Michigan Virtual high school students now have the opportunity to take more than two online courses at a time – including a full-time online schedule – through the Genesee Network for Educational Telecommunications (GenNET) seat time waiver (STW) program. Michigan Virtual joins eight existing teacher-led online course providers as a member of GenNET.
In 2008 Michigan’s Superintendent of Public Instruction implemented a process that allows school districts to seek a waiver of the state’s pupil accounting rules to allow eligible full-time students take all of their coursework online.
Last year, the STW was expanded statewide to serve 57 intermediate school districts, 523 local school districts, and 14 public school academies (charters) across Michigan. After its first year, the statewide STW made it possible for 8,442 online courses to be taken by over 2,700 high school students needing options to help move them toward successful graduation in their home districts.
Michigan Virtual online courses allow for scheduling flexibility, allowing students to continue their studies outside the traditional classroom environment. Online courses provide opportunities to:
- at-risk students,
- elite athletes,
- performers in the arts,
- dropouts,
- pregnant students,
- incarcerated students, and
- students who are homebound due to illness or injury.
Having a student take the majority or all their coursework online is an important decision that should be supported by thoughtful planning with parents, counselors, educators and school administrators.
About Michigan Virtual
Michigan Virtual is a private, nonprofit Michigan corporation established by the State of Michigan in 1998 to serve as a champion for online learning. It is the parent organization of the Michigan Virtual for Students and Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute.
