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How to Start an Online School Program

Looking to start a virtual program in your K-12 school/district or expand your existing program? Explore the free, research-based tools and resources below to get started designing a high-quality online learning program built around student success.

Let us do the heavy lifting.

Setting up a high-quality remote or blended learning program requires a lot of work. To help you achieve your school or district’s vision for learning, we’ve dramatically reimagined our course models to offer content-only options, LMS support, teacher training, and more.

Whether you’re looking to start a virtual program, incorporate digital content into your face-to-face classrooms, or offer a hybrid model, we have a variety of options to help you get started and design virtual pathways optimized for student success.

Explore New Course Models

Questions to consider when starting a virtual learning program

The resources and tools linked below answer frequently asked questions about how to start an online school program and offer advice on research-based best practices, including planning and leading for student success, choosing an LMS, finding online content, setting up a mentor program, preparing teachers and students, planning for pupil accounting, and more. 

What are the key planning considerations?

The following planning document offers school leaders actionable advice on how they can leverage digital instructional content and remote teaching practices to provide learning opportunities for all students in the event of unanticipated and extended school closures.
Planning Considerations

How do I lead my school in best practices for online learning?

Created by researchers at the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute®, our family of free guides will introduce you to the world of online learning. Inside each guide, you’ll find key definitions, research findings and practical strategies that paint a picture of what kind of preparations and support systems are necessary to ensure students succeed in their online courses.
Free Guides to Online Learning

How do I decide whether or not I need an LMS?

Trying to decide which learning management system (LMS) is the right fit for your school or district? Unsure if now is the best time to implement one? Curious about how popular LMSs compare to one another? This free guide can help you answer these questions and determine which path forward will be best for your students and staff.
Free Guide to Choosing an LMS

How do I find online content for my classroom?

You can use this repository to find, share, and rate both free and paid digital content options that can be used in your K-12 classroom. Because this repository is crowd-sourced, each resource listed has been submitted by a fellow educator who believes in the value of this resource to meet the unique learning needs of K-12 students.
K-12 Digital Content Repository

How do I set up an effective mentor program?

Mentors provide critical support to online learners. By developing a face-to-face connection, keeping students on schedule, and providing guidance and support, mentors make online courses less overwhelming and more manageable for students.
Mentor Resources

How do I prepare teachers for remote teaching?

This interactive self-assessment tool asks teachers to evaluate their readiness to effectively reach and teach students in a remote or blended learning environment. Upon filling out this checklist, teachers will receive an automated playlist of PD options based on their unique growth areas.
Teacher Self-Assessment Tool

How do I assess student readiness for online learning?

Students vary in their readiness for virtual learning. The Online Learner Readiness Rubric helps evaluate a student’s preparedness for virtual learning on eight dimensions.
View the Rubric

How do I prepare students for remote learning?

Strategies for Online Success (SOS) is a free orientation to learning online geared towards preparing students for the transition from taking courses in-person to taking them online.
Free Student Orientation Course

How do I create accessible learning experiences and support students with disabilities?

Thinking about providing your students with at-home learning experiences, but worried about web accessibility issues or supporting students with disabilities? We've created a list of resources to help you address these topics.
Accessibility Resources

How does pupil accounting work with virtual learners?

When count day comes around, it’s important for your district to have a process in place to report your virtual learners and receive appropriate state funding. In this webinar, special guest, Brian Ciloski, a departmental analyst with MDE, discusses Michigan laws regarding count day requirements, share best practices for reporting virtual learners, and provide resources that can assist you through this process.
Count Day Webinar

Are there any templates I can use to get started?

We have free templates that may be useful to those starting an online learning program, including sample communications, checklists for online learning coordinators, and a student and parent agreement.
Explore Resources

How can I support students' social and emotional needs?

During times of crisis, our students need extra support to process their emotions. Our Michigan Cares Portal offers Michigan families and educators FREE digital lessons designed to help students in grades K-12 develop the skills required for social, emotional, and mental well-being. This portal will be freely available until the end of the 20-21 school year.
Free Mental Health & SEL Resources

How can I get feedback on my online learning program?

We offer free reviews to Michigan K-12 schools with supplemental online learning programs (i.e. not full-time cyber schools). This opportunity allows districts to reflect on what’s working and what areas they could improve to enhance their program’s effectiveness.
Online Program Reviews

Keep Michigan Learning webinar series

To help Michigan educators keep students learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, we produced a series of short webinars (approx. 30 minutes each) that offer tips, tricks, and best practices for remote teaching and learning.

Brought to you in part by Meemic Insurance Company, Insurance for Educators.
Meemic Insurance Company

View All Webinars

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Setting up a high-quality remote or blended learning program requires a lot of work. Let us help do the heavy lifting with our innovative new course models for virtual learning.

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