Florida Virtual School launches new school year with new courses, expanded student opportunities

Press release from Florida Virtual School

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is expanding its course catalog, student clubs, and learning experiences for the 2026-27 school year, offering new opportunities for students in both FLVS Full Time Public Schools as well as students taking individual courses through FLVS Flex, which offers year-round enrollment.

Sam Verghese, the newly appointed chief executive officer and superintendent of FLVS, will lead the organization into the 2026–27 academic year. He brings extensive experience in education, government, and technology leadership, and he succeeds retired CEO and Superintendent Dr. Louis Algaze.

“This school year, we are excited to continue innovating while creating even more personalized opportunities for students to discover their interests, build meaningful connections, and prepare for future success,” said Verghese. “Everything we’re launching is designed to help students feel supported, engaged, and inspired as they learn.”

The new school year follows a strong year of academic achievement for FLVS Full Time Public Schools (FLVS Full Time), which ranked among Florida’s highest-performing school districts. 

FLVS Full Time ranked among the top three school districts statewide in English Language Arts, the top five in the U.S. History End-of-Course assessment, and the top six in the Biology 1 End-of-Course assessment.

FLVS is adding four new online courses for the 2026–27 school year, expanding the more than 200 options available to students in both FLVS Full Time Public Schools and FLVS Flex:

• M/J Grade 6 Digital Discoveries: Introduces students to computer systems, cybersecurity, computational thinking, emerging technologies, and Python programming. 
• M/J Grade 7 Digital Discoveries: Builds technology and coding skills through collaboration tools, block coding, Python programming, and digital citizenship lessons. 
• IT Fundamentals: A high school course that prepares students for the CompTIA Tech+ certification while introducing computer systems, networking, cybersecurity, coding, and multimedia applications. This is the first course in the Applied Cybersecurity Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program of Study. 
• Digital Business Foundations: Equips students with workplace technology, communication, productivity, and digital citizenship skills and serves as an entry point to several career and technical education programs of study.
  

Beyond the classroom, FLVS continues the state’s largest virtual extracurricular programs, with more than 80 student clubs. 

Three new clubs available to Full Time and Flex students will debut this year:

• Scribble Squad — A creative writing club for kindergarten through fifth grade students.
• Music Club — A new club for students in grades third through fifth.
• Math and Money Lab —  A financial literacy and stock market club available for students in grades sixth through 12th.

Students and families can learn more about clubs during the annual Club Rush events. Middle and high school Club Rush will be held Sept. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. EDT, and elementary Club Rush will take place Sept. 11 from 10 to 11 a.m. EDT.

In addition to club activities, students are encouraged to participate in a lineup of in-person experiences planned this year.

Students can enroll in FLVS Flex courses year-round, and FLVS Full Time applications will reopen Nov. 2 for the second semester.