I am an Online Public School Student

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2 Aspen M. Introduction Michigan children should not be held hostage by restricting the quality of their education based on geographic boundaries, enrollment caps or waiting lists. The debate continues to rage as to why brick-and-mortar public schools are failing in the Great Lakes State, but each day the argument rages another child gets left behind. At the beginning of 2012, Michigan had two online public charter schools and thousands of families waiting to enroll. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 2 Special Needs & Health Issues 4 Bullying 6 Advanced Learners 7 Falling Behind 8 Beyond the Classroom Mallory, Ada, MI Online public education is growing rapidly in the United States and in all of our neighboring states. Online public schools provide personalized learning for every child meeting each student s individual needs. And they are held to stricter performance standards than traditional public schools. Over 10,000 Michigan parents have applied to Michigan s current online charter schools on behalf of their children, but because of restrictive caps, most are now on the waiting list to enroll. Parents are demanding these choices across Michigan. 109 of 110 State House districts have families on the active wait list waiting to enroll in just one of the two cyber charter schools in the state. In light of this, the Michigan Chapter of NCPSO collected these stories to give you a quick look inside the lives of students enrolled in online public school programs across our great state. We want everyone to know why our state-approved online public school programs are the right fit for our children. You can learn more about our non-profit organization by visiting our website at Thank you for your interest in understanding the importance of our online public school programs. Sincerely, Brian Kevelin Board Member Michigan Chapter NCPSO Heidi Kevelin Board Member Michigan Chapter NCPSO

3 Special Needs & Health Issues Our son is very bright but easily bored, because he suffers from ADHD, anxiety, ODD and OCD. Behavior and mental health issues are very poorly managed in schools, especially those like our rigid local public school which requires a great degree of compliance. In the online school, James learns his own way. He can further explore what interests him and is free from bullying and inappropriate peer interaction. -Kathy H. James Beverly Hills, MI Our entire family appreciates the fact that we can schedule schooling around Vincent s special needs brother. After years of guilt about the hours we have to dedicate to his brother I can finally give Vincent the one-on-one time he deserves. He is able to really focus and learn and learning is more enjoyable for him now because we have the time to discuss the subjects that fascinate him. -Tonia H. Vincent, Chesterfield, MI We adopted our daughter from the foster care system and she had a very traumatic past. This trauma resulted in major developmental, behavioral, physical, emotional and educational delays. No traditional school seemed to meet her needs. We are so grateful to have the opportunity for her to attend an online school and consider ourselves blessed to have the option. -Elissa S. Elizabelle, Westland, MI With the Michigan Virtual Charter Academy our son gets the help he needs and has access to may special education teachers. He is making improvements in his reading now, but at his former school the whole class would simply leave him behind. -Mary V. John, Gaylord, MI My daughter has breathing problems that get worse during the winter, causing her to miss a lot of school. The Michigan Virtual Charter Academy has been a blessing to us. She is doing great in all her subjects. We love the program and are glad she was accepted at the school. -Yvette M. Lon Neisha, Benton Harbor, MI For the past couple of years in traditional public school my son was bullied. The stress of him being back in public school this year caused him to get an ulcer. I am very excited to have him start this new online program and have the possibilities for him to excel in his academics and meet new friends. When I first told him that there was an opening in K12 and he was finally accepted, I could see the relief in his face, emotions, and personality. The stress he was carrying seemed to go away immediately. Thank you and we look forward to a and very successful school year. -Trisha T. Brendan, Shelby Township, MI My son has cerebral palsy and the regular public school was very stressful on him. It took so much energy just getting on and off the bus and into the school that he was already tired at the start of the day. Then he had to be taken out of class during the day for physical, occupational and speech therapy. With the online school he still gets his therapy but we are able to schedule our day around it so he does not miss important subject matter. The therapists he has through the online school are absolutely awesome. He has made so much more progress and they make it fun for him. He feels so proud. -Sandra O. Wynn, Mesick, MI Because of severe food allergies, my youngest child cannot attend regular public school but we have found that the K12 program meets all of her needs. We have felt very good about the schooling she is receiving and she is able to receive extra help when needed. -Christie F. Loren, Holt, MI Alex is learning disabled, speech delayed, and in the Autistic spectrum. In traditional public schools he was picked on, bullied, and didn t feel safe. Now at his online public school, Alex will respond to questions and is very interested in learning. In the online school atmosphere Alex is more active. His love of learning is back and he looks forward to his classes. I wish we had found this opportunity long before we did. -Penny I. Alex, Lansing, MI 2 3

4 Bullying -Julia Z. Cassandra, Kalamazoo, MI My daughter can focus on her studies and feels safe in the home environment. Her studies have helped her to work toward her diploma so she can go to college next year. Sarah was being bullied at her traditional school. Her girlfriends didn t like each other and were constantly pulling her back and forth, saying mean things about each other to her, forcing her to be in the middle. By being at online school we are able to control the exposure to bullying and help her manage social problems. She interacts with the groups of her choice, making her less stressed and happier. -Deborah C. Sarah, Whitehall, MI The quality of the program brought us to MVCA, and the advantages of no bullies way outweighs the traditional public school options in our area. Lori J. Gregory, Bruce Crossing, MI In my son s former school he was farther ahead in computer technology than the others and was harassed by the other students. His retiring teacher suggested the Michigan Virtual Charter Academy for him and it was a great move! -Lynda A. Jonathan, Grand Rapid, MI My daughters have had problems with bullies since they started public school and the principal and teachers don t do anything about it. All three of my children are learning more in online school than ever in their public schools and we also have more quality time with each other. -Tammy L. Michael, Ashley and Brittney, Lansing, MI My daughter has suffered from an ulcer for years and was bullied about it constantly. She would wake up in the morning crying, cry on the way to bed and cry in her sleep. She had no friends. It broke my heart every day. My daughter s attitude changed simply knowing she will be out of traditional school. -Kim C. Sydney, Sterling Heights, MI My children spend one day a week at a co-op where they can socialize much easier than they ever did in their old brick-and-mortar school. Now, my kids are able to interact with no bullying at all. They are able to participate in more afterschool activities without the stress of being overwhelmed. At their old traditional school they were assigned so much homework they did not have any time left to relax with friends. At their online school now, they can concentrate much better on their school work, so it takes less time to finish, leaving them with time for extra-curricular activities. We personally we love it! -L DeAnn G. Journey and Jaden, Saginaw, MI From kindergarten through 5th grade Lukas was in a traditional brick-and-mortar school but we noticed negative peer pressure with each passing year. After 5th grade he pleaded to be schooled at home. The online school has been a huge blessing for our family. We absolutely love online school- it was the right choice for our family; and it is a choice that should be left up to parents, not bureaucrats. -Joanne H. Lukas, Edwardsburg, MI 4 5

5 Advanced Learners Falling Behind Virtual school provides an opportunity to excel. It is an excellent avenue to meet graduation requirements for highly motivated, self-starter; furthering the awareness of life beyond high school -Renee S. Lauren and Taylor, Lansing, MI My daughter happens to be ahead of grade level on most subjects and now loves to learn. I love that she is not waiting for twenty other students to catch up to where she wants to be. She seems to be getting a better, more diverse education than her friends in the local public school. -Kathryn W. Viviana, Brighton, MI Our daughter s online school is more challenging than traditional schools and is great for development of leadership and independence. We know college students that are utilizing many of the same features of online learning that her school uses. It is great to know this is preparing her for college. -Marcy S. Shaleigh, Greenville, MI This curriculum is better for my children. Some of the subjects are much more rigorous than in traditional schools. When they master a concept they are able to move on instead of doing unnecessary work. And if they do not get a concept there is help available. -Laurie G. Patricia and G. Francis, Franklin, MI My daughter has excelled since she has been attending an online school. She has worked ahead in her studies through the school s Advanced Learning Program and has had more direct interaction with teachers than she ever received in the brickand-mortar environment. Her goal has always been to finish school quickly so that she can continue on to college, which she is. -Karen D. Stephanie, China, MI Before we enrolled Chad in the Michigan Virtual Charter Academy he was failing school. Now he is doing great in all of his classes, is doing all of his work and he loves it. He recently expressed that he is actually learning and comprehending what he is taught online and here at home. This is a great step forward. He is passing every course and we are very pleased with his progress. -Mark S. Chad, Holt, MI My daughters are thriving in online public school. They now exude self-confidence and are meeting and at times exceeding state standards. In their old school their spirits were dampened. My shy violets are now blooming sunflowers welcoming and exploring the world around them with ease. -Stefanie S. Dana and Reese, Midland, MI Before the switch, my daughter s grades were slipping. My children have thrived academically since being enrolled in online school. They need the one-on-one attention that the brick-and-mortar school cannot possibly give them. -Rebecca M. Marrisa, Ericah and Brenna, Jackson, MI My 7th grader was left behind academically at her previous brick-and-mortar school. She tested at a 2nd grade level when she entered her online school last year. With a structured individual plan and assistance from teachers and special education instruction she has jumped to 5th grade work in the first year. Her plan will have her working at grade level by high school. I was told at her brick-andmortar school that she was making adequate progress. Now she is making real progress and will be afforded a bright future, which includes going to college someday. -Jennifer S. Taylor, Roseville, MI 6 7

6 Beyond the Classroom Our major concern when moving Ethan to an online school was his loss of social interaction throughout the day but we have found that because he doesn t have homework in the evenings, he is able to enjoy great social interaction while doing the things he likes to do. We also look forward to attending field-trips with the online school as well. -Megan H. Ethan, Ann Arbor, MI At brick-and-mortar schools, students are limited to the same children and teachers they see every day. However attending an online school affords my children the freedom to participate in many different peer socialization activities such as community service organizations like the Lighthouse Mission, recycling initiatives like Arts and Scraps, visiting museums and libraries, attending plays and sporting events, and touring the State Capital, And of course, just like their brick-andmortar counterparts, they maintain close relationships with neighborhood friends and close family friends. -Jennifer S. Taylor, Sarah and Jason, Roseville, MI The K12 program provides an excellence environment for my kids to meet other families with children their age. We live in a rural area, with not too many kids in our neighborhood, so our daughter loves to be able to communicate with her friends in the online classes as if she were there in person! We are also able to connect with these kids in play dates and school-organized social events. -Heather J. Brenden and Courtney, Sand Lake, MI Our family has attended many field trips with MVCA. Our daughter has had the opportunity to form relationships with many of her classmates, and we have been able to meet many wonderful families. Attending an online school has also given her the opportunity to be active in her love of horses. Besides for riding, she is involved with many equestrian events with children of all ages. Unlike traditional school, she has not been forced to sit in a classroom with kids that she may not have chosen, if given a choice, to surround herself with. -Karen D. Stephanie, China, MI My son Alex and I attended a skating party in December thrown by our online school. The kids skated, had hot chocolate and popcorn, and voted on home-made gingerbread creations. At his previous traditional school, Alex didn t usually want to go to any school events but found that at this one, all the kids were friendly and welcoming to new students. It was a great day for him, and was a confidence-builder. We look forward to participating in other school outings. -Penny I. Alexander, Lansing, MI My daughter Isabel works well independently, allowing her to move at her own pace and advance through lessons quickly. This also means that we have time for extracurricular activities. We are involved in an online learning co-op that offers fun group activities every week. Isabel takes piano and swimming lessons and will be joining our community youth orchestra in the fall. -Elizabeth T. Isabel, Farmington Hills, MI 8 9

7 For additional information please contact the following Michigan Chapter National Coalition for Public School Options (866)