Minnesota Valley Area Learning Center Program Options

In addition to the Minnesota Valley Area Learning Center's daily seat-based program, MVALC offers alternative programming for students who may not be able to attend a traditional full-day school program on a regular basis.

The Minnesota River Valley Education District (MRVED) consists of nine member school districts: Benson, Dawson-Boyd, Lac qui Parle Valley, Lakeview, Minneota, Montevideo, Ortonville, Renville County West (RCW), and Yellow Medicine East (YME). Students who reside in our member districts and/or are referred by their resident school district may be eligible for enrollment at MVALC.

Dual Enrollment / Credit Recovery

Dual Enrollment/Credit Recovery is available to high school students who are referred by their local school counselor because they need to recover credits or complete additional coursework toward graduation.

Students remain enrolled with their resident school district while completing designated coursework through MVALC. The student's counselor and MVALC staff coordinate which courses are appropriate and how many credits the student should complete through the program.

Credit Recovery may utilize online coursework through Edgenuity or other approved instructional materials. Course completion and credits are coordinated with the student's resident school district.

Blended-Hybrid Program

The Blended-Hybrid Program replaces the former Independent Study/Individualized Learning Program and is designed for students who need a more flexible school schedule while still benefiting from regular in-person instruction, teacher support, and a structured learning environment.

The program may be appropriate for students who work during portions of the day, have family or other responsibilities that make a traditional full-day schedule difficult, have previously dropped out or disengaged from school, or need a flexible pathway to continue making progress toward graduation.

Blended-Hybrid is not an Independent Study or fully online program. Students are assigned a regular schedule that includes required in-person attendance and ongoing interaction with MVALC teachers.

Enrollment and Intake

Students interested in the Blended-Hybrid Program are required to participate in an intake meeting with MVALC staff. Parents or guardians are included when appropriate.

During the intake process, MVALC staff will:

• Review the student's transcript and graduation progress;

• Determine remaining graduation requirements;

• Discuss the student's educational needs, schedule, and goals;

• Establish an appropriate in-person attendance schedule;

• Determine appropriate courses and instructional methods; and

• Explain attendance, academic progress, and program expectations.

MVALC will obtain and review records from the student's previous or resident school district before developing the student's educational plan.

How Blended-Hybrid Works

Students receive an individualized course schedule based on the credits and graduation requirements they still need to complete.

Coursework may include a combination of:

• Teacher-developed curriculum and course materials;

• Individualized or packet-based coursework;

• Edgenuity online courses;

• Direct instruction and teacher support;

• Small-group instruction;

• Scheduled academic work time at MVALC; and

• Other learning activities appropriate to the student's graduation plan.

This allows MVALC to maintain the individualized, "one-room schoolhouse" approach that has historically served our students well while providing greater structure, accountability, and access to teachers.

Students may be working on different courses or at different points within a course while receiving support from MVALC staff.

Locations and Scheduling

Blended-Hybrid students are assigned a regular in-person schedule based on their educational needs and available programming.

Programming may be available at the Minnesota Valley Area Learning Center in Montevideo and at designated MVALC programming in Granite Falls.

Unlike the former Independent Study model, attendance is not based simply on a once-per-week teacher meeting. Students are expected to attend according to their assigned schedule and participate consistently in both their in-person and assigned coursework.

The number of days and hours a student attends may vary based on the student's educational plan, course load, graduation needs, and available programming.

Attendance and Academic Progress

Regular attendance and academic progress are required for continued enrollment in the Blended-Hybrid Program.

Students are expected to:

• Attend all scheduled in-person instructional periods;

• Maintain regular contact with assigned teachers;

• Make consistent progress in assigned courses;

• Complete required assessments and coursework; and

• Follow MVALC attendance and school policies.

Because Blended-Hybrid is a structured educational program, students who repeatedly fail to attend or make academic progress will meet with MVALC staff to review whether the current schedule and program remain appropriate.

For students who are subject to Minnesota compulsory attendance requirements, unexcused absences will be addressed according to applicable school attendance and truancy procedures.

Credits and Graduation

The number of credits a student can earn depends upon the student's enrollment date, attendance, course schedule, demonstrated academic progress, and successful completion of course requirements.

MVALC staff will review each student's transcript and develop a graduation plan identifying the courses and credits still needed.

Graduation requirements and diploma options will be reviewed during the intake process and coordinated with the student's resident district when applicable.

A More Structured Flexible Option

The Blended-Hybrid Program provides an alternative for students who need more flexibility than MVALC's daily seat-based program while requiring substantially more engagement than the former Independent Study model.

The goal is to provide students with flexibility without removing structure. Students receive an individualized pathway toward graduation while maintaining regular attendance, teacher relationships, academic expectations, and connection to a school community.

See Truancy Policies in Student Handbook

ILP Resource Guide

Exit Survey

LOCATION:

 The Credit Recovery/Blended-Hybrid Program is located at two convenient sites.  It is located at 1313 E. Black Oak Avenue, Montevideo, Minnesota and at MN West Technical College (Room 304), 1593 11th Avenue, Granite Falls, Minnesota.  (Enter through door 8).