Florida HB 523: Virtual Learning

Bill Text

HB 523 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb523-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to virtual learning; amending s. 2
1002.37, F.S.; revising the purpose of the Florida 3
Virtual School to provide for the development and 4
delivery of blended learning; requiring the Florida 5
Virtual School to give priority to students enrolled 6
in certain Department of Corrections education 7
programs; conforming a reporting requirement to 8
changes made by the act; revising the calculation of 9
funding for the Florida Virtual School; requiring 10
full-time equivalent students enrolled in a certain 11
blended learning program to be reported to the 12
Department of Education in a specified manner; 13
providing conditions under which the Florida Virtual 14
School may be funded through the Florida Education 15
Finance Program; revising the requirements of a report 16
that the board of trustees of the Florida Virtual 17
School must annually submit to certain entities, 18
beginning with a specified school year; requiring 19
students enrolled in the Florida Virtual School 20
Justice Education Program to take specified 21
examinations and assessments at institutions or 22
facilities operated by, or under the supervision of, 23
the Department of Corrections; providing for the 24
determination of Florida Virtual School performance 25

HB 523 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb523-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

related to the Justice Education Program; creating s. 26
1002.371, F.S.; requiring the Florida Virtual School 27
to establish the Florida Virtual School Justice 28
Education Program, beginning with a specified school 29
year; providing the purpose of the program; providing 30
criteria for course delivery; requiring the Florida 31
Virtual School to report program students separately 32
from other students for funding purposes; providing 33
for funding of students enrolled in the program; 34
authorizing certain students to remain enrolled under 35
certain circumstances; prohibiting funding for such a 36
student from being reported through the Florida 37
Education Finance Program; requiring the Department of 38
Education, with assistance from specified entities, to 39
select a common student assessment instrument and 40
protocol for measuring student learning gains and 41
progression; requiring specified entities to jointly 42
review such assessment instrument and protocol and 43
implement changes as necessary; authorizing students 44
to appeal removal from the Florida Virtual School 45
Justice Education Program, subject to a final 46
determination on the appeal by the Commissioner of 47
Education; requiring the Florida Virtual School to 48
negotiate by a specified date and annually thereafter 49
a cooperative agreement with the Department of 50

HB 523 2026

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Corrections to implement the Florida Virtual School 51
Justice Education Program for the delivery of 52
educational services to students under the 53
jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections; 54
providing requirements for such agreement; providing 55
construction; requiring the state board and the 56
Department of Corrections to adopt rules; amending s. 57
1011.61, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 58
"full-time equivalent student"; amending s. 1011.62, 59
F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the 60
act; providing an effective date. 61
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 63
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Section 1. Paragraphs (c) through (g) of subsection (3) of 65
section 1002.37, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 66
paragraphs (d) through (h), respectively, a new paragraph (c) 67
and paragraph (i) are added to that subsection, paragraph (e) is 68
added to subsection (10), and paragraphs (a) and (b) of 69
subsection (1), paragraphs (c) and (j) of subsection (2), 70
paragraph (a) of subsection (3), and subsections (7) and (11) of 71
that section are amended, to read: 72
1002.37 The Florida Virtual School.— 73
(1)(a) The Florida Virtual School is established for the 74
development and delivery of online and blended distance learning 75

HB 523 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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education. The Commissioner of Education shall monitor the 76
school's performance and report its performance to the State 77
Board of Education and the Legislature. 78
(b) The mission of the Florida Virtual School is to 79
provide students with technology-based educational opportunities 80
to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed. The 81
school shall serve any student in this the state who