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Florida Virtual School To Accept 20,000 Displaced Puerto Rican Students

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) --  Twenty thousand Puerto Rican students, impacted and displaced by Hurricane Maria, will be accepted by Florida Virtual School to continue their education.

Florida Virtual School is the state's official provider of online-only learning.

In a statement released Thursday by Governor Rick Scott, he said, "Families in Puerto Rico have experienced extreme devastation of their homes and communities due to Hurricane Maria. As they work to rebuild their lives, these families should not have to worry about their children falling behind in school. In Florida, our schools offer a world-class education, and I am glad that Florida Virtual School has stepped up to help these families as they rebuild their lives. I encourage Puerto Rican families to take advantage of this opportunity and the State of Florida will continue to do all we can to help them during this challenging time."

Whether students are still in Puerto Rico or in Florida, they can take advantage of this program.

Displaced Puerto Rican families who are interested in signing up for Florida Virtual School should contact Liz Chico at (863) 606-8033.

Additionally, all Florida school districts are prepared to accept displaced K-12 students in local schools, and a number of districts have already begun enrolling displaced students. Families who would like to enroll a student in a local elementary, middle or high school should contact the school district in which they are located.

Contact information for each district is posted here.

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