Michigan Compiled Laws § 388.1698 Michigan Virtual University; Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute; Michigan Virtual School; Online Course Offerings; Home-schooled Or Nonpublic School Student; Report; Advisory Group; Submission Of Budget; Definitions.

388.1698 Michigan Virtual University; Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute; Michigan Virtual School; online course offerings; home-schooled or nonpublic school student; report; advisory group; submission of budget; definitions.

Sec. 98.

(1) From the general fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $7,387,500.00 for 2015-2016 for the purposes described in this section.

(2) The Michigan Virtual University shall operate the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute. The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute shall do all of the following:

(a) Support and accelerate innovation in education through the following activities:

(i) Test, evaluate, and recommend as appropriate new technology-based instructional tools and resources.

(ii) Research, design, and recommend digital education delivery models for use by pupils and teachers that include age-appropriate multimedia instructional content.

(iii) Research, develop, and recommend annually to the department criteria by which cyber schools and online course providers should be monitored and evaluated to ensure a quality education for their pupils.

(iv) Based on pupil completion and performance data reported to the department or the center for educational performance and information from cyber schools and other online course providers operating in this state, analyze the effectiveness of online learning delivery models in preparing pupils to be college- and career-ready and publish a report that highlights enrollment totals, completion rates, and the overall impact on pupils. The report shall be submitted to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on state school aid, the state budget director, the house and senate fiscal agencies, and the department not later than March 31, 2016.

(v) Before August 31, 2016, provide an extensive professional development program to at least 500 educational personnel, including teachers, school administrators, and school board members, that focuses on the effective integration of digital learning into curricula and instruction. Not later than December 1, 2016, the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute shall submit a report to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on state school aid, the state budget director, the house and senate fiscal agencies, and the department on the number and percentage of teachers, school administrators, and school board members who have received professional development services from the Michigan Virtual University. The report shall also identify barriers and other opportunities to encourage the adoption of digital learning in the public education system.

(vi) Identify and share best practices for planning, implementing, and evaluating online and blended education delivery models with intermediate districts, districts, and public school academies to accelerate the adoption of innovative education delivery models statewide.

(b) Provide leadership for this state's system of digital learning education by doing the following activities:

(i) Develop and report policy recommendations to the governor and the legislature that accelerate the expansion of effective online learning in this state's schools.

(ii) Provide a clearinghouse for research reports, academic studies, evaluations, and other information related to online learning.

(iii) Promote and distribute the most current instructional design standards and guidelines for online teaching.

(iv) In collaboration with the department and interested colleges and universities in this state, support implementation and improvements related to effective digital learning instruction.

(v) Pursue public/private partnerships that include districts to study and implement competency-based technology-rich online learning models.

(vi) Create a statewide network of school-based mentors serving as liaisons between pupils, online instructors, parents, and school staff and provide mentors with research-based training and technical assistance designed to help more pupils be successful online learners.

(vii) Convene focus groups and conduct annual surveys of teachers, administrators, pupils, parents, and others to identify barriers and opportunities related to online learning.

(viii) Produce an annual consumer awareness report for schools and parents about effective online education providers and education delivery models, performance data, cost structures, and research trends.

(ix) Research and establish an Internet-based platform that educators can use to create student-centric learning tools and resources and facilitate a user network that assists educators in using the platform. As part of this initiative, the Michigan Virtual University shall work collaboratively with districts and intermediate districts to establish a plan to make available online resources that align to Michigan's K-12 curriculum standards for use by students, educators, and parents.

(x) Create and maintain a public statewide catalog of online learning courses being offered by all public schools and community colleges in this state. The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute shall identify and develop a list of nationally recognized best practices for online learning and use this list to support reviews of online course vendors, courses, and instructional practices. The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute shall also provide a mechanism for intermediate districts to use the identified best practices to review content offered by constituent districts. The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute shall review the online course offerings of the Michigan Virtual University, and make the results from these reviews available to the public as part of the statewide catalog. The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute shall ensure that the statewide catalog is made available to the public on the Michigan Virtual University website and shall allow the ability to link it to each district's website as provided for in section 21f. The statewide catalog shall also contain all of the following:

(A) The number of enrollments in each online course in the immediately preceding school year.

(B) The number of enrollments that earned 60% or more of the total course points for each online course in the immediately preceding school year.

(xi) Develop prototype and pilot registration, payment services, and transcript functionality to the statewide catalog and train key stakeholders on how to use new features.

(xii) Collaborate with key stakeholders to examine district level accountability and teacher effectiveness issues related to online learning under section 21f and make findings and recommendations publicly available.

(3) To further enhance its expertise and leadership in digital learning, the Michigan Virtual University shall continue to operate the Michigan Virtual School as a statewide laboratory and quality model of instruction by implementing online and blended learning solutions for Michigan schools in accordance with the following parameters:

(a) The Michigan Virtual School must maintain its accreditation status from recognized national and international accrediting entities.

(b) The Michigan Virtual University shall use no more than $1,000,000.00 of the amount allocated under this section to subsidize the cost paid by districts for online courses.

(c) In providing educators responsible for the teaching of online courses as provided for in this section, the Michigan Virtual School shall follow the requirements to request and assess, and the department of state police shall provide, a criminal history check and criminal records check under sections 1230 and 1230a of the revised school code, MCL 380.1230 and 380.1230a, in the same manner as if the Michigan Virtual School were a school district under those sections.

(4) If the course offerings are included in the statewide catalog of online courses under subsection (2)(b)(ix), the Michigan Virtual School operated by the Michigan Virtual University may offer online course offerings, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(a) Information technology courses.

(b) College level equivalent courses, as defined in section 1471 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1471.

(d) Programs and services for at-risk pupils.

(e) General education development test preparation courses for adjudicated youth.

(f) Special interest courses.

(g) Professional development programs for teachers, school administrators, other school employees, and school board members.

(5) If a home-schooled or nonpublic school student is a resident of a district that subscribes to services provided by the Michigan Virtual School, the student may use the services provided by the Michigan Virtual School to the district without charge to the student beyond what is charged to a district pupil using the same services.

(6) Not later than December 1 of each fiscal year, the Michigan Virtual University shall provide a report to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on state school aid, the state budget director, the house and senate fiscal agencies, and the department that includes at least all of the following information related to the Michigan Virtual School for the preceding state fiscal year:

(a) A list of the districts served by the Michigan Virtual School.

(b) A list of online course titles available to districts.

(d) The overall course completion rate percentage.

(7) The governor may appoint an advisory group for the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute established under subsection (2). The members of the advisory group shall serve at the pleasure of the governor and shall serve without compensation. The purpose of the advisory group is to make recommendations to the governor, the legislature, and the president and board of the Michigan Virtual University that will accelerate innovation in this state's education system in a manner that will prepare elementary and secondary students to be career and college ready and that will promote the goal of increasing the percentage of citizens of this state with high-quality degrees and credentials to at least 60% by 2025.

(8) Not later than November 1, 2015, the Michigan Virtual University shall submit to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on state school aid, the state budget director, and the house and senate fiscal agencies a detailed budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year that includes a breakdown on its projected costs to deliver online educational services to districts and a summary of the anticipated fees to be paid by districts for those services. Not later than March 1 each year, the Michigan Virtual University shall submit to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on state school aid, the state budget director, and the house and senate fiscal agencies a breakdown on its actual costs to deliver online educational services to districts and a summary of the actual fees paid by districts for those services based on audited financial statements for the immediately preceding fiscal year.

(9) As used in this section:

(a) "Blended learning" means a hybrid instructional delivery model where pupils are provided content, instruction, and assessment, in part at a supervised educational facility away from home where the pupil and a teacher with a valid Michigan teaching certificate are in the same physical location and in part through Internet-connected learning environments with some degree of pupil control over time, location, and pace of instruction.

(b) "Cyber school" means a full-time instructional program of online courses for pupils that may or may not require attendance at a physical school location.

(c) "Digital learning" means instruction delivered via a web-based educational delivery system that uses various information technologies to provide a structured learning environment, including online and blended learning instructional methods.

(d) "Online course" 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 pupils are separated from their teachers by time or location, or both, and in which a teacher who holds a valid Michigan teaching certificate is responsible for providing instruction, determining appropriate instructional methods for each pupil, diagnosing learning needs, assessing pupil learning, prescribing intervention strategies, reporting outcomes, and evaluating the effects of instruction and support strategies.

History: Add. 2000, Act 297, Imd. Eff. July 26, 2000 ;-- Am. 2001, Act 121, Imd. Eff. Sept. 28, 2001 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 191, Imd. Eff. Apr. 26, 2002 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 521, Imd. Eff. July 25, 2002 ;-- Am. 2003, Act 158, Eff. Oct. 1, 2003 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 351, Eff. Oct. 1, 2004 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 155, Eff. Oct. 1, 2005 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 342, Eff. Oct. 1, 2006 ;-- Am. 2007, Act 137, Imd. Eff. Nov. 8, 2007 ;-- Am. 2008, Act 268, Eff. Oct. 1, 2008 ;-- Am. 2011, Act 62, Eff. Oct. 1, 2011 ;-- Am. 2009, Act 121, Imd. Eff. Oct. 19, 2009 ;-- Am. 2010, Act 110, Eff. Oct. 1, 2010 ;-- Am. 2011, Act 62, Eff. Oct. 1, 2011 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 201, Eff. Oct. 1, 2012 ;-- Am. 2013, Act 60, Eff. Oct. 1, 2013 ;-- Am. 2014, Act 196, Eff. Oct. 1, 2014 ;-- Am. 2015, Act 85, Eff. Oct. 1, 2015

Compiler's Notes: Former MCL 388.1698, which pertained to professional development programs, was repealed by Act 336 of 1993, Eff. Oct. 1, 1994.In subsection (1), as amended by Act 121 of 2001, the phrase “and for 2002-2003” was vetoed by the governor September 28, 2001.Enacting section 3 of Act 521 of 2002 provides:“Enacting section 3. This amendatory act does not take effect unless the tax on cigarettes under the tobacco products tax act, 1993 PA 327, MCL 205.421 to 205.436, is increased by 50 cents or more per pack of cigarettes (25 mills per cigarette) effective on or before September 30, 2002 and the revenue from not less than 20 cents per pack of cigarettes (10 mills per cigarette) of that increase is dedicated by law for deposit into the state school aid fund established by section 11 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963.”For legislation increasing tax on cigarettes and dedicating a portion of increased revenue to state school aid fund, see 2002 PA 503, Imd. Eff. July 18, 2002.Enacting section 1 of Act 351 of 2004 provides:“Enacting section 1. In accordance with section 30 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending in this amendatory act from state sources for fiscal year 2004-2005 is estimated at $11,173,900,000.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2004-2005 are estimated at $11,113,650,400.00.”Enacting section 1 of 2005 PA 155 provides:"Enacting section 1. In accordance with section 30 of article I of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending in this amendatory act and in House Bill No. 4831 of the 93rd Legislature from state sources for fiscal year 2005-2006 is estimated at $11,364,814,000.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2005-2006 are estimated at $11,341,913,100.00."Enacting section 1 of Act 342 of 2006 provides:"Enacting section 1. (1) In accordance with section 30 of article I of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending in this amendatory act from state sources for fiscal year 2006-2007 is estimated at $11,682,508,200.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2006-2007 are estimated at $11,536,597,200.00.(2) In accordance with section 30 of article I of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending from state sources for fiscal year 2005-2006 in this amendatory act and 2005 PA 155 is estimated at $11,308,027,200.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2004-2005 are estimated at $11,285,376,300.00."Enacting section 1 of Act 137 of 2007 provides:"Enacting section 1. In accordance with section 30 of article I of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending in this amendatory act from state sources for fiscal year 2007-2008 is estimated at $11,527,973,800.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2007-2008 are estimated at $11,458,493,300.00."Enacting section 1 of Act 268 of 2008 provides:"Enacting section 1. In accordance with section 30 of article I of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending in this amendatory act from state sources for fiscal year 2008-2009 is estimated at $11,816,898,200.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2008-2009 are estimated at $11,602,465,900.00."Enacting section 1 of Act 121 of 2009 provides:"Enacting section 1. In accordance with section 30 of article I of the state constitution of 1963, total state spending in this amendatory act from state sources for fiscal year 2009-2010 is estimated at $10,825,754,100.00 and state appropriations to be paid to local units of government for fiscal year 2009-2010 are estimated at $10,718,801,700.00."

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Last modified: October 10, 2016