What is Virtual School?

Lee Virtual School (LVS) is a public school serving grades K-12. LVS thrives on diversity and feels our diverse student body is what sets us apart from other traditional high schools. We truly offer a well-rounded and diversified learning experience. LVS challenges students and families to expand learning beyond traditional boundaries.

Any student seeking a quality education through a flexible format is a potential LVS student. LVS students are students who benefit from individualized instruction. Athletes, performers, highly motivated students who prefer to accelerate, part-time students, students who travel, students with medical issues, or home school students make up the diverse student population.

While LVS offers a true distance learning experience that does not require seat time in a traditional classroom, we are proud to offer face to face contact with teachers as an option for students. Students are encouraged to meet with teachers as needed individually or in groups to receive additional instruction. Periodically, standardized testing and academic interventions require students to attend face-to-face activities.

We offer a variety of Advanced Placement (AP) courses including AP Literature & Language, AP Psychology, AP Calculus, and AP US History. In addition, students who meet eligibility requirements can participate in Dual Enrollment courses online and/or on campus at Florida Gulf Coast University or Florida Southwestern College.

Lee Virtual School has a solid reputation within the academic community. LVS offers a standard high school diploma that meets state and school board requirements. Our graduates have gone on to postsecondary education, employment, or military service (tier 2 recruitment). Students from recent graduating classes were accepted to universities such as Tulane, and almost all major state universities and colleges in Florida.

Lee Virtual School is fully accredited by the (SACS) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the (CITA) Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. Lee Virtual School is also registered with the Florida State Department of Education and a part of the Lee County Public School system. Our accredited online high school diploma and all credits earned at LVS are accepted by other 6-12 schools, colleges, universities, and employers. Lee Virtual Secondary students also participate in original credit courses that are recognized by the NCAA clearinghouse for DI schools.

Is Virtual School the same as Lee Home Connect?

Lee Virtual School (LVS) is NOT the same thing as Lee Home Connect. LVS has its own course requirements and is a fully-immersive academic experience. Lee Home Connect (or LHC) is tied directly to a physical school and follows that school's and classes' scheduling just as if the student is attending that school as face-to-face... like as if you are going to the classroom in real time. This LHC is an online attendance and school course participation that stays with the physical school and must follow that school's and teachers' scheduling per each physical (brick and mortar) school class that a student is taking. Think of it as attending classes at a physical school by way of online conference calls/meetings... rather than having to go to the school directly.

Again, LVS is not the same (NOT the same) as Lee Home Connect (LHC). Yes, the similarity in how the courses are accessed is similar (online). However, that is where most similarity ends. Lee Home Connect is directly connected to a specific physical school and those teachers listed on each student's schedule. The students for LHC are listed with that physical school and must attend each of their classes' meeting times during the school week. Students are usually grouped in a Zoom call/meeting along with other students in their respective classes. Students attend those classes via Zoom or Google Meets (or other online conference meeting software) with other students in the same class setting. Classes may be only those online or could be mixed with students present in the physical classroom as well; aka, the hybrid classroom. Essentially, LHC allows for students to attend their classes via this online conference meeting method rather than being at their school in person.

Lee Virtual School is a completely different experience whereas the courses are all accessible online in course content modules. The teachers are also assigned to the student uniquely and are available most weekdays from 8am - 8pm. Teachers and students are directly connected via online communications in emails, direct messages, telephone calls, Zoom meetings, Google Meets, and concurrent online portals arranged with LVS and Florida Virtual School. All courses and progression are managed individually and not in a classroom environment... so the LVS experience is quite different from Lee Home Connect.

School Grades

Lee Virtual School's elementary and secondary school programs have constantly scored among the top for Florida's schools for many school years since the inception of the program in 2009. Please see this press release from May 22, 2020 when LVS celebrated our 10-year milestone with the gradation class of 2020!