Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education

What Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education does

Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education (WAVE) is a free, public online high school program serving students in Washtenaw County, Michigan and adjacent counties through School of Choice. Founded in 2007, WAVE operates as one of three programs under the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (WEOC), a public school consortium designed collaboratively by nine Washtenaw County public school districts and the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. The program targets high school students who cannot thrive in traditional classrooms due to work obligations, family responsibilities, at-risk backgrounds, or desire for accelerated pacing, offering a 22-credit diploma with project-based, year-round curriculum that blends online learning with a minimum of two days per week of required in-person attendance, supported by dedicated advisors and home visits.

WAVE's technology stack is built entirely on third-party educational platforms rather than proprietary infrastructure. The program uses Headrush Learning Management System for standards-based grading and curriculum delivery, Google Apps for Education for communication and collaboration, and PowerSchool for student information and enrollment processing. Students are equipped with a computer workstation and internet connectivity provided at no cost. Transcript processing is handled through Parchment. The program is led by WAVE Program Director Sarah Giddings, under WEOC Executive Director Monique Uzelac.

WAVE's business model is that of a public educational consortium rather than a commercial enterprise: it collects no tuition from students or families and is funded through a percentage of participating school districts' state foundation allowance, supplemented by public and private sources. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via district partnerships, school counselor referrals, and community information sessions, with a multi-step enrollment process including application, in-person orientation, and PowerSchool enrollment. WEOC also operates the Early College Alliance at Eastern Michigan University (ECA@EMU), which serves approximately 500 students on EMU's campus with up to 65 transferable college credits, and the Washtenaw International High School/Middle Academy (WIHI/WIMA), an International Baccalaureate program for grades 6-12.

Name

Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education

Legal name

Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education

Website

https://wavewashtenaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WAVE is a free, public online high school in Washtenaw County, Michigan, serving non-traditional students through flexible, project-based learning with required in-person attendance. Operated under the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium of nine public school districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Alternative Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Alternative, Continuation & Credit-Recovery Schools (EDAJAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Summer School & Extended-Year Academic Catch-Up (EDANAJAH)

Keywords

• Public high school education
• Online high school program
• Alternative education services
• Project-based learning
• Virtual learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ypsilanti

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: WAVE is funded through a percentage of participating school districts' foundation allowance. As a free public school program, tuition is not charged to students. Additional funding comes from public and private sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WAVE is a free, public online high school program providing project-based, individualized education to high school students in Washtenaw County and adjacent counties through a hybrid model requiring minimum two days per week of classroom attendance. The program delivers a 22-credit diploma aligned with Michigan Merit Standards, supported by dedicated advisory teachers, year-round programming, and wrap-around services including home visits and counseling.

Product overview

The Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education (WAVE) operates as part of the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (WEOC), which offers multiple educational programs: WAVE is a free, public online high school providing flexible, project-based learning with both online and in-person components; ECA@EMU is an early college program allowing students to earn up to 65 college credits while in high school; and WIHI/WIMA are International Baccalaureate schools for grades 6-12. The consortium provides educational technology platforms including Headrush LMS for standards-based grading and Google Apps for Education for communication and collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education (WAVE) High School Program A free, public online high school program offering flexible, individualized education for students in Washtenaw County and adjacent counties. Features year-round programming, project-based learning, hybrid online and in-person components (minimum 2 days/week classroom attendance), and a 22-credit diploma program with home visits and dedicated advisory teachers.
• Early College Alliance at Eastern Michigan University (ECA@EMU) An early/middle college program allowing high school students to earn up to 65 college credits while completing their high school diploma, located on Eastern Michigan University's campus. Students can graduate in up to 5 years with significant college preparation and reduced tuition costs.
• Washtenaw International High School and Middle Academy (WIHI/WIMA) International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle School and High School program serving grades 6-12 with rigorous, inquiry-based instruction emphasizing international-mindedness, interdisciplinary knowledge, and critical thinking. Located at 105 N. Mansfield St., Ypsilanti, MI.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top Workplaces recognition in 2021
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ann Arbor Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium. Students can enroll in WAVE through this district.
• Chelsea School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium.
• Dexter Community SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium. Listed as a partnering district for WAVE enrollment.
• Lincoln Consolidated SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium. Also available through School of Choice for out-of-county students.
• Manchester Community SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium.
• Milan Area SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium. Listed as a partnering district for WAVE enrollment.
• Saline Area SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium.
• Whitmore Lake Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium.
• Ypsilanti Community SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nine Washtenaw County public school districts participating in the WEOC consortium. Also available through School of Choice for out-of-county students.
• Washtenaw Intermediate School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WAVE program was designed by a collaboration of community members, the nine Washtenaw County public school districts, and the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. WISD provides governance and oversight through the WEOC Joint Steering Committee.
• Eastern Michigan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMU partners with ECA@EMU to allow high school students to take college classes on campus. ECA students can earn up to 65 college credits while completing their high school diploma. Direct admission partnership announced in 2026.
• Van Buren Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner that allows students from Wayne County to participate in WEOC programs.
• Google Apps for EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationWAVE uses Google Apps for Education for communication and collaboration among students and staff.
• Headrush Learning Management SystemcoreTechnology or IntegrationWAVE uses Headrush Learning Management System with standards-based grading for curriculum delivery and student progress tracking.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Michigan Connections Academy: A statewide online public school in Michigan operated by Stride (formerly K12 Inc.). Competes with WAVE for the same population of Michigan families seeking alternative online high school options.
• Early College Alliance at EMU (ECA@EMU): Sibling WEOC program offering dual-enrollment high school + college credit pathway on EMU's campus. Closely comparable to WAVE as an alternative education program within the same consortium, though with an early-college focus rather than fully virtual.
• Washtenaw International High School (WIHI): Sibling program within the WEOC consortium offering International Baccalaureate curriculum for grades 6-12. Competes and collaborates with WAVE within the same consortium for the same Washtenaw County student population.
• Michigan Virtual Academy: Michigan statewide tuition-free online public school serving K-12 students. Directly comparable to WAVE as a public, online alternative secondary program, but operates statewide rather than county-constrained.

Broad incumbents

• Edgenuity: A leading online curriculum provider used by school districts and alternative schools. Indirectly comparable to WAVE through curriculum delivery for online learners, though it operates as a vendor rather than as a school operator.
• Stride Inc. (formerly K12 Inc.): The largest U.S. operator of online public schools, running tuition-free virtual schools in multiple states. A scaled incumbent peer to WAVE's online public school model, with broader geographic reach and a broader product portfolio.
• Edmentum: A large K-12 online learning provider offering virtual courses and alternative-school curriculum. Adjacent peer to WAVE in delivering online credit-recovery and alternative education curricula at scale.

Regional players

• Ohio Digital Learning: An online public school serving Ohio students. Comparable to WAVE as a regional, free public online high school alternative, though geography-differentiated.
• Hoosier Academy (Indiana Virtual School): A free, public online K-12 school in Indiana providing tuition-free virtual education. Comparable to WAVE as a state-level public online alternative school, though it serves a different Midwestern geography.
• Forest Hills Virtual School: Michigan-based online public school program operated by the Forest Hills Public School District. Comparable to WAVE as a regional MI virtual school alternative, though it serves a different metro area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wavewashtenaw
• Instagraminstagram.com/earlycollegealliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education