Approve Renewal Franchise License with Florida Virtual School, July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009 - $191,000 (Franchise Fee - $20,000, plus enrollment fees per student totaling approximately $171,000) (Secondary Education)

We request approval of the Renewal Franchise License with Florida Virtual School (FLVS) to allow the district to continue utilizing the FLVS curriculum and management system to provide students access to online courses.

Hillsborough Virtual School partnering with the Blake High School Magnet program has offered Florida Virtual School since 2000, utilizing courses provided through the Franchise License and serves approximately 100 full-time students annually.

The District also serves approximately 900 students per year through the online summer program, providing virtual courses for remediation. Hillsborough District also provided student access to approximately 3,500 individual course enrollments in 2007/2008. The District earns FTE funds for students who successfully complete courses during the school year. This Franchise License also allows the District to offer Hillsborough Virtual School to serve additional student needs in the online environment. Home-schooled students enroll in approximately 2,400 half-credits per year through Florida Virtual School. Hillsborough Virtual School captured half of those this year, earning the District approximately $275,000. Our plan is to expand that portion of the program. This expansion includes both middle and high school courses. All students not enrolled full-time in a district school and taking a Hillsborough Virtual class, earns additional FTE dollars for the District.

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors

The annual franchise license fee of $20,000 and student enrollment fees estimated at approximately $171,000 are included in the divisional general operating budget for Curriculum and Instruction. 2008/2009 enrollment fees are estimated based on a projection of 3,000 enrollments at $57 per half-credit. The district will earn FTE for Hillsborough Virtual School (HVS) students not enrolled full-time in a district school during the regular school year. A projection of 1,680 half-credits earned by HVS students will generate approximately $591,000 in FTE funds.

Evaluation of the virtual school program in April 2009 will be based on the following factors: increase in student enrollment and student completion rate.