High school summer classes offered online

By Rebecca Mcnulty (Last updated: 08/28/09 6:06pm) High school students who need to make up classes in the summer or want to get ahead might soon find themselves taking classes behind a computer instead of in a classroom.

Michigan Virtual Summer School, a new program run by Michigan Virtual University, which previously offered online classes in the fall, will allow high school students to take summer classes online, either in their school or from home.

"It can help students graduate on time or pick up additional credits," said Jim Ballard, executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. "It opens up new doors of opportunities for students."

Michelle Lavra, communications coordinator for Michigan Virtual High School, said members of the association felt that there was a need for summer online courses.

She also said that the program is highly beneficial for smaller schools.

"Having students take online courses over the summer is a cost-effective way to offer a wide variety of courses with minimal facility costs involved," Lavra said.

In a statement earlier this month, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said that online courses shouldn't be limited just to the school year.

"Students across Michigan are hungry for the chance to advance their education in high-level math and science courses," she said.

Jeana Allen, a counselor at East Lansing High School, where online classes are offered, said the online summer courses haven't drawn many students from the school.

"We only had one student sign up last summer and he ended up dropping it before the class even began," Allen said.

Allen also said that the high school only uses the program for students who want to take classes that aren't offered at the school, not for students who need to make up missed credit.

The high school coordinates whether students learn in school or at home, and courses are developed by different educators from all over the country.

Virtual High School also is available to students who are home-schooled.

About 80 courses are being offered, including required courses such as English and history, and specialized courses, such as the history of space exploration.

Costs of the courses vary, with most costing $275-440 per student, which the school districts pay.

For a class where only a few students are interested, the online classes are ideal, Ballard said, but the programs aren't going to be an option for every school.

"A larger high school that has lots of resources can offer a multitude of virtual classes, compared to schools who can't even hire teachers for regular summer school," he said. "They won't be able to afford online classes."

Having traditional summer school can be more expensive, Lavra said, because because it's often difficult to find teachers in the summer and having few students in a class can be expensive.

"I believe that having a teacher teach a student in a classroom is ideal," she said, "But when you're talking about a class with fewer than 10 students, online classes are more cost-efficient."

Originally Published: 04/16/04 12:00am