Press release

First-Ever Early Middle College Program at Virtual School in Michigan Now Available

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Sponsored by Businesswire

Highpoint
Virtual Academy of Michigan
 (HVAM) has been chosen as the first-ever
virtual public school in Michigan to offer an Early
Middle College
(EMC) program.

EMC is a three-year program at HVAM designed to allow eligible students
to earn a high-school diploma while also earning an associate degree, a
Michigan Early Middle College Association (MEMCA) technical certificate,
an industry-recognized technical certificate, or 60 transferable
credits. HVAM is a tuition-free public charter school available to
students statewide.

As part of this EMC program, HVAM will partner with Baker
College
to offer students an associate degree in business
administration, and with Davenport
University
to offer an associate of applied science – computer
information systems degree. Students must begin either program in the 11th
grade. EMC credits may apply to additional degree programs at Baker and
Davenport universities.

All EMC classes are administered online, however HVAM students can opt
to take face-to-face classes at the Baker University campuses in Allen
Park, Auburn Hills, Cadillac, Clinton Township, Flint, Jackson,
Muskegon, or Owosso. Students can also take classes at Davenport
University campuses in Grand Rapids, Holland, Lansing, Midland, Warren,
Flint, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, or Detroit.

Outside of the EMC program, HVAM students can also participate in the
school’s dual enrollment program. Qualifying students can take college
credit-bearing classes while still in high school, which can be used to
fulfill both high school graduation requirements and count for college
credit. More information can be found at the Michigan
Department of Education
.

Students enrolled in both programs will receive college ID cards, making
them eligible for college-level tutoring, study sessions, and even
access to campus amenities like computer labs and the gym.

“This is an amazing opportunity for our online students and their
families in the state of Michigan,” said Mary Moorman, HVAM Head of
School. “The EMC and dual enrollment programs could greatly reduce
student and parent college cost and give Michigan students a significant
advantage towards pursing additional college credits and starting their
careers.”

Per the Detroit
News
, “Michigan has seen exponential growth in its early middle
college programs and schools in the last five years. From 2013 through
2017, the number of programs and schools has increased 69 percent,
reaching 135 programs and schools and nearly 11,208 students in the
2016-17 school year.”

EMC programs were established in Michigan brick-and-mortar schools as
far back as 1991, with significant funding to expand the programs added
to the state budget by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2006. This new
collaboration with HVAM was approved by the Michigan Department of
Education in February and will run as a pilot to determine the efficacy
of a virtual EMC, and how it could continue to help students and
families in Michigan.

HVAM is a full-time online Michigan public-school, authorized by Mesick
Consolidated Schools, and open tuition-free to all students who reside
in Michigan. Delivered entirely online, HVAM offers a personalized
approach to learning, with rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist
students who seek alternative pathways to education.

Virtual classes are taught by Michigan-licensed teachers who provide
instruction during live online class sessions, and are available to
students via phone, email, and one-to-one meetings.

Families are invited to apply now for the Fall 2019 semester program.

More information on HVAM, EMC,
dual enrollment, how to enroll, and a schedule of upcoming events can be
found at hvam.k12.com.
An online orientation – required for new HVAM families, will take place
September 25th.

About Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan

Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan (HVAM) is a tuition-free online
public charter school authorized by Mesick Consolidated Schools that
currently serves students in grades K through 12 throughout the state.
As part of the Michigan public school system, HVAM is tuition-free and
gives parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum
and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation’s leading
provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs.
For more information about HVAM, visit hvam.k12.com.