Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is an online K–12 school, primarily operating in the state of Florida. FLVS was founded in 1997 as the first statewide Internet-based public high school in the United States. In 2000, FLVS was established as an independent educational entity by the Florida Legislature. Recognized as its own district within the state, it now provides online instruction to Florida students from kindergarten through 12th grade in all 67 Florida districts.

Florida Virtual School began as an initiative that sought to explore teaching models involving online learning. During the 1996 school year, the Florida Department of Education awarded Orange and Alachua counties with $200,000 in "Break the Mold" grant funds. After a 6-month planning period, the school launched in August 1997 with 77 students.

Julie Young was hired to head the project, having previously worked as an administrator and technology integration trainer in the Florida education system. FLVS became an independent educational entity in 2000. During its first few years following the receipt of its initial grant funding, it was funded as a line item in the state budget.

By 2003, the school had increased to 24,000 half-credit enrollments (considered one segment or semester) and became part of the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). It was the first school to directly tie student performance to funding through the reporting of students' successful half-credit completions. During the 2012–2013 year, FLVS had 410,962 successful half-credit, semester completions based on part-time students. In 2012–2013, FLVS licensed digital curriculum and provided online learning services to 47 Florida districts.

FLVS is currently affiliated with all 67 Florida school districts.

Within the state, the Florida Virtual School district offers multiple options at no cost to students who are Florida residents. FLVS Flex allows public, private, or homeschool students to enroll on a per-course basis with rolling enrollment open year-round. Because credits are applied to the transcript of a student's local school or toward a homeschool portfolio, students of the FLVS Flex program do not receive a diploma from FLVS. The FLVS course catalog includes more than 190 courses for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.

FLVS is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), a division of Cognia. All core courses are NCAA approved.

FLVS Full Time is a full-time public school in the state of Florida that provides online instruction for both elementary, middle and high school students. FLVS Full Time operates on a 180-day calendar following the traditional school year in the United States and is considered attending students' primary school of record. In May 2013, the school celebrated the graduation of its inaugural graduating class which included 250 high school seniors. These students were the first to receive a diploma from FLVS Full Time.