The Michigan distance education school is an online resource that allows Michigan state schools to provide courses (carried out by certified educators) and other educational tools that are not available for schoolchildren. The Michigan Legislature subsidized it in July 2000 to be run by the MVS, a private, not-for-profit Michigan organization. Michigan VS works in collaboration with separate school areas to grant credits and diplomas. Thanks to MVS, Michigan state school pupils can take a range of courses and study anywhere there is a PC and Internet access.
As one of the biggest online schools in the U.S., MVS offers over150 courses, containing exclusive classes like Chinese and CareerForward, a virtual career investigation course.
A Preferred Provider of Online Education
Providing educational opportunities is central to the missions of both the Michigan High School Athletic Association with Michigan Virtual University. To promote its wide opportunities for online education for Michigan high school pupils and teachers, Michigan Virtual University will serve as the preferred provider of online education supporting MHSAA events and digital initiatives during the 2016-17 academic year.
Michigan Virtual University is a nonprofit corporation established in 1998 to distribute online education and training opportunities to Michigan’s K-12 public and operates the Michigan VS. Considered a national leader in providing online education, MVS has enrolled over 200,000 online courses in a broad range of core academic courses aligned with state-run standards, university-level equivalent courses; enrichment and world language courses, and other innovative online experiences. MVS is accredited by third party AdvancED, meaning its teachers, tools, amenities, and personnel meets or exceeds necessary standards of academic quality.
MVS currently is working with 497 schools across Michigan to provide pupils more than 200 online courses, including 22 Advanced Placement courses and instruction in seven world languages. Like the MHSAA, MVS serves pupils in grades 6-12.
Getting Virtual
Michigan Virtual School will have an on-site presence at MHSAA championship events throughout this school year and digitally on MHSAA.com and in coordination with the MHSAA’s social media platforms. MVS also will receive airtime as part of MHSAA video and radio programming.
MVS courses are designed to provide the same care as those schoolchildren experience in an in-person classroom setting while sanctioning students scheduling flexibility and the ability to work at their own pacing. Core courses linked with the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) and the Common Core are available in English, science, math, social studies, and foreign languages. In addition, nearly 90 MVS courses are accepted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), supplementary value for pupil-athletes seeking to secure eligibility at the college level.
Regulations
Michigan Virtual School is subsidized by the Michigan governing body and revenues from the courses it offers. Under current legislation students in grades 6-12 are allowed to take up to two courses per semester throughout the regular school year funded for by their schools, and schoolchildren also may pay to take additional subjects either during the academic year or in the summer. Syllabuses are developed by MVS or include content licensed from nationally recognized providers.
Additionally, the MHSAA and MVU have agreed to explore possible areas of collaboration related to virtual and blended career development for athletic directors, coaches, and other sports officials.
The MHSAA is a not-for-profit organization of voluntary participation by more than 1,400 public and private senior and junior high schools that aim to develop shared rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No municipal funds support the MHSAA, which was the first such program countrywide to not accept participation dues or contest entry fees from schools. Associate schools that apply these guidelines are permitted to take part in MHSAA competitions, which attract over 1.4 million viewers each year.
Figures to consider
The focus of Michigan’s early efforts to propose online education opportunities in the Michigan Virtual School. It launched in 2000 when the state Legislature granted $15 million to the private, nonprofit Michigan Virtual University to improve and run the school.
MVS provides courses to learners through distance instructor online and Internet-based teaching. MVS directly employs its own trainers and facilitators, and it projects many of its own syllabuses. The courses are adapted to various educational programs, containing the state’s program requirements, Advanced Placement assignments, educative teaching, and summer school. Nonetheless, MVS delivers only supplemental education, which means that learners cannot receive a diploma from the school. MVS is the fifth-largest state-run online school in the country regarding course registrations.
In the very beginning, MVS experienced restrained growth; it averaged about 3,400-course enrollments a year in its first 6 years. MVS developed rapidly next five years, with the figure of course admissions more than twice. In 2009-2010, MVS had 12,709 admissions in semester-long, distance courses. MVS opened other classes, together with Internet-based courses, and the school had 14,837-course recordings that school year.
In 2009-2010 school year, pupils from 423 charter, conventional state, and private schools registered in at least one of the 288 various courses offered by MVS. Approximately 1,530 homeschooling pupils joined MVS courses, too. 79 percent of the subjects were high school courses, and the five most prevalent in 2009-2010 were career planning, digital photography, study skills, economics, and forensic science.
