Extended Learning is sometimes called Expanded Learning or Out of School Time. In Florida, it is known as Cooperative Education.

 

Florida law permits a student to be released from the high school campus to work part-time in a paying job. It's called “cooperative” because there are four contractual parties: the school & teacher/coordinator, employer, parent/guardian, and student. Cooperative Learning provides elective high school credit(s) in exchange for valuable workplace experiences designed to give "students a head start on their career, employability skills to be successful, employee training, financial earnings, and flexibility in the school day with release time from campus."

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Unlike Cooperative Learning, which awards elective credit per hours worked, Extended Learning Opportunities allow schools to award credit for demonstrable learning for collaborative learning outside of the school day.

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Additionally, Florida allows schools to issue an elective credit for service-learning in middle and high school. School districts are encouraged to provide support for the use of service learning at any grade level as an instructional strategy to address appropriate areas of state education standards for student knowledge and performance.

 

Extended or Expanded Learning is the next evolution of Cooperative and Service Learning.

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