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Julie Young is the Founding CEO of Florida Virtual School (FLVS), where she helped pioneer online public education and expand access to millions of learners. She later founded ASU Prep Digital and is the author of Say Yes: How Virtual Became Reality, continuing to shape the future of student-centered learning.
💡 5 Things You'll Learn in This Episode
- How Florida Virtual School grew from a small pilot into a global model for virtual education.
- Why putting students and not systems at the center changes everything about school design.
- Lessons for driving innovation within public education while earning trust and support.
- How ASU Prep Digital is blurring the lines between K-12 and higher education.
- Why AI should be a catalyst for redesigning education, not simply automating existing practices.
✨ Episode Highlights
[00:02:42] Why Julie wrote Say Yes and the philosophy that shaped her career.
[00:03:46] The origins of Florida Virtual School and overcoming skepticism about online learning.
[00:10:56] Building innovation inside public education without working against the system.
[00:23:09] How ASU Prep Digital is rethinking the transition from high school to college.
[00:32:01] Why AI challenges the very purpose of school and creates an opportunity to redesign learning.
[00:37:20] The rise of robotics, coding, and authentic assessment as the future of education.
[00:39:33] Julie's recommended books for educators and innovation leaders.
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This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Cooley LLP. Cooley is the go-to law firm for education and edtech innovators, offering industry-informed counsel across the 'pre-K to gray' spectrum. With a multidisciplinary approach and a powerful edtech ecosystem, Cooley helps shape the future of education.
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