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News about coronavirus in Florida and around the world is constantly emerging. It's hard to stay on top of it all but Health News Florida can help. Our responsibility is to keep you informed, and to help discern what’s important for your family as you make what could be life-saving decisions.

Florida Virtual School Beefing Up Capacity To Serve 2.7 Million Students, Amid COVID-19 Closures

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Jacqueline Kelly
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Credit Jacqueline Kelly / Unsplash
/
The Florida Channel

Florida Virtual School is increasing its capacity for students, preparing for an influx of more than 2 million amid COVID-19 school district closures. The state’s online school is providing more than 100 free courses to K-12 students, including advanced placement classes, as brick-and-mortar schools are closed until at least May 1.

Louis Algaze directs FLVS, which he says told the state Board of Education Wednesday is poised to add the capacity for more than 10 times as many students as it served last year.

“Our IT team is ramping up servers on a staggered schedule, increasing our capacity over the next few weeks and month to ultimately serve 2.7 million students by May 4, 2020,” Algaze said.

That staggered approach should see FLVS add the capacity for 470,000 additional students by April 17, according to Algaze.

FLVS provides service to students statewide, reports it served more than 215,000 students in the 2018-19 school year.

The online school has also launched resources for teachers, like a 6-hour virtual teacher training. The list of classes FLVS is offering can be found at its .

Copyright 2020 WFSU. To see more, visit .

Ryan Dailey is a reporter/producer for WFSU/Florida Public Radio. After graduating from Florida State University, Ryan went into print journalism working for the Tallahassee Democrat for five years. At the Democrat, he worked as a copy editor, general assignment and K-12 education reporter.