Welcome to the Freedom to Learn podcast. I'm your host, Ginny Gentles. This season, we're diving

into what it means to return education to states, communities, and families. And we're exploring

what becomes possible when education is freed from union dominance and federal control.

We are guilty in many of our schools, not all of our schools, but still in many of our schools,

of doing things the same way we've always done them and getting the same results we've always gotten.

Education pioneer Julie Young joins us today to share the story of the creation and hockey stick growth of the Florida Virtual School, the country's first statewide fully online public school.

We discuss how her innovative mindset, her relentless advocacy, and her willingness to embrace performance-based funding launched a new approach to student-centered education and expanded educational

opportunities across Florida and beyond.

Florida Virtual School was launched as a grant-based pilot program providing online classes

to 77 students back in 1997.

And today, it offers 190 courses to over 230,000 students statewide.

This didn't just happen.

Julie and I talk about the role leadership play in fostering innovation and funding mechanisms.

We discuss navigating resistance from school districts.

And of course, I ask her to distinguish between established high-quality virtual programs

and the awful emergency Zoom schools during COVID-era school closures.

Julie Young began her career as an elementary teacher.

After leading Florida virtual school for 17 years, she served as the managing director of ASU

Prep Academy and ASU Prep Digital School. She's the co-editor of a new book, Virtual Schools, Actual Learning, Digital Education in America, and the author of an upcoming book, Say Yes, How Virtual Became a Reality.

Julie Young, welcome to Freedom to Learn.

Thank you so much for having me today.

Well, I am very excited to be talking to you.

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