Michigan audit calls for improved tracking of virtual learning

Lansing — A new audit questions the Michigan Department of Education's past monitoring of virtual learning as the state prepares for expanded online classwork because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

School districts sampled for the audit, which examined Oct. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2016, "could not provide documentation of two-way communication" for 35% of students enrolled in one program, according to the report. And about 25% of the two-way communications that school districts documented "were not directly related to virtual learners' coursework or progress."

"For example, we noted instances of communications that focused only on the need for a documented two-way communication for count day purposes," the audit said, referring to the day when schools' students are tallied.

The report released Thursday by the Michigan Auditor General's Office examined processes used by the department to track virtual learning programs offered by traditional public schools. Its scope focused on a period before Michael Rice became the state's superintendent in 2019. 

But it comes as many school districts across Michigan prepare to offer only online programs to begin the 2020-2021 school year this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some large districts, such as Lansing, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor public schools, are planning to go 100% virtual when classes start.

State lawmakers are also debating whether to require districts to at least offer in-person learning for young students and how to track students' learning — and the funding tied to the students — when they're not in school buildings.

The Michigan Senate plans to meet Saturday to consider bills on the topic.

"MDE needs to develop a strategy to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of virtual learning provided by traditional public schools," the report added.

The Michigan Department of Education disagreed with some of the audit's findings and said changes had already been made to resolve other problems cited in the report.

On the recommendation that it develop a strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual learning, the Michigan Department of Education said it "currently suggests user-friendly, effective evaluation tools to districts and leverages partnerships to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of virtual learning provided by traditional public schools."

"Currently, there is no legislation that establishes a virtual learning evaluation program within MDE, therefore MDE disagrees with the severity of the audit comment classification," the department added.

The audit found that the state Department of Education "did not always ensure that school districts demonstrated compliance with virtual learners' participation and attendance requirements."

Examined school districts could not provide documentation of two-way communications to support participation for 156 of 442 virtual learners who were enrolled in at least one fully online course, the audit said. Out of 26 districts sampled, 20 — or 77% —had five or more teachers who lacked the proper grade or subject endorsements for the virtual course they were teaching, the audit added.

In response, the department said it's continually working to improve processes for tracking learning across the state and clarify laws regarding virtual learning.

In May, a 15-year-old girl, who goes by the pseudonym Grace, was placed in an Oakland County facility for juvenile offenders after failing to complete class assignments from Groves High School in Beverly Hills after the school switched to remote learning during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Grace's adjustment to online classes during the pandemic was similar to other students and shouldn't constitute a probation violation, her attorneys argued. She was later released.

cmauger@detroitnews.com