Is your child’s school year off to a bad start? You still have options! It’s not too late to evaluate the various schooling options and switch to what is best for your child.
With modern resources, much of our lives have become fully remote. Whether it be work, ordering groceries, or virtual reality video games, the world wide web has really become a part of our lives. So, why not school? As your children begin the new school year here in the Sunshine State, there are more options than ever for how and where they learn.
ALTERNATIVE OPTION ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
From online school at home to lucrative career certifications starting as early as middle school, families continue to show interest in alternatives academic models. Some families even take a non-traditional college prep path. No longer is it assumed that a student will want a 4-year degree. This is shown in the stats on college loan debt and the high demand for skilled, trade-specific employees.
According to the Center on Reinventing Public Education, Florida is among 10 states whose virtual school enrollments continue to rise even after the pandemic. Recent legislation impacting school vouchers and other education policies is opening the door for more families to forgo the well-known, brick-and-mortar model for other options.
STUDENTS DAOF SERVES
Digital Academy of Florida (DAOF) enrolls more than 6,000 virtual students from across the state. In June, almost 40 percent of the online school’s 390 graduating seniors walked away with industry certifications they earned at DAOF. These high school graduates’ diplomas were just as credible as any other public school diploma because DAOF is part of the Hendry County school district. 236 of the graduates reported plans to continue with postsecondary education. 143 said they plan to go directly into the workforce. School administrators say these early certification options can better serve Florida students by exposing them to more career and job options and giving them earning opportunities early on.
FACTS FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Florida has nearly 800,000 K-12 students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE). This is the highest in the state’s history! The state has seen a 5 percent increase in participation across a five-year span dating back to 2017 and this number is expected to continue growing in the future.
Of the 800,000 student participating, 31 percent are in middle school, while the remaining 69 percent are in high school. In the 2022-23 school year, 65 percent of high school seniors enrolled in a CTE concentration with at least one industry certification.
EXPLORING THE K-12 EXPERIENCE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
The K-12 experience and the path beyond high school graduation are definitely evolving. As a parent, it is important to understand and research the options and find what works best for your child.
For more information about Digital Academy and other online learning and industry certification options for your child, visit DAOF online. DAOF can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.
