Student interest in physics skyrockets in Orange County

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Four years ago, not a single student at Jones High School was enrolled in a physics course.

Any student interested in physics had to enroll through Florida Virtual School. Jones High School now has more than 230 students taking physics and two full-time teachers.

Principal Allison Kirby said the key to the program’s success was finding the right teachers. Enrollment in just one year has increased by 1,200%.

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“I think physics is one of those pathways people used to see that is exclusive and only the top students would take physics and we want by making it the senior science that it is opening the doors for all of the students to have the knowledge and that access point,” Kirby said.

Kirby said next year every single student will take physics as their science course.