News
Statewide Work Group launches website and initial resources to support flexible learning models for 20-21 school year
Michigan VirtualLANSING, Mich. — The Learning Continuity Work Group convened by Michigan Virtual has released a new website to help Michigan educators prepare for the coming academic year. The website, Keep Michigan Learning, provides a collection of free resources to… Read more
Pandemic May (Finally) Push Online Education Into Teacher Prep Programs
Michigan VirtualThe article “Pandemic May (Finally) Push Online Education Into Teacher Prep Programs” — originally published in EdSurge on May 28, 2020 — makes a case for why current school closures as a result of COVID-19 should push teacher prep… Read more
Michigan prioritizes emotional and mental wellbeing of families with launch of new Michigan Cares program
Michigan VirtualDuring times of crisis, children need extra support to process their emotions. Beyond academic resources, one of the most challenging areas for many educators supporting students remotely is emotional and mental health. Beginning today, the newly launched Michigan Cares program offers educators and Michigan families — children, teachers, and parents alike — free digital lessons focused on developing social, emotional, and mental wellbeing skills, which have become especially important in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
Josh AllenLANSING, Mich. — As Michigan’s educators explore how to serve their students during school building closures, they now have a unique personal growth opportunity to learn new skills and best practices when teaching outside of the physical classroom. To… Read more
LANSING, Mich. — Recognizing the importance of learning continuity planning in the wake of the COVID-19 school closures, Michigan Virtual today announced the creation of the Michigan Virtual Learning Continuity Work Group. The Work Group, composed of 21 education… Read more
Education Groups Largely Support Whitmer K-12 Order
Michigan VirtualThis article was originally published by Gongwer News Service on April 2, 2020. Lansing, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order suspending in-person K-12 education for the rest of the 2019-20 school year was greeted Thursday with support from… Read more
Statement from Michigan Virtual regarding statewide school closures
Michigan VirtualLANSING, Mich. — To reduce the spread of Coronavirus in Michigan, today Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-35, which orders all K-12 school buildings to close for the remainder of the school year — unless restrictions are lifted… Read more
Educators Step Up to Fill Distance Learning Gap
Michigan VirtualDistrict, charter, private schools adapt while state officials wait This article was originally published by Mackinac Center for Public Policy on March 26, 2020. A March 20 memo from the Michigan Department of Education declared that emergency online education would not… Read more
Free online educational content for students, educators released in response to COVID-19 school closures
Michigan VirtualMichigan Virtual releases free quality enrichment material to support parents, educators at home This article was also published in MITechNews.com on March 22, 2020. LANSING, Mich. – To keep students learning during the extended school closures, Michigan families now… Read more
Statement from Michigan Virtual regarding statewide school closures
Michigan VirtualLANSING, Mich. — Tonight Governor Gretchen Whitmer, State Superintendent Michael Rice, and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun called for the closure of schools statewide to reduce the spread of Coronavirus in Michigan. In response, Michigan Virtual President and… Read more
Detroit area schools close to plan for online classes
Michigan VirtualThe article “Detroit area schools close to plan for online classes” — originally published in the Detroit News on March 12, 2020 — overviews Detroit Public Schools’ efforts to prepare for remote teaching in light of possible extended school… Read more
CDC Recommends Schools Implement E-Learning Plans
Michigan VirtualReadiness tool launched to assist Michigan schools, students during school closure LANSING, Mich. — Recent reports indicate nearly 300 million students worldwide are not attending school because of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Increasingly, schools in Michigan are beginning to explore strategies… Read more
Michigan Virtual, College Board team up to expand AP access to high schoolers
Michigan VirtualThe article “Michigan Virtual, College Board team up to expand AP access to high schoolers” — originally published in MLive on March 6, 2020 — overviews the partnership between Michigan Virtual and the College Board to strengthen AP access… Read more
Michigan Virtual Launches Initiative to Grow Advanced Placement Opportunities
Michigan VirtualThis article was published in the Laredo Morning Times on March 3, 2020 Non-Profit College Board and Michigan Virtual partner to expand AP access to students across the state LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Virtual today announced a new initiative… Read more
RFQ: Summer Minecraft Experience
Michigan VirtualAre you skilled in Minecraft: Education Edition and interested in helping to build an engaging and fun summer learning experience? Michigan Virtual is seeking a contractor to develop a Minecraft summer learning experience for 3rd through 8th graders using… Read more
Michigan students to benefit from enhanced online learning services
Michigan VirtualPublished in Global Newswire on February 20, 2020 D2L Chosen to Provide Learning Management by Michigan Virtual Kitchener, Waterloo, Feb. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global learning technology leader D2L announced today that Michigan Virtual has selected D2L’s Brightspace… Read more
E-learning in Ontario: Way of the future or an ineffective teaching model?
Michigan VirtualThe article “E-learning in Ontario: Way of the future or an ineffective teaching model?” — originally published in Canada’s Globe and Mail on February 12, 2020 — explores research on the promise and pitfalls of e-Learning in light of Ontario’s proposed online learning requirement and includes quotations from an interview with our vice president, Joe Friedhoff, and citations from the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute.
Opinion: Choose the right school for your child
Michigan VirtualThe editorial “Choose the right school for your child” — originally published in the Lansing State Journal on January 29, 2020 — expresses author Andrew R. Campanella’s view that parents ought to carefully consider what schooling options are most… Read more
Marion Elementary School receives national recognition for investing in the Whole Child
Michigan VirtualMARION, Mich. – Marion Elementary School has been named a 2019 National ESEA Distinguished School, a distinction that only up to 100 schools throughout the country receive annually, by the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA). “Marion… Read more
Education Talk Radio: Online education, accessibility, and equity
Michigan VirtualA recent episode of Education Talk Radio features an interview with Krista Tomaselli, Michigan Virtual‘s director of instructional product development, and John J Hood, the superintendent of Okemos Public Schools, during which they discuss accessibility and equity in online… Read more