DVIA enrollment window to re-open Thursday, Friday

Aug. 17, 2021 – Families who wish to enroll their child in the district’s Duval Virtual Instruction Academy (DVIA) will have that opportunity this Thursday, Aug. 19 and Friday, Aug. 20.

Enrollment will open online for those two days this week in the Parent FOCUS Account. The enrollment form will be located under the “Forms” folder.

“We know this has been a challenging time for many of our families as they try to determine the best option for their children amid the pandemic,” said DVIA Principal Mark Ertel. “Transitioning families from brick-and-mortar to our virtual environment is a complex process, and we will continue to work hard to support our families and help students have a great launch into online learning as quickly as possible.”

How to Apply

The enrollment form will be in the Parent FOCUS Account Thursday – Friday. Parents/guardians will need to follow the steps below.

1. Log into FOCUS.
2. Click on your child’s name.
3. Click on the “Forms” folder.
4. Locate the form titled “DVIA Interest Form”
5. Select one of two options that best fits your child:
   1. DVIA Full-Time – This is the standard learning option where students set their own schedule and move at their own pace. This is available for K-12 students.
   2. DVIA HomeRoom – This is a learning option similar to Duval HomeRoom where students meet daily via TEAMS on a defined schedule of classes. This is available for all K-5 students.
6. Click submit.
7. For an additional child:  
   1. Click on the additional child’s name.
   2. Click on Child Info.
   3. Follow steps #3 – #6.

*Note: Under the preference settings in the FOCUS Parent account a user can choose from the following languages if needed: Haitian Creole, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese.

What if I don’t have a Parent FOCUS Account?

Parents and guardians are encouraged to set up a Parent FOCUS Account immediately. Delays in setting up an account will mean delays in DVIA enrollment.

To set up a Parent FOCUS Account, please follow the steps on www.duvalschools.org/FOCUS.

For support in setting up an account, parents can contact Tech Support at 904-348-7628 or email: pga_support@duvalschools.org. Support is available Monday – Friday from 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM.

Note: This process may take 2-3 days to complete so it’s important for parents to start now. 

How and when will I be notified that my child is enrolled?

Due to high demand, DVIA is experiencing delays in their enrollment processes.

The parent/guardian will receive a confirmation email verifying they have completed the Interest Form in Focus approximately 3-5 days following submission.

Please expect between 5–10 business days after your application to receive an orientation email with detailed information regarding schedules, laptop pick-up if needed (personal laptops and other mobile devices will be able to access all needed curriculum and teachers), and more.

Please note that there will be no attendance penalty or academic issue of falling behind if students do not have courses to start Day 1.

DVIA staff will work with families to make sure students are prepared for a successful start to the school year.

If I enroll in DVIA during the new enrollment window, do I stop attending my current school?  

Yes, but not immediately. Students should continue attending their current school until they receive the orientation email mentioned above that contains next steps. Please expect between 5-10 business days to receive this email.

Am I still enrolled in a brick and mortar school if I enroll in DVIA?

Remember that enrolling in DVIA means you are changing schools. 

If a family chooses a DVIA option, students will no longer be assigned to their home school. They will be assigned to DVIA.

This means that students in choice or magnet programs would need to reapply and be accepted to return to their respective program in a future year. Also, DVIA students will be required to go to a specific site for any testing that is not authorized for administering in an at-home, non-secure format.

Is Duval HomeRoom an option?

DVIA is fully replacing Duval HomeRoom as the district’s option for families that prefer to learn remotely. Duval HomeRoom was only possible last year under the state’s emergency orders. Those orders have expired, and Duval HomeRoom, as it was offered last year, is no longer authorized under state regulations. Note: DVIA does offer its own HomeRoom for K-5 students. This is a learning option like Duval HomeRoom where students meet daily via TEAMS on a defined schedule of classes.

With the increasing demand for DVIA HomeRoom, what can we expect to see with classroom sizes ?

During the first few weeks of the semester, parents can expect to see large class sizes in DVIA HomeRoom.

This is because of the greater number of students enrolling in DVIA this school year. Additional staff was hired over the summer in anticipation of higher demand, but even more staff is needed as new registration windows have opened.  

While there are no class size requirements with virtual learning, the district is working to significantly reduce class sizes by boosting staffing levels. The district expects class sizes to gradually decrease during the course of the semester as teaching positions are filled.