The Michigan Department of Education defines alternative education as “a separate, non-traditional program within a K–12 public school district or a public school academy established to provide personalized educational services for students who are at risk of not graduating with their class; and/or have individual needs not being met in a traditional setting.” Additionally, “Alternative Education programs seek to provide added flexibility and alternative instructional models. These often include expanded services from the traditional setting such as online learning, institutional programs, counseling, childcare, and transportation; in an effort to help students overcome barriers and meet the goals of the Michigan Merit Curriculum.”

• Formats: schools in districts, virtual schools 
• Operators: school districts 
• State governance: Alternatives in Michigan are operated by the Michigan Department of Education 

Approximately 200 to 275 programs in 2023–24.†

Approximately 50,000 students in 2023–24.†

Alternative programs serve students in high school up to age 22.

Eligibility varies by district/school, but alternative high schools typically serve students who have specific needs not being met in a traditional setting or are at risk of not graduating with their class.

Michigan’s alternative schools are funded through the same foundation allowance as traditional schools. This per-pupil allocation was set at $9,608 per student during the 2024 fiscal year. This funding is based on blended count days: a 90 percent fall count in October and a 10 percent spring count in February.

Alternative schools serving students who face unique challenges can supplement this funding with specific categorical funding programs: 

• Section 31a At-Risk Funding: Provides additional resources to schools for students identified as at risk. It aims to improve attendance, literacy, and graduate rates. Funds are intended for instructional services and direct non-instructional services but cannot be used for administrative costs.  
• Opportunity Index: Introduced to allocate additional funding to districts with higher concentration of poverty, this adjusts funding based on community needs, ensuring that schools in economically disadvantaged areas receive adequate support. 
• Section 53a Special Education Funding: Provides full reimbursement for the added costs of operating special education programs for eligible students. 

The primary framework for school accountability is the Michigan School Index System, which assigns each school an overall index ranging from 0 to 100 based on key performance indicators including student growth, proficiency levels, graduation rates, closing achievement gaps, and college and career readiness.

Michigan's accountability model primarily focuses on traditional high schools, but it also includes provisions for alternative education programs. Alternative education schools are not exempt from identification for support categories but may receive different supports to acknowledge the different circumstances and need identified by the system.

Alternative high schools and programs are evaluated in the following ways:

• Graduation rate: Alternative high schools are often judged by their ability to get students to graduate, which can be more difficult given the unique challenges their students may face. Some alternative programs may have different graduation rate benchmarks or longer timelines (e.g., five years instead of four). 
• Student growth: Like traditional high schools, alternative schools are evaluated based on how much their students progress academically over time. This ensures that even if students start behind, there is still an emphasis on improving their knowledge and skills. 

To help schools implement the state’s Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) in a more adaptable and student-centered way, the Michigan Department of Education created the Flexibility Guide. The guide provides options for personalizing how students can meet the MMC graduation requirements and allows schools to tailor education pathways to students’ strengths and needs.

Key elements of the Flexibility Guide include:

• Personal Curriculum: The guide supports the use of a Personal Curriculum, which is a formal process that allows changes to certain MMC requirements based on a student’s unique needs—such as credit recovery or career interests 
• Alternative credit structures: Schools can offer non-traditional methods of earning credit, such as project-based learning, work-based learning, online classes, or performance assessments 
• Competency-based learning: Instead of traditional seat-time requirements, the Flexibility Guide supports awarding credit based on demonstrated mastery of skills and knowledge, which benefits students who learn at different paces 
• Support for at-risk students: The guide emphasizes strategies that help at-risk youth (including students who are behind in credits) to graduate by providing individualized instruction, flexible scheduling, and social-emotional support 

With the support of the Flexibility Guide, Michigan’s alternative high schools can customize graduation paths while ensuring students meet core academic standards, provide greater flexibility in how and when learning happens, use competency-based approaches to accelerate progress for students who may be behind, focus on credit recovery and re-engagement, and integrate career and technical education and real-world learning to align with students’ future plans.

†Information provided by State Action Collaborative members.