MARQUETTE - Marquette is among 11 school districts and one charter school in the state that Michigan education officials have given permission to let some students take part or all of their required classes on line and off campus.
The Michigan Department of Education has given the attendance law waivers to the Marquette, Ann Arbor, Avondale, Chippewa Hills, Jackson, Montrose, Traverse City, Waterford and Wyoming school districts.
Marquette Area Public Schools received its permission to begin the online classes program last summer, Superintendent Jon Hartwig said.
"I believe it's still in its infancy. It will be some time before we can determine its potential growth," he said.
While only in use by a "handful" of students in the fall 2008 semester, Hartwig said the program could accommodate 5 percent of the Marquette Senior High School population, or about 61 students.
Most of the districts that submitted proposals were targeting struggling students, particularly those attending alternative high schools.
However, Marquette's program is open to a variety of students, Hartwig said.
"It's designed for a whole range of kids because online education is such a broad and growing branch of education," he said.
In order to enroll in the program, students must meet with counselors to discuss which education options would fit them best, Hartwig said.
The Avondale district in Auburn Hills received its waiver last month and already has 10 students taking all of their classes online.
''It gives them a shot at catching up,'' said Avondale schools Superintendent George Heitsch.
''I'm able to wake up, turn my computer on and get going,'' said Avondale student Conor Helmrich, 16. He said his lifestyle makes him the envy of his friends. ''They wish they could sleep in until whenever, and then do their work.''
Kayla Jacques, 18, of Waterford said she would like the chance to take online courses from home. She is a senior at Waterford Alternative High School and stays late after school several days a week to take an online class.
''That would be so much easier,'' Jacques said.
Michigan Virtual University is one option students have to take online classes. It offers about 200 high school courses, and its enrollment has grown from 100 in the 1999-2000 school year to an estimated 15,000 this school year.