In Michigan, educators have partnered with colleagues in China to offer virtual education exchange opportunities that allow students to communicate with each other, often through videos, online. During the next school year, students will have the chance to attend a real Chinese school, taking virtual classes according China’s time zone, at their own schools during the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual Education Offers Global Opportunities for Students and Teachers

His committee wrapped up testimony on a school choice package that includes lifting a cap on the number of “cyber” charters and expanding high school and college dual enrollment. McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, said the committee will likely vote next week to send it to the full House.

Testimony about cyber schools closed after discussing questions about the quality of instruction at two existing schools.

But leaders from several traditional districts also said they have – or want to offer – similar virtual schools, some even using the provider criticized for making large profits on the schools.

For the rest of the article, go to Rep. McMillin: Districts don’t oppose virtual learning, they just don’t want charter schools offering parents choices

“They make videos, send them over, pose questions, and talk about different things they like in America,” Mr. Skilling said, referring to the Oxford students.

For the 2012-13 school year, the district will launch a foreign-exchange program in which high school students in Michigan will attend the district’s international school in China full time, at set classroom times, via the Internet. The students will take virtual classes, at the high school building, from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m.

“A lot of American students choose not to do exchange programs because they don’t want to leave their peer group,” Mr. Skilling said. This alternative will allow those students to have an international experience without leaving their families and friends.

For the rest of the article, go to U.S., Chinese Schools Build Virtual Ed. Partnerships

Superintendent Mike Murray says the district planned to get state funding for 760 students, but fell short by 114 students due to a charter school’s decision to drop out of Suttons Bay’s virtual school. The student funding has left a $400,000 hole in the schools budget.

The school district needs to come up with the money to balance its budget, or the state may step in by sending an emergency financial manager.

After a community meeting about the issue last week, pledges began pouring in to the school. As of Thursday, $91,000 was raised. The teachers of Suttons Bay pledged $55,000 in support, with the rest of the donations coming in through various community organizations and residents.

For the rest of the article, go to Community stepping up to help Suttons Bay Schools

“Parents demand choices. They’re looking for choices. They’re certainly looking for virtual choices,” said Dan Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, a state charter advocacy group.

Quisenberry spoke this morning before the House Education Committee, which is considering a Senate bill that would lift the cap on the number of online charter schools that can open in Michigan and the number of students who can enroll. The Senate bill is part of a broad package of bills designed to give parents more choices for their children’s education.

For the rest of the article, go to Advocates for online charter schools bill testify that legislation would provide more education choices

The so-called “cyber school” bill was part of a school choice package before the committee, following last month’s vote to gradually eliminate the cap on charter schools authorized by state universities.

Education Committee Chairman Thomas McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, said he’s not ready to call for a vote on the package of six bills aimed at offering parents and students more educational choices.

For the rest of the article, go to Michigan Education Association leaders say virtual charter schools are designed for profits, not students

As with all innovations, though, there is always a question of cost for providing such new technologies, especially when states are providing less per-pupil funding.

A study released last week by the Education Center of Excellence at the Parthenon Group (commissioned by the conservative education think tank, the Fordham Institute) suggested that the costs of digital learning could be significantly less than more traditional modes. The authors cautioned that its findings must be interpreted with some caveats: costs vary across digital education platforms and different entities pursue online learning for different reasons (cost-savings versus enhanced offerings, for example).

For the rest of the article, go to Can States and School Districts Cut Costs Through Digital Learning?

• We have the MSU Dischords coming to Eaton Rapids on March 24.

• We are kicking off our Operation Backpack for weekend food for deserving students.

• Our local neighbor from Le Chat Gourmet, Denene Vincent and Becky Henne from MSU Extension Services, will be offering a Cooking Matters class at Greyhound Central High School.

For the rest of the article, go to Accomplishments and goals noted at Eaton Rapids schools

Suttons Bay’s plight resembles someone trying to sell a home in the spiraling housing market. About the time the homeowner adjusts the price, the market falls. By the time the homeowner adjusts expectations and lowers the price again, the market has slipped that much more.

Except enrollment at Suttons Bay has been falling much quicker and longer than the price of homes. Student numbers at Suttons Bay, which was formerly the county’s biggest school district, peaked at over 1,100 a dozen years ago. Coincidently, it was in the year 2000 that District voters approved three bonds totaling nearly $7 million that, among other improvements, added 19 new classrooms.
Times were booming.

But the latest count showed 643 students, and the trend is continuing lower.

Why the big fall?

Jobs, mostly, or a lack thereof. Families have a difficult time sustaining themselves in the 65 square-mile Suttons Bay district. Consequently, there are fewer student-aged children living there, and little incentive to move in.

The situation is dire, as the district through Superintendent Mike Murray based its budget on an increase in enrollment from 702 students to 760 students. Much of the increase was pegged to success of the district’s innovate “virtual” classroom that allows students from across the state to take classes at Suttons Bay.

The budget turned out to be a big, bold gamble that failed when the virtual students never materialized. Consequently, the second easy complaint would be to blame Murray and the Suttons Bay Board of Education for being so far off.

For the rest of the article, go to Suttons Bay schools need help to survive

The report by the National Education Policy Center said 27 percent of for-profit companies operating virtual schools met the adequate yearly progress standards of the federal No Child Left Behind law. That compares with 48 percent of the traditional brick-and-mortar charter schools and about half of all public schools nationwide. Charter schools are considered public schools.

For the rest of the article, go to Report: Virtual charters lag