 2000-2001 school year and each year thereafter, forgiveness policies for required courses shall be limited to replacing a grade of “D” or “F,” or the equivalent of a grade of “D” or “F,” with a grade of “C” or higher, or the equivalent of a grade of “C” or higher, earned subsequently in the same or comparable course. Forgiveness policies for elective courses shall be limited to replacing a grade of “D” or “F,” or the equivalent of a grade of “D” or “F,” with a grade of “C” or higher, or the equivalent of a grade of “C” or higher, earned subsequently in another course. Any course grade not replaced according to a district forgiveness policy shall be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average required for graduation.

Schedule Changes

Students may request changes to their schedules within the first six weeks of enrollment or in the first two weeks of the semester. To add or drop a course, a parent must make a request of the student’s Homeroom Teacher and each request will be subject to approval based on appropriateness and availability.

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Students will be able to access ongoing information about their courses through their online grade books within the Education Management System. To request an unofficial copy of a transcript, families must complete a Transcript Request Form (located in the Virtual Library) and submit it to the registrar for processing. Official transcripts are generated at the school. They have official school signatures, raised seals, and are sent in a sealed envelope. Parents will be able to view a copy of the transcript through Connexus.

Credit from other Schools

As part of the enrollment process, K-8 families submit their students’ most recent report cards and/or transcripts and 9-12 families must submit unofficial transcripts. Students requesting enrollment for the FLVSFT 9 – 12 Public Program, coming from a Home Education program, must submit the Home School Credit Form, and the prior year’s Home School Evaluation. Counselors analyze previously earned credits and determine which credits will transfer to the Florida Virtual School Full Time public program. The school counselor will require complete transcripts before approving a student’s grade level, course selection, and educational setting. Upon graduation or withdrawal, the official Florida Virtual School Full Time transcript will display both the credits earned at Florida Virtual School Full Time public program as well as any

transfer credits.

There are three options for requesting and being granted credit by Florida Virtual School Full Time public program for coursework completed in a different school setting, all of which follow Florida Education Rule 6A-1.09941 as outlined below:

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2. Validation of credits shall be based on performance in classes at Florida Virtual School Full Time public program. A student transferring into FLVS will be placed at the

appropriate sequential course level based on the student’s academic documents

submitted when transferring into FLVS, and the student should have a minimum grade of C or better in the subsequent course. Students who meet this requirement will have their transfer credits validated. Students who do not meet this requirement will have credits validated using the Alternative Validation Procedure, as outlined in #3, below.

3. If validation based on performance as described above is not satisfactory then any one or more of the following alternative procedures shall be used for validation purposes as determined by the teacher, principal, and parent:

a. Portfolio evaluation by the superintendent or designee;

b. Written recommendation by a Florida certified teacher selected by the parent and approved by the principal;

c. Demonstrated performance in courses taken through dual enrollment or at other public or private accredited schools;

d. Demonstrated proficiencies on nationally-normed standardized subject area assessments;

e. Demonstrated proficiencies on the FCAT; or

f. Written review by FLVS of the criteria utilized for a given subject provided by the former school,

Students must be provided at least ninety (90) days from date of transfer to prepare for assessments outlined in paragraphs (3)(d) and (e), if required.

Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester

Students in grades 9-11 entering mid-year or mid-semester will need to complete all required components of the course and lessons assigned by the teacher. Enrolling 12th graders must meet all requirements under 6.0 including completion of a minimum of 6 credits with FLVS FT and therefore may not be eligible to enroll after the first semester of the school year in which they plan to graduate.

School Handbook Supplement

Full-Time Public Program

School Handbook

Supplement

Table of Contents

4 Attendance ... 17

5 Grading and Student Evaluation ... 22

6 High School Programs and Policies ... 24

8 Community Events, Trips, and Activities ... 55

Eligibility

3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

3.4 School Contact Information

3.5 School Schedule

3.5.1 The 2014-2015 School Year Calendar

3.5.2 Recommended Required Instructional Hours

3.6 Enrollment, Withdrawal, and Transfers

Enrollment of Students Expelled from Another School

Enrollment for Middle School Students:

3.6.3 Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester

3.6.7 Location Change

3.7.3 Mandatory Testing

State Testing Calendar

3.8.4 Placement Changes during the School Year (K-12)

3.9 Course Completion

4 ATTENDANCE

4.2 Marking and Verifying Attendance

Connexus® Attendance Codes

Learning Coach Responsibilities

School Responsibilities

School-Initiated Withdrawals

4.3 Attendance Status and Escalation Systems

4.4 Truancy

Definition of “A Day of School” at Florida Virtual School Full Time public

program

5 GRADING AND STUDENT EVALUATION

Placement in courses

Grade Forgiveness

6 HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES

Graduation and Diploma Requirements

Graduation Requirements by Cohort Grade

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2011-2012 School Year

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2012-2013 School Year

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2013-2014 School Year

Students Entering Grade Nine in the 2014-2015 School Year

Other Graduation Information

Can a student who selects the 24-hour credit program graduate early?

What is the distinction between the 18-credit ACCEL option and the 24-credit

option?

State University System

The Florida College System

Where is information on financial aid located?

High School Promotion

Community Service

Early Graduation

High School Course Credit

Release of High School Educational Records

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

Grade Forgiveness

Schedule Changes

Credit from other Schools

Enrollment After the Start of the School Year or Semester

Middle School Courses