Florida Virtual School to Offer AI in Math Certificate

Florida middle and high schoolers enrolled in online courses will have the opportunity to earn an Artificial Intelligence in Math certification starting next month.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS), the state’s online school system, will collaborate with the University of Florida (UF) and a Massachusetts-based online STEM resource repository, the Concord Consortium, on a yearlong certification program that will introduce students to foundational AI principles and their overlap with key math concepts, according to a recent news release. Algebra 1 instructors will teach courses in AI and offer supplemental activities involving real-world applications, ethics and career opportunities. UF and Concord Consortium researchers will collaborate with teachers to refine and improve the courses based on student outcomes.

The AI courses add to a slate of other career and technical education (CTE) offerings at FLVS that allow students to earn industry certifications through exams. For example, the school offers four AI-related CTE courses, and after completing at least three of them, students are ready to take Microsoft’s 365 Fundamentals exam and the Python Institute’s Certified Associate Python Programmer exam, according to the school system’s website. After the fourth course, students can take a Certified Internet Web Professional exam from Western Governors University, a vendor-neutral assessment that could qualify them for jobs in fields such as web design or development, administration, networking and data security.

While FLVS offers all three of those certificates through outside organizations, the new AI in Math certification is free and part of the coursework — a supplement for students taking Algebra 1, a core mathematics course.

“AI is revolutionizing industries worldwide, creating new opportunities,” Jie Chao, project director at the Concord Consortium, said in a public statement. “Our partnership with FLVS allows us to offer robust AI learning opportunities to students with limited access to such resources, bridging the educational gaps and preparing young people for an AI-powered future.”

The news release said students who complete the program will walk away with a new level of workforce preparedness and a certificate, issued by UF and the Concord Consortium, similar to the certification in AI fundamentals that UF offers to undergraduate students.

As part of the program, FLVS teachers will also learn about new technologies in math education, completing 40 hours of professional development training on creating interactive AI models and visualizing abstract math concepts.

“As a leader in online education for more than 27 years, Florida Virtual School is committed to being at the forefront of educational innovation,” Louis Algaze, president and CEO of Florida Virtual School, said in a public statement. “By partnering with UF and the Concord Consortium, we are equipping our students with essential math skills and the knowledge to navigate and succeed in an AI-enhanced world.”

This story originally appeared in the Center for Digital Education, part of e.Republic, Industry Insider — Florida's parent company.