Julie Young, founding president of the Florida Virtual School (FLVS), turned a two-page concept paper for a “web school” into the first statewide online public school while battling resistance from districts and unions at every step. During her 17 years at the helm, Julie grew FLVS from a small local pilot serving 77 students in 1997 into a national leader that currently educates over 200,000 Florida students annually. In today’s episode, she reveals how she navigated opposition, won over legislators, secured performance-based funding, created FLVS district franchises, and trained educators, while ensuring students received high-quality online education. Julie also delves into the differences between the emergency “Zoom schools” of the COVID era and well-designed virtual programs.

Julie Young is the co-editor of Virtual Schools, Actual Learning: Digital Education in America and author of the upcoming book Say Yes, How Virtual Became a Reality.

Virtual Schools, Actual Learning, Digital Education in America

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org

💡 Stay Connected:

• Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
• Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy
• Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!

📩 Contact Us:
If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org.

🎧 Thank You for Listening:
Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org.

If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

Lindsay Fryer, a former senior staffer on Capitol Hill, joins the podcast to unpack the opportunities and limitations of the current push to "return education to the states." With her pivotal role in the reauthorization that transitioned the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) from NCLB to ESSA, Lindsay offers unique insights into the federal government's influence over education, a domain traditionally managed by state and local authorities. We discuss what the administration can achieve through guidance, waivers (including Iowa’s approved waiver and Indiana’s waiver application), and other actions, and explore the roles governors, state education chiefs, and Congress play in empowering states, communities, and families.

U.S. Department of Education Approves Iowa’s Returning Education to the States Waiver

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org

💡 Stay Connected:

• Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
• Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy
• Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!

📩 Contact Us:
If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org.

🎧 Thank You for Listening:
Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org.

If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

Last week, over 26,000 schools and groups held National School Choice Week celebrations to encourage parents to explore school choice options – including open enrollment, charter schools, magnet schools, microschools, homeschooling, and private schools – and urge policymakers to expand them. Shelby Doyle, Senior Vice President of Policy and National Partnerships for the National School Choice Awareness Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss School Choice Week, recent parent polling, the different types of school choice, and tools to help parents navigate their options.

https://schoolchoiceawareness.org/national-survey-2026/

https://schoolchoiceweek.com/

https://myschoolchoice.com/

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org

💡 Stay Connected:

• Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
• Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy
• Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!

📩 Contact Us:
If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org.

🎧 Thank You for Listening:
Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org.

If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!