Abstract
Based on pupil completion and performance data reported by school entities to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) or the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI), this report highlights 2014-15 enrollment totals, completion rates, and the overall impact of virtual courses on K-12 pupils. Over 91,000 K-12 students took virtual courses in 2014-15, accounting for almost 446,000 virtual course enrollments. Sixty-three percent of virtual enrollments were from non-cyber public schools through a provider other than the Michigan Virtual School. Enrollments were heaviest in the high school grades, but elementary and middle school showed large percentage increases. The percentage of virtual enrollments with a completion status of “Completed/Passed” was 60%; however, half of virtual learners passed every virtual course they took. One in four virtual learners, on the other hand, failed every virtual course they took. Thirty-one percent of Michigan public K-12 schools had one or more students take a virtual course in 2014-15. About 2.75% of all K-12 course enrollments in the state were delivered virtually.
Prepared By
- Joseph R. Freidhoff – Michigan Virtual
What we already know about this topic
- Previous years of the Effectiveness Report have shown increasing numbers of Michigan students taking virtual courses, more schools offering virtual learning, and a rapid increase in the number of virtual enrollments.
- At the same time, the pass rate for virtual courses has been trending down.
- Many schools have high pass rates and show evidence of successful programs — too many do not.
- Schools that have virtual learning enrollments are most likely to have 100 or more virtual enrollments.
- Students who struggle in their traditional courses, also tend to struggle when they take virtual courses.
- Students taking fewer virtual courses tended to perform better than those taking more.
- Students in poverty represent a disproportionate number of virtual enrollments and there is a sizable pass rate difference for virtual learners based on poverty status.
What this report adds
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- The report shows both the successes and failures of virtual learning in the state. The data presented in the report identify areas to build upon as well as practices that should be avoided.
- The data in the report provide school districts with the opportunity to benchmark their own virtual learning programs against their peers in the state. This opportunity should be an important step in a program’s continuous quality improvement activities.
Implications for practice and/or policy
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- The report shows both the successes and failures of virtual learning in the state. The data presented in the report identify areas to build upon as well as practices that should be avoided.
- The data in the report provide school districts with the opportunity to benchmark their own virtual learning programs against their peers in the state. This opportunity should be an important step in a program’s continuous quality improvement activities.
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