State joins online education consortium

By YUEHAN LIU
Capital News Service
LANSING—Michigan has joined a consortium of other states designed to improve online education and increase access while saving money for colleges and universities. According to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, before gaining acceptance into the reciprocity agreement, Michigan was one of several states that did not regulate distance education providers. Those not located in Michigan were not required to register or meet guidelines to offer online education courses to Michigan residents. The state had received more than 1,500 inquiries from out-of-state institutions requesting approval or exemption to offer distance education to its residents. The structures of online class varies.