Opinion | Failing grade: Michigan lawmakers are shortchanging online students

No one ever likes receiving a bad report card — especially right before a vacation — but that’s exactly what Michigan lawmakers just earned. As they prepared to recess for spring break, a new report from Parents for School Options (PSO) gave Michigan a D for how it funds full-time online public school students. This failing grade isn’t just a mark on a piece of paper — it’s a glaring signal that Michigan is failing thousands of students who rely on virtual education.

For anyone who’s been paying attention, it’s a grade that feels right on the mark. In what’s become a February tradition rivaled only by Punxsutawney Phil, Michigan governors — year after year, regardless of party — have placed online school students on the chopping block, proposing massive funding cuts in nearly every budget. And while we’ve had success in evading these giant swings of the axe, the many paper cuts we’ve absorbed are clearly taking a toll. 

To their credit, our lawmakers have consistently rejected these massive cuts. However, in recent years, the compromise has been to exclude online students from the annual per-pupil funding increase that’s been afforded to every other public school student. And since those increases are typically percentage-based, that means the gap between online students and their peers is growing wider every year. 

In short: Michigan’s ‘D’ is well-deserved. 

On its face, it’s an embarrassing grade. But what makes it truly upsetting is understanding who is being impacted: more and more students, for one.

In a state where total enrollment has long been trending downward — or at best, remaining stagnant — Michigan’s online schools stand out as the one area experiencing consistent enrollment gains. According to data reported to the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information, online school enrollment increased by 2.7 percent from the 2022-23 to 2023-24 school year, now serving nearly 22,000 students from nearly every corner of the state. 

And it shouldn’t be surprising that online schools continue to grow in popularity. Not all children learn the same way, and the setting that works best for one child may not be the best option for another. Every parent who’s enrolled their child in a virtual school has their own reasons for making that choice. Some may need added flexibility online school provides. Others may seek a safer learning environment, free from bullying or other distractions that made traditional schools a poor fit. For many families, virtual learning provides a tailored educational experience that helps their child thrive in ways a one-size-fits-all approach never could. 

Yet despite these schools being fully public and held to the same academic standards, they are being systematically underfunded by the state. That means fewer resources, fewer opportunities and fewer supports for the students who rely on them. 

And who are these nearly 22,000 students? A disproportionate number are among Michigan’s most vulnerable: students who have struggled in traditional settings due to bullying, health challenges or learning differences, with 3 out of every 4 of them considered to be economically disadvantaged, significantly higher than the 54% statewide average in 2023-24.

We should be doing everything we can to see that this group of students have the support and resources they need to succeed. Instead, the state is making it harder for them to access a learning environment that works.

This isn’t just a funding issue; it’s a fairness issue. Online students are public school students. They should not be treated as second-class simply because their classroom looks different.

So, what needs to happen? It starts with a commitment to fairness and equity in education funding. Michigan lawmakers must recognize that all public school students deserve the resources they need to succeed—no matter how they learn. That means addressing the funding gap between online and traditional schools and ensuring virtual students are not penalized for choosing an option that works best for them.

We’re at a critical juncture. The state budget process is underway, and lawmakers have the opportunity to fix this imbalance. They should use this report card as a wake-up call — not an excuse to look the other way.

Different but equal — once again, that has to be the message, and that’s what we expect from our lawmakers. Michigan families are watching, and we won’t accept anything less.