Classrooms without walls are now a real option for Florida students. Optima Academy Online, founded by incoming First Lady Erika Donalds, holds live classes in the Metaverse, where students wear VR headsets instead of logging in on laptops. Student Bryleigh Barnes of Crawfordville says the format keeps her engaged and even frees up time for horseback riding and virtual field trips to historic landmarks. School leadership predicts that within a decade, learning will move beyond flat screens entirely.
The growth comes with scrutiny. Former Congresswoman Gwen Graham has raised conflict-of-interest concerns, noting the school receives school choice funds overseen by the governor’s office that Donalds’ husband will soon lead. The academy operates in several states and plans to expand as Florida’s voucher program grows, which means these questions are unlikely to fade.
For Suncoast families, the story is a live version of the screen time debate that plays out in living rooms from Bradenton to Venice. Is an immersive headset a better learning tool than a laptop, or just a newer screen? The answer likely depends on the kid. Would you send your child to a Metaverse classroom?
