by Michael Van Beek - Michigan Virtual University

Virtual Learning in Michigan’s Schools 15Funding for GenNET’s services comes primarily from the districts whosestudents enroll in the courses. These districts pay the course fees out of theirper-pupil foundation allowances. GenNET also receives funds from the GeneseeIntermediate School District and has received a $165,000 grant from the MichiganAssociation of Intermediate School Administrators. 66GenNET CostsLike some of the single-district online programs, GenNET probably benefitsfrom overhead expenditures made by the Genesee Intermediate School Districtfor its traditional programs. Thus, the total cost of the GenNET program canonly be estimated.The GenNET courses cost students less on average than those provided by MVS,even though GenNET does not receive an annual state appropriation. Based onGenNET’s 2010 catalog, the average cost for a semester- or trimester-long coursewas $264.34.* This would make the average full-time cost of taking six courses persemester through GenNET only $3,172 per year, or less than half of the 2008-2009 statewide average of $6,571 per-pupil instructional costs. 67One reason GenNET may be able to offer less expensive courses than MVS is thatGenNET purchases its courses from large-scale providers who must competewith programs around the country to sell their services to schools. Since MVSdesigns and builds some of its own courses, it may need to charge more percourse to cover its expenses. The GenNET approach — facilitating access andensuring quality of courses provided by third parties — may promise the greatestcost-savings potential for districts and taxpayers.Virtual Charter SchoolsThe state’s two virtual charter schools † are the most recent type of virtual learningin Michigan. They opened for the first time in the 2010-2011 school year.Michigan Connections Academy is authorized under a charter with Ferris StateUniversity and run by Baltimore-based Connections Academy, a for-profit virtualcharter school management company. 68 Michigan Virtual Charter Academy ischartered by Grand Valley State University and managed by K12 Inc., a companysimilar to Connections Academy. 69The schools have central buildings in Okemos and Grand Rapids, respectively.Students may attend special events there or use the equipment to access theircoursework, but their regular attendance is not required. The two schools usea mixture of computer-based, Internet-based, remote teacher online, blendedlearning and facilitated virtual learning, and they generate the majority of their* Author’s calculations basedon: “Online Courses Catalog”(Genesee Intermediate SchoolDistrict, 2010), goo.gl/pwsFJ(accessed Jan. 14, 2011). The differencebetween the semester andtrimester courses offered throughGenNET lies in how long the studentchooses to take in completingthe course; the number of coursecredits is the same for both.† Charter schools are publicschools that have their ownboard of directors and are authorizedto receive state money bypublic universities, intermediateschool districts, local schooldistricts or community colleges.These “authorizers” hold thecharter schools accountablethrough performance-based contracts.Charter schools must alsomeet state-defined criteria in orderto receive public funds. Theymay not charge tuition or denyany student admission if space isavailable. MCL § 380.501 et seq.66 Thomas Svitkovich andBeverly Knox-Pipes, “GeneseeIntermediate School DistrictThree-Year TechnologyPlan, July 2008 – June 2011”(Genesee Intermediate SchoolDistrict, 2008), goo.gl/Hcn1c(accessed Jan. 26, 2011);Thomas Svitkovich, telephonecorrespondence with MichaelVan Beek, Feb. 15, 2010.67 “Michigan School DistrictRevenue and ExpenditureReport: Statewide Total, 2008-2009” (Mackinac Center forPublic Policy), goo.gl/OlDJ9(accessed Jan. 5, 2011).68 “Connections AcademyPublic Cyber School Comes toMichigan — Approved to Openfor 2010-2011 School Year,”eSchool News, June 1, 2010,goo.gl/qwhVy (accessed June 1,2010).69 Dave Murray, “GVSUTrustees Approve MichiganVirtual Charter Academy,”Grand Rapids Press, April 30,2010, goo.gl/g9Y0S (accessedApril 30, 2010).Mackinac Center for Public Policy