How It Works

Elementary School

Tuition-Free

Because MVCA is part of the public school system, it’s tuition-free. Enrolled families receive the K12 curriculum, and qualified students may receive a loaner computer and internet stipend. Families will be responsible for providing some consumable materials (such as printer ink and paper).

Who can attend?

The Michigan Virtual Charter Academy (MVCA) elementary program serves students in grades K–5 who reside in the state of Michigan.

What’s my role as a parent?

Parents serve as their child’s Learning Coach. As a Learning Coach, you will

  • Communicate progress with your child’s teacher
  • Monitor mastery of lessons and assessments
  • Review your child’s work
  • Record attendance
Average time commitment grades K-5

What will my child study?

Coursework is a mix of online and hands-on work, which caters to a wide variety of learning styles. Unit and course assessments are built in to each subject, and easy-to-use online planning and progress tools keep you and your student on track.

K–5th graders take courses in the core subjects listed below. Beginning in grade 3, they also take a self-guided elective course in music or a world language.

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ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

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MATH

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SCIENCE

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HISTORY

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ART

Mastering Lessons

In the elementary grades, students are required to show mastery of each lesson by achieving 80 percent or better on all lesson assessments. If your child is having difficulty mastering a lesson, let their homeroom teacher know as soon as possible. Teachers offer many support sessions to help students gain mastery.

Working with Your Teacher

Students work with their teachers and other classmates during “Class Connect” sessions. In “Class Connect” sessions, students

  • Receive live instruction from teachers
  • Interact with classmates
  • Ask questions and receive real-time support

Students can interact with their teachers and classmates by

  • Typing in the chat
  • Speaking over their microphone
  • Typing and drawing with online whiteboard features
  • Joining small group breakouts to work on projects or receive targeted instruction
Boy attending a virtual class

Time Commitment

K–5 students are required to spend at least 6.5 hours on schoolwork per school day, including both online and offline work.

Grades TK–2

  • 4–5 hours daily
  • 30-40% online

Grades 3–5

  • 5–7 hours daily
  • 50-60% online

State Testing

MVCA students must comply with all Michigan-mandated testing requirements.

A Day in the Life of Online Students

Want to learn more about the daily life of an online elementary student? Meet Micah and Sarai!

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