2370.01 - ON-LINE/BLENDED LEARNING PROGRAM

The District shall provide eligible students the option of participating in on-line or blended learning courses. The purpose of the program is to make instruction available to eligible students using on-line and distance education technology in both traditional and nontraditional classroom settings. The District must make all eligible students and their parents or guardians aware of this program.

1. Definitions
    
   1. On-Line Learning - Means a course of study that is capable of generating a credit or a grade, that is provided in an interactive internet-connected learning environment, in which students and their teachers are separated by time or location, or both, and in which the teacher is responsible for determining appropriate instructional methods for each student, diagnosing learning needs, assessing student learning, prescribing intervention strategies, reporting outcomes, and evaluating the effects of instruction and support strategies.
   2. Blended Learning - A hybrid instructional delivery model where students are provided content, instruction, and assessment in part at the classroom, with a teacher, and in part through internet-connected learning environments with some degree of student control over time, location, and pace of instruction.
2. Program Eligibility
   
   The District shall offer a program for students in grades 6-12.
   
   The District may offer a full time or part time program for grades 9-12 students enrolled in dropout prevention, academic intervention, core courses to meet graduation requirements, or dual enrollment programs.

3. Course Availability and Access

   1. The District shall provide access to enroll and participate in the available courses and shall award credit, as may be appropriate, for successful completion. Access shall be available to eligible students during or after the school day and during summer school enrollment. The District will provide at least one (1) of the following:

      1. On-line Learning, pursuant to the requirements set forth in Pupil Accounting Manual 5-O-D.

      2. Virtual Learning, pursuant to the requirements set forth in Pupil Accounting Manual 5-O-A.

      3. Independent Study, pursuant to the requirements set forth in Pupil Accounting Manual 5-O-A.

   2. The District shall enroll an eligible student in up to two (2) on-line courses as requested by the student during an academic term, semester, or trimester. Consent from the student's parent or legal guardian must be obtained for students under the age of 18), except that permission shall not be required if the course is being provided as permitted by M.C.L. 388.1621f(14), which allows a district to provide online instruction for not more than fifteen (15) days per school year under specific circumstances.

   3. A student may enroll in more than two (2) virtual courses in a specific academic term, semester, or trimester if both of the following conditions are met:
      

      1. The District has determined that it is in the best interest of the student.
      2. The student agrees with the recommendation of the District.
   4. An eligible student may enroll in an on-line course published in the District on-line course syllabus, as described in section 8 below, or the statewide catalog of on-line courses maintained by the Michigan Virtual University.

   5. The District may deny a student enrollment in an on-line course if any of the following apply, as determined by the District:

      1. The student is enrolled in any of grades K to five (5).

      2. The student has previously gained the credits provided from the completion of the on-line course.

      3. The online course is not capable of generating academic credit.

      4. The online course is inconsistent with the remaining graduation requirements or career interests of the student.

      5. The student has not completed the prerequisite coursework for the requested virtual course or has not demonstrated proficiency in the prerequisite course content.

      6. The online course is of insufficient quality or rigor. If the District denies a student enrollment for this reason, the District shall make a reasonable effort to assist the student to find an alternative course in the same or a similar subject that is of acceptable rigor and quality.

      7. The cost of the virtual course causes the District to exceed the target foundation allowance percentage.
      8. The request for a virtual course enrollment was not made in the academic term, semester, trimester, or summer preceding the enrollment. This subsection does not apply to a request made by a student who is newly enrolled in the District.

      9. If a student is denied enrollment in an online course by the District, the student may appeal the denial by submitting a letter to the Superintendent. The appeal must include the reason provided by the District for not enrolling the student and the reason why the student is claiming that the enrollment should be approved.

         The Superintendent shall respond to the appeal within five (5) days after it is received. If the Superintendent determines that the denial of enrollment does not meet one (1) or more of the reasons specified in this subsection, the District shall allow the student to enroll in the online course.

   6. An online learning student shall have the same rights and access to technology in his or her District's school facilities as all other students enrolled in that District.

   7. If a student successfully completes an on-line course, as determined by the District, the District shall grant appropriate academic credit for completion of the course and shall count that credit toward completion of graduation and subject area requirements. A student's school record and transcript shall identify the on-line course title as it appears in the online course syllabus.

   8. The enrollment of a student in one (1) or more online courses shall not result in a student being counted as more than 1.0 full-time equivalent students under this act.

4. Applicants

   1. If the number of nonresident applicants eligible for acceptance in an online course does not exceed the capacity of the District to provide the online course, the District shall accept for enrollment all of the nonresident applicants eligible for acceptance.

   2. If the number of nonresident applicants exceeds the District's capacity to provide the online course, the District shall use a random draw system. 

   3. The District shall determine whether or not it has the capacity to accept applications for enrollment from nonresident applicants in online courses and may use that limit as the reason for refusal to enroll an applicant.

5. Requirements Specific to On-Line Learning Courses
   
   To offer an on-line course, the District must:

   1. Provide the Michigan Virtual University with the course syllabus in a form and method prescribed by the Michigan Virtual University for inclusion in a statewide online course catalog.

   2. Provide on its publicly accessible website a link to the course syllabi for all of the online courses offered by the District and a link to the State-wide catalog of online courses maintained by the Michigan Virtual University.

   3. Assign to each student a teacher of record.

   4. Offer the online course on an open entry and exit method, or aligned to a semester, trimester, or accelerated academic term format.

6. Online Course Syllabus
   
   The District must publish an online course syllabus for each on-line course offered. The online course syllabus must include:

   1. An alignment document showing how the course meets applicable State academic standards.

   2. Online course content outline.

   3. Online course required assessments.

   4. Online course prerequisites.

   5. Expectations for actual teacher contact time with the on-line learning student and other student-to-teacher communications.

   6. Academic support available to the on-line learning student.

   7. Online course learning outcomes and objectives.

   8. Name of the institution or organization providing the online content. 

   9. Name of the institution or organization providing the teacher of record.

   10. The course titles assigned by the provider and the course titles and course codes from the National Center for Education Statistics school codes for the exchange of data. 

   11. Number of eligible nonresident students that will be accepted by the District in the online course. This may include limiting enrollment to students enrolled in the District.

   12. Results of the on-line course quality review using the guidelines and model review process published by the Michigan Virtual University. 

   13. Michigan Department of Education Guidance on Best Practices as Defined in M.C.L. 388.1621

Revised 7/21/14

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