Academic Opportunities, College Planning & Student Resources
Course & College Credit Opportunities
Florida Virtual School (FLVS)
SSA students can take classes through FLVS Flex. You will need to go to the FLVS website and create an account. When registering, select "Private School," "Volusia County," "Sunshine State Academy K-12," and list Chrysalis Wright as your guidance counselor. Notify SSA once you request a course so enrollment can be verified. Your student will then be assigned to a class, and a designated teacher will contact you. There is a $10 processing fee per FLVS course segment. FLVS requires frequent, regular contact between the teacher, student, and parent. All FLVS courses include tests and quizzes and may require writing assignments. Additionally, FLVS also requires proof of Florida residency to enroll in FLVS courses. Proof of Florida residency is submitted from the parent directly to FLVS. Once your student has earned a final grade in a class via FLVS, make sure to report it to SSA. Note that students currently receiving the FES scholarship must pay FLVS directly per each course segment.
Dual Enrollment with Arizona State University
Sunshine State Academy (SSA) offers dual enrollment exclusively through Arizona State University’s Universal Learner Courses (ULC), providing students with the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit. To be eligible, students must be enrolled with SSA for at least one semester, be in grades 6–12, have completed at least one high school-level course with a grade of A, and maintain a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0. Once approved by SSA, students may enroll in ASU’s instructor-led courses, which follow 8- or 16-week schedules and include live online meetings, active participation, and strict deadlines. SSA students may take up to three ASU courses at a time. The cost is $375 per course, paid directly to SSA before enrollment. Students who earn a passing grade (A, B, or C) will receive both high school and college credit. While ASU provides the instruction and academic content, SSA oversees eligibility, enrollment, and transcript integration to ensure that each course aligns with graduation requirements.
College, Scholarship, & Athletic Eligibility
National Collegiate Athletic Association
SSA students can remain eligible to play college sports through the NCAA. To do so, they must complete specific core courses, usually using FLVS, during high school. The NCAA classifies SSA students as homeschoolers, so early planning (before 9th grade) is recommended. Review the NCAA Homeschool Toolkit for more information on classification, requirements, and approved courses.
Bright Futures Scholarship Program
SSA is a participating Florida private high school for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Bright Futures Scholarship Program helps Florida students attend a postsecondary institution. Bright Futures awards include: Florida Academic Scholars Award (FAS), Florida Medallion Scholars Award (FMS), Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award (GSC), and the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award (GSV). You can learn more about the Bright Futures Scholarship Aware here and review initial eligibility requirements. You can use the volunteer hours record sheet to log and track your students volunteer hours. Students must be enrolled with SSA for a minimum of two years prior to application for processing, must have completed 11th and 12th grade courses using SSA’s online curriculum with 9th and 10th grade courses being documented from verifiable curriculum, and must have all completed volunteer hours documented on signed letters from the organization where they volunteered, on organization letterhead. SSA is not able to guarantee any award.
How to Apply: Visit Home - Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs (floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org) and select “First-Time Applicants.”
National Society of High School Honors
The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHHS) is an Honors Society for high school students that recognizes students for their academic achievements and community service. NSHHS connects students with scholarships, college fairs, internships, career and leadership opportunities, and more. Their mission is to recognize academic excellence and honors the highest achieving high school students. SSA students can be nominated for the honors society based on any of the following: (1) 3.5 GPA or higher, (2) 1280 SAT score or higher, (3) 1150 PSAT score or higher, and (4) 26 ACT score or higher. NSHHS’s membership fee is only $90 (paid directly to NSHHS.
Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Federal Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) is completed by students in the 12th grade as they prepare for college. For FAFSA purposes, SSA is considered a homeschool program. When completing the online application, select your county (not SSA’s county), and enter that you are a home educated student.
Common App
Many colleges and universities utilize the Common App for applications. After creating your Common App account, you will select SSA (or Sunshine State Homeschool Academy) as your current school. The academic advisor or counselor is Chrysalis Wright. SSA will be prompted to enter required academic information.
College Entrance Testing
College-bound students may choose to complete standardized testing such as the ACT, SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, AP exams, or PERT as part of college admissions, scholarship eligibility, dual enrollment placement, or academic planning.
When registering for College Board or ACT exams, families should use SSA’s school code (102750) so that official score reports may be sent directly to SSA when available.
School Status, Accreditation & Curriculum
Florida Department of Education
SSA is a registered private school with the Florida Department of Education. Note that the Florida Department of Education does not have jurisdiction over any private school. The FL DOE does not regulate, control, approve, or accredit private educational institutions. Private schools are solely responsible for all aspects of their educational programs.
Accreditation & Curriculum Alignment
SSA is accredited by the National Association for the Legal Support of Alternative Schools (NALSAS), an accrediting organization focused on legal compliance, operational integrity, and consumer protection within alternative education. To support academic quality and postsecondary readiness, students in grades 9–12 are strongly encouraged to use our approved curriculum provider, Edmentum. Edmentum’s Cognia-accredited curriculum aligns with national academic standards and helps support consistent documentation of rigorous high school coursework for postsecondary planning.
Disclaimer
SSA is a registered private school in Florida, and enrolled students are considered private school students. Private schools in Florida are not licensed, approved, regulated, or accredited by the Florida Department of Education. SSA does not guarantee eligibility for dual enrollment, scholarships, financial aid, NCAA eligibility, college admission, employment opportunities, or participation in any external academic program. Policies and eligibility requirements for scholarships, colleges, dual enrollment programs, testing agencies, and other outside organizations may change and are determined solely by those institutions. Some colleges, including Valencia College, St. Petersburg State College, and Gulf Coast State College, scholarship agencies, and external organizations may classify students enrolled in remote or virtual private schools differently based on their own policies. Families are responsible for researching and verifying current eligibility, admissions, and participation requirements directly with each institution or program.