From Paper Route to Statewide Impact: FLVS President and CEO Dr. Louis Algaze Retiring After 38 Years in Education

April 15, 2026

Dr. Louis Algaze, retiring president and CEO of Florida Virtual School, has dedicated his career to expanding educational opportunities for Florida students.

Dr. Louis Algaze, retiring president and CEO of Florida Virtual School (FLVS), has dedicated his career to expanding educational opportunities for Florida students.

When 12‑year‑old Louis Algaze pedaled through Miami delivering newspapers, he never imagined he’d one day be leading one of the largest and most influential virtual schools in the country.

The son of Cuban immigrants and a graduate of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida International University, and the University of Miami, Algaze, now affectionately known as Dr. A by the team at FLVS, has built a career defined by resilience, service, and a belief in the power of public education to transform lives.

“Education was how we built something better, and that belief has guided everything I’ve done,” said Algaze.

This spring, after nearly four decades in education, Algaze will retire from FLVS, closing a chapter that spans from classroom science teacher to principal, district leader, and statewide innovator.

Rooted in Service

Although his career would ultimately extend across classrooms, campuses, and statewide leadership, Algaze was guided early by a simple goal: to help students succeed through education.

“I never set out to be a leader. I just wanted to help students succeed, and one role led to another,” said Algaze.

Raised in a hardworking immigrant family, Algaze is the youngest of four children - and the only member of his immediate family born on American soil (in Missouri). His parents and older siblings immigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1962 in pursuit of a better life for their family.

Algaze’s father lost both of his parents by the time he was 13 years old and was forced to drop out of school in fifth grade to help support his family.

“Although he didn’t have any formal education, my dad was exceptionally intelligent, resourceful, and determined,” said Algaze. “He took on any work he could find to support us, holding jobs in factories, driving trucks, managing a Burger King, managing a laundromat, and even starting his own small business.”

His mother, Cipriana, was an elementary school Spanish teacher in Cuba. Determined to pursue her passion for teaching after immigrating to the U.S., she returned to school to earn her U.S. teaching credentials at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Sacrifice and hard work were values his parents instilled in him from an early age.

“My parents came here with nothing and did whatever it took to survive,” said Algaze. “And they built a beautiful life.”

Just a few years into her teaching career, in 1971, the family relocated to Miami Beach to be closer to family. His family and an aunt lived in a one‑bedroom South Beach apartment. His mom started over again, working as a substitute teacher and a nurse's aide.

By the time he was 12, his mom became ill and could no longer work, and Algaze, like his siblings, took on a part-time job to help support the family.

He began delivering newspapers and continued working throughout high school and college, holding jobs in the shoe department of a retail clothing store and a fabric store.

Although education would become his life’s work, teaching wasn’t part of his plan as a child.

A “solid” student academically, Algaze admits he much preferred his music classes and extracurricular activities over anything else. Outside the classroom, Algaze played the clarinet, trumpet, and saxophone in band, jazz ensemble, chorus, and even a barbershop quartet.

“Teaching never even crossed my mind when I was a kid. I didn’t set out to do this. I just tried it, and it stuck.”

When it came time to think about college, Algaze pursued a biology degree, initially considering careers in pediatric medicine or veterinary science. While his interests evolved during his undergraduate years, he completed his degree without a clear next step. Encouragement from his wife, then girlfriend, helped point him in a new direction. Recognizing his patience and natural ability to explain complex ideas, she suggested he explore teaching. Algaze applied for science teaching positions and was hired to teach biology and chemistry, and soon discovered a calling that would shape the rest of his career.

Leading With Purpose and Personal Experience

As his confidence and commitment in the classroom grew, so did his desire to support students beyond instruction alone. After nine years of teaching in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Algaze moved into school leadership roles as a dean of students, assistant principal, and principal.

Once in the classroom, he said, the impact of teaching became clear.

“Every kid who graduates, that’s the accomplishment,” Algaze said. “That’s really what we’re here for.”

During his time with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Algaze created small learning communities and career academies that improved student achievement at South Florida high schools. His programs produced graduates who went on to careers in engineering, agriculture, health care, and education.

A proponent of servant leadership in the classroom and as a leader, Algaze views leadership as a responsibility to remove barriers and empower others.

“Leadership isn’t about power. It’s about being of service, so students and educators can succeed,” said Algaze.

“Dr. Algaze instilled in us the idea of creating and seizing opportunity. He had an open‑door policy, and we always knew we could stop by his office to talk about life plans, academic concerns, or just to say hello,” said Dr. Alfredo Valdivia, a former high school student who is now an anesthesiologist with Inova Health, in Fairfax, Virginia. “Even when we brought him ambitious ideas for new classes or clubs, he was honest about staffing and funding challenges, but always committed to finding a way forward. He taught us to ask how we can do something, not if we can.”

Valdivia graduated from Hialeah Gardens High School and earned a full scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and later completed his anesthesiology residency at Harvard Medical School.

In 2019, after more than three decades in public education, Algaze was unanimously appointed by the State Board of Education to lead FLVS and FlexPoint.

It was a pivotal moment for digital learning in Florida. The organization was growing, the online learning landscape was accelerating, and families were seeking flexible, high-quality educational options. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools statewide to close, FLVS played a critical role in maintaining continuity of learning.

“Because of our efficiencies, the state was able to rely on us during COVID to help keep students learning when everything else shut down,” said Algaze.

A Legacy of Access and Opportunity

In the six years since then, under Algaze’s leadership, the organization has achieved several historic milestones:

• Record‑high graduation rate: FLVS Full Time reached a 97 percent graduation rate, the highest in the school’s history.
• Global digital learning expansion: Algaze guided the launch and rapid growth of FlexPoint, a digital learning brand that is used in 65 countries and three U.S. territories.
• Support for vulnerable youth: He helped create the Florida Scholars Academy, expanding educational access for students in juvenile justice residential programs.
• System modernization: Algaze oversaw significant academic, operational, and technological upgrades that support millions of personalized learning experiences each year.
• Workplace excellence recognition: FLVS was named to the Orlando Business Journal’s 2025 Best Places to Work list, for the second consecutive year, reflecting strong employee satisfaction, a people‑first culture, and trust in leadership.

Among his many individual career accomplishments, Algaze has:

• Has held leadership roles on state and national committees, including the Digital Learning Collaborative State Affiliate Board, the AdvancED/SACS Florida Council, and the University of Cambridge Principal Advisory Board, where he represented North America.
• Played an instrumental role in helping the University of Cambridge design and launch its first online courses in May 2021.
• Was selected as Florida’s featured educator in the 1990 book “I Am a Teacher: A Tribute to America’s Teachers,” alongside other notable educators, such as Jaime Escalante, whose teaching inspired the film “Stand and Deliver.” He was later nominated for the Florida Principal of the Year for the 2008-09 school year.
• In 2018, Algaze and the faculty of Hialeah Gardens High School received the “President’s Award” from the National Academy Foundation, after becoming the first school in the nation to earn the “Distinguished” status across all five career-themed academies (Academy of Finance, Academy of Information Technology, Academy of Engineering, Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, and Academy of Health Sciences).
• Was named to the 2025 Florida Trend 500, an annual list recognizing the state’s most influential business and civic leaders.

Preparing FLVS for the Future

Algaze leaves behind a stronger, more future‑ready FLVS. His leadership has positioned the organization to continue evolving, including expanding career pathways, strengthening academic supports, and integrating responsible, student‑centered approaches to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.

Having taught during the era of chalkboards, mimeograph machines, and filmstrip projectors, Algaze said he has always viewed technology as a tool, not a replacement, for teachers.

“Technology should help teachers be more effective and give students more individualized support,” he said.

Education remains a family calling. Algaze’s wife, Denise, is an educator; his daughter, Ashley, is a middle school agriculture science teacher; and his son, David, serves as a school resource officer, extending the family’s commitment to students beyond the classroom.

Algaze said he plans to remain a supporter and advocate for FLVS, calling the school a “defining part” of his professional life and its mission to expand opportunities for students statewide.