Michigan High Schools Seek Waivers for Online Learning

More Michigan students may earn their high school diplomas online if school districts have their way. A growing number of districts and charter schools have recently applied for waivers, allowing them to concurrently offer more than two online courses per student. (Currently, public school students may only take two virtual classes per semester outside of district facilities). The Detroit Free Press explains:

"The waivers are a result of a challenge issued to districts earlier this year by State Superintendent Mike Flanagan, with the goal of seeing what innovative ideas school districts could come up with if they were allowed to bypass some rules that might be "standing in the way of schools reaching more kids," said MaryAlice Galloway, senior adviser to the chief academic officer at MDE."

If all goes well, the new waivers may allow thousands of public school students to earn their diplomas completely (or at least primarily) through the internet.

See Also:

• State-by-State List of Free Online Public Schools
• The Basics of Online Public Schools