VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — After the Florida Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, Volusia County School leaders and parents are still waiting to find out what will happen next semester. While the school district announced they may be able to extend the Volusia Live option, parents are waiting to hear if their child will be eligible. 

Fourth grader Danalee and brother Kade, who is in second grade, are both enrolled in the Volusia Live Option. Their mother, Kelly Berning, believes it is what is best for them. 

“I want my kids to stay in Volusia Live until there is a vaccine and it is safe,” she said. 

As of this week, about 15% of students are enrolled in this option, according to the school district. 

After a state press conference, Volusia County Schools announced Thursday morning that they could potentially offer Volusia Live in the second semester, unlike originally planned. 

“We’ve been a little stressed, we have little anxiety about the possibility of them going back on January 22nd or 26th, so the fact that they might extend it, considering the numbers rising and the death rates rising, we were thrilled and they hope that they extend it," said Berning. 

However, School Board Member Carl Persis explained it will likely look different next semester, as they may offer it to only certain students who are forced to stay home for health reasons or are being asked to quarantine. 

“We anticipate that we will have more COVID cases come January and into the Spring, so we always got to have an option for students, if in fact they have to quarantine,” said Persis. 

Persis said the district hopes more children will return to the traditional classroom. About 12,000 students have made that transition already, according to the school district, meaning 75% of Volusia students are now back to in-person learning.

“While health and safety is certainly our first concern, the academic piece of this is right up there too, so we want to make sure out students are learning and are successful this year,” said Persis. 

Another big issue is funding, Persis said, adding it is still unclear what the state will offer for next semester.

“So with full funding, perhaps we can offer a few more live classes than what we were originally thinking," he said. "Without the funding then I know it is going to be a very limited number of live teaching situation."

For Berning, she hopes this option is still available to her kids come January. If not, she'll seek other options.

“I might have to homeschool, just pull them out and just dis-enroll them … which would break my heart because I love their school,”  she said. 

State Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran has hinted that schools and parents could expect to have more information by Thanksgiving.