Florida Virtual Academy exceeds FCAT state average scores

Hernando Today (FL)
Florida Virtual Academy exceeds FCAT state average scores
By CARLY BLUSTEIN

Sunday, June 10, 2007

JACKSONVILLE — The Florida Virtual Academy (FLVA), one of Florida’s two full-time K-8 online public school programs, exceeded the stage average in Florida’s Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores this year.

The eighth-graders at Florida Virtual Academy posted strong scores compared to the state in reading, math and science, surpassing the state averages by 35, 27 and 26 points, respectively. Many of the school’s 52 eighth-graders have been enrolled in it since it opened in 2003.

Although eighth-graders exceeded the state average by the greatest amount, students in every other grade level who took the 2007 FCAT, grades third through eighth, transcended the state by more than 15 percent in reading and science.

Patty Betoni, the FLVA head of school, attributes their success to the high expectations the teachers place on their students at FLVA.

“In a regular class, the teacher will ask a question, and half the class may raise their hands, but the teacher can only call on one student to answer it,” she said. “In our school, students are expected to know every answer to every question. The teachers hear answers from everyone.”

The students return to their respective school districts to take the test on the same day as every other student in Florida.

Students prepare throughout the year for the FCAT by working on the curriculum developed by K12 Inc., a leading national provider of curriculum and services to online public schools. They also use programs such as FCAT Explorer and Strategies for Success.

FLVA is one of 16 statewide online public schools in the United States that provide students with the K12 curriculum.

FLVA had 692 students last school year, which is the amount capped by state legislators.

“With 692 students enrolled, I’d say there are probably 692 reasons why they’re all here,” Betoni said.

Reasons could range from being too challenged at a public school to not being challenged enough.

To enroll in the school, those students going into second through eighth grades had to have attended a Florida public school the year before.

The students spend approximately 15 to 35 percent of their day online, Betoni said.

They work on Web-based lesson plans that include online versions of novels, poems and math exercises.

“We are very proud of these scores and the continued academic excellence of our school,” Betoni said. “These results are a credit to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, students and entire school community.”

For more information about FLVA, visit www.flva.org or call 866-339-8803.

Reporter Carly Blustein can be contacted at 352-428-4619.

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