DHVA: An Online High School

The Dearborn Heights Virtual Academy is a completely online high schools that opened in September 2010.

Traditionally students had to be physically present in school, but the Michigan Department of Education approved a “Seat-Time Waiver in 2009. This waiver gave districts the ability to allow students to take classes online without having to be present in a building.  Dearborn Heights School District #7 began the Virtual Academy to offer this online program to our students Click here to see a short video that shows you whatonlinecourses are like. 
NOTE: the video is from Lincoln Interactive. Lincoln Interaction is one of SEVERAL course providers we use at DHVA.

This program is designed for students who struggle with traditional education settings because of attendance problems, chronic illness, bullying, certain discipline issues, etc. These students often find success in our program.Online learning is difficult and students must be self-directed and motivated to complete courses. Students who struggle because of motivation, learning difficulties, etc. will likely struggle in online learning programs as well.DHVA has limited enrollment, and students must apply for admission. We screen students to ensure that they are good candidates for online learning.

Courses are 100% online. Each course has a certified,highly qualified teacher working online with students. This teacher grades work, answers questions and assists students as they move through courses. In addition to an online teacher, each student has a mentor, or coach, who monitors their progress and communicates with them weekly. We often refer to these mentors as "online nags" because it is their job to"nag" students about staying current with their work! 

Students who met the graduation requirements of the program are granted a high school diploma and may participate in the District's commencement ceremony in June. Courses are documented on an official transcript and transcripts can be sent to colleges and universities.