Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice 
http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org / 

This is the DOE office for educational options or inquiries outside of straightforward public education (i.e., school enrollment in an assigned local public school). Currently available educational choices overseen by this office (and explored more fully in separate sections in here) are:

*Charter schools,
*Voluntary public school choice program,
*Military Family Choice
*Virtual Schools:  Connections Academy and Florida Virtual Academy, the state's two online public learning programs;
*Florida Virtual School, Florida’s first Internet-based, public high school
*Opportunity Scholarships;
*McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities;
*Non-Public Schools
*Home Education.  

The Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice “is focused on ensuring that students of all ages have access to learning - regardless of what their educational needs are or where they live.  “The Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice (IEPC) offers options to parents and students that are outside of the realm of traditional K-12 public education. By navigating this site, you will find helpful information on both Independent K-12 Private Education and Independent K-12 Public Education along with information on Scholarship Programs.“ If you have any questions regarding our programs or the use of our site, please contact us at (800) 447-1636 or (850) 245-0502.” The department uses these “Guiding Principles” of student centered accessibility and flexibility :

 "The Florida A-Plus Program is a school accountability system with teeth...the A-Plus Program has been successful at motivating failing schools to improve their academic performance. In addition …we should have confidence that the improvement in academic achievement is a real improvement and not merely a manipulation of the state's testing and grading system". ----Dr. Jay Greene, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research A+ Plan: Governor Jeb Bush's A+ Plan for education is a comprehensive system of school reform. The fundamental premise at the core of the state's education policy should be unequivocal: every child can learn and no child should be left behind. The plan was built upon two principles:  

• Each student should gain a year's worth of knowledge in a year's time in a Florida public school
• No student will be left behind

Highlights of the A+ Plan are:  

• Accountability
• Choices for Parents
• More resources
• Rewards for improvement and success
• Change when students are not progressing 

Guiding Principles for Education Governance in a New Century Issues are at the heart of Florida's ability to meet the needs of a new generation of learners. The Guiding Principles for Education: 
 

• A coordinated, seamless system for kindergarten through graduate school education
• Student-centered in every facet
• Maximize education access and academic success for all Floridians
• Safeguard equity
• Refuse to compromise academic excellence

Links and contact information for various departments can be found here: http://www.fldoe.org/student/ . There are a number of DOE directories here: http://www.fldoe.org/index_pages/text_menu.asp    and you can get information about your local school district at the Florida School District Directory pages at http://www.fldoe.org/schoolmap/flash/schoolmap_text.asp  and http://www.fldoe.org/schoolmap/flash/district_list.asp. You can also contact the office at (800) 447-1636 or (850) 245-0502.