District signals shift to adjunct model for Leon County Virtual School to reduce operating deficit

Assistant Superintendent Shane Seifrin briefed the board on April 13 about proposed changes to the Leon County Virtual School intended to reduce operating costs while maintaining student services.

Seifrin said the virtual school currently operates at a deficit — in his words it "runs in the red at about a half $1,000,000" — and that staff are exploring an adjunct model (moving some course offerings onto adjunct instructors or other host sites) while keeping a full‑time option available for families who choose it. He said staff have not yet finalized personnel decisions and that enrollment will remain open through August 2026 so the district can assess course viability.

Why it matters: trustees expressed concern about how the model change has been communicated to teachers and families. Several board members said they preferred to hear these plans from district leaders in person rather than through email. Seifrin and staff said they value the virtual school and its teachers and said options under discussion aim to sustain the program in a more financially sustainable way without terminating student services.

Operational details and next steps:

- The district is examining consolidation options that would reduce overhead (for example, administrative supervision under an existing secondary principal) and pairing the virtual program with other high‑school operations to lower fixed costs.
- Seifrin said he will meet with Leon County Virtual School teachers and leadership at their next work day and present a refined recommendation to the board; he emphasized the district will not close enrollment for the 2026 school year immediately and will provide specifics once staffing and enrollment data are clearer.

Board members asked for clear communications to families and staff, an explanation of how student services will be preserved, and a timeline for any personnel changes. Seifrin said the district will follow up and return with more refined options and an explicit plan to maintain services while addressing the deficit.

Next steps: staff will finalize model options and communicate directly with faculty, families and the board, and return with a recommended model and implementation timeline.