By a bipartisan 90-25 vote, the Florida House of Representatives has passed the Senate-amended version of HB 7029 ("Digital Learning"). The bill now heads to Gov. Rick Scott for his approval and signature.
The bill opens the teaching of high school virtual education courses to out-of-state, even international, providers, beginning in the 2015/2016 school year, but requires the Department of Education (FLDOE) to first perform a study to determine how these providers would receive Florida accreditation, how the department would ensure that students themselves are completing the online material, and what other impacts this expansion would have on Florida's educational system.
The study will have to be completed by Dec. 31, 2014.
My concern is that ideologically-oriented groups will have an awfully big hand in drafting the way a large number of our students will be taught, and courses will be ideological corrupted. Is there anything here to control that?"Rep. Elaine Schwartz, D-Hollywood, asked during the questioning period, referring to the ability of the FLDOE to hire private contractors to conduct its study and to teach virtual courses.
Bill sponsor Rep. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, responded: You [i.e., Rep. Schwartz] are a member of that body; this body here [i.e., the Florida House] will be the one that controls that, along with our partners in the Senate.
A number of Democrats voiced their support for the bill during debate, including freshman Rep. Shev Jones of West Park, himself an educator, and Rep. Jim Waldman of Coconut Creek, who initially opposed the measure.
I think the idea of a study makes this so much better, and I do obviously think online courses are the way of the future, Waldman told colleagues. I think this will give many of our high school students a better opportunity to graduate high school and move on to post-secondary education.
The bill's passage represents another major legislative victory for House Speaker Will Weatherford, who has made the expansion of virtual or digital education a priority of the 2013 session.
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
