Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (WEOC)
Learner-centered secondary school options for all Washtenaw County students are possible because public school districts cooperate to make educational options available to their students without needing to bear the entire cost of the programs individually.
Nine school districts in Washtenaw County, in cooperation with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, developed the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (WEOC) to coordinate, and supervise secondary educational options for students in the participating schools districts that are members of the consortium. WEOC is governed by a Joint Steering Committee. Its programs are administered by individual program directors and an Executive Director, Mr. David Dugger.
Out-of-county students can access these programs through a School of Choice enrollment through one of the participating school districts.
Customized
The intent of these programs is to provide a personalized learning experience that is designed to capitalize on the choices and learning styles of individual students. Goals and skill-mastery are essential elements of these programs. Program size varies from 300 to 600 students.
Technology Infused
Each student has access to the technology needed to be literate in the systems that will be used upon entrance into college, technical training, or work.
Early College Credit
Students in some programs can learn the skills necessary to be successful in college and post-secondary training institutions, and earn post-secondary credits before they graduate from high school. All programs emphasize the demonstration and practice of critical 21st century skills such as planning, resourcefulness, collaboration, and thoroughness.
Collaborative
All of these programs feature a partnership of local school districts with support from WISD, higher education, businesses, and other community partners who have a commitment to developing entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity.
WEOC Public Meeting Schedule
MEETING NOTICE
To comply with the Michigan Open Meetings Act (MCL 15.265)
The Washtenaw Education Options Consortium(WEOC):
c/o 301 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 405
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Main: (734) 997-1946 ext. 4829
e-mail
WEOC meeting notices are posted at: https://www.weoc.info
Unless noted all meetings will begin at 1:30 pm at the WISD
1819 S. Wagner Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48106
WEOC will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as hand signers for the hearing impaired, audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting (and/or hearing) upon two weeks notice to WEOC. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact WEOC and leave a message which includes (1) who you are/how to contact you, (2) what meeting and date you wish to attend, (3) what aid you are requesting.
Contact: WEOC Clerk
voice phone: (734) 997-1946 ext. 4829
U.S. mail: WEOC 301 W. Michigan Ave. Suite 405
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
Washtenaw International High School
WIHI
Washtenaw International High School (WIHI) is a free, public, consortium high school for students in participating Washtenaw County school districts. It was certified in 2013 as an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. This is a rigorous, internationally-recognized program that prepares students for the academic and social challenges beyond high school and emphasizes preparation for participation in a global society. There are over 3,000 IB schools in 147 countries across the world serving students from elementary through high school grades. Hundreds of universities in the United States and other countries recognize the rigor of an IB Diploma.
The IB Diploma Program requires both breath and depth of study in six subject areas. IB students
- physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
- acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from 6 subject groups
- develop the skills and a positive attitude toward learning that will prepare them for higher education
- study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own
- make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the IB Program’s unique theory of knowledge course
- undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay
- enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action and service
The school provides a challenging, student-centered, inquiry-based sequence of courses with an emphasis on international understanding, cultural identity and the taking of multiple perspectives. It emphasizes rigorous academic standards in disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge. At the end of the program, students take written exams that are scored by external IB examiners. Students are assessed against pre-defined criteria, rather than against the performance of other students in the class.
WIHI opened in the Fall of 2011 to its first group of ninth grade students and will graduate its first cohort of students in June 2015.
Early College Alliance at EMU
ECA
The Early College Alliance (ECA) is a unique public school consortium located on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. The consortium consists of Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Eastern Michigan University, and eight participating school districts. The ECA @ EMU program enables students to complete their requirements for a high school diploma while earning approximately 60 college credits from Eastern Michigan University.
The ECA @ EMU is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) as a “four-plus-one” program. Students begin the program at the start of either tenth or eleventh grade, and, if needed, are provided an additional year beyond their expected year of graduation to complete the program. The ECA @ EMU is a “non-time centric” program; students progress through the program based on actual skill acquisition (mastery learning) rather than on credit acquisition.
Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and focus on math, science, and technology to equip them for careers in health, medicine, mathematics, science, technology or business. In 2013-2014, 97 % of ECA graduates matriculated to 4-year colleges; 3% matriculated to 2-year colleges, and 2% segued to careers in the military, employment, and technical education. Since ECA @ EMU students began taking the ACT in 2010 as part of an annual state assessment program, they have consistently scored 2 to 3 points higher than the state average on the ACT portion of the test each year.
Begun in the fall of 2007 with 45 students, by 2013, the ECA @ EMU had increased its enrollment tenfold. It enrolls 150+ students each year. An incoming cohort takes rigorous college preparatory high school classes in math, science, social studies and English. In addition to academic skills, students must demonstrate the personal (Soft) skills of Attendance, Preparation, Follow-through, Communication and Responsibility. Individual students transition into full-time EMU students taking university courses throughout campus, depending upon their consistent demonstration of both academic and personal skills. Throughout their careers in the program, ECA students receive support from a single CORE adviser/mentor, to help the student fulfill both high school graduation and college program requirements.
ECA @ EMU students are not high school students who dual-enroll in a few college courses. They are “jointly enrolled and admitted” to the ECA and to Eastern Michigan University. ECA students who demonstrate an average rate of progress will spend nine semesters in the program, with the last seven to eight semesters as full time Eastern Michigan University students.
ECA @ EMU students are fully immersed in the college environment. They attend class with the EMU student body as a whole, with no modifications or adjustments made in either curriculum or instruction by Eastern Michigan University faculty. The structure and pedagogy of the ECA is designed to support the university curriculum as the core academic experience of its students.
ECA @ EMU is a universal access program, with 30% of the available slots reserved for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. Forty percent of the typical incoming cohort is comprised of the first in their families to enroll in college. Student demographic characteristics reflect the gender and ethnic characteristics of the surrounding community. In a typical school year, ECA students enroll in approximately 7,100 credit hours at Eastern Michigan University, and they receive grades of 'C' or better 86% of the time, making ECA @ EMU students the best performing group on EMU's campus.
Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education
WAVE
WAVE is a free, public high school program for students in Washtenaw County School Districts. The program is a flexible, student-centered, project-based approach to learning for students who need an alternative to the traditional high school model. Support is provided through an advisory teacher and online content support teachers. Staff work together to design and administer an academic program that meets the state standards and prepares each student for further education and career skills. WAVE is made possible by the following partnerships: Ann Arbor Public Schools; Chelsea Public Schools; Dexter Community Schools; Lincoln Consolidated Schools; Manchester Community Schools, Milan Area Schools; Saline Area Schools; Washtenaw ISD, Whitmore Lake Public Schools and Ypsilanti Community Schools.