How WAVE saved students and teachers from the confines of a traditional LMS
The WAVE Difference
The Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education (WAVE) isn’t your ordinary high school. Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, WAVE serves students from nine school districts who weren’t thriving in traditional classrooms.
These learners weren’t failing; the system was failing them.
Redefining success in education
Instead of rigid schedules and waiting all semester for grades, WAVE awards fractional credits in real time as assignments are assessed, allowing learners to see immediate progress towards graduation. Students can begin classes midyear, design independent studies, and integrate internships into their overall learning experience. They’re free to arrive or leave class based on responsibilities like jobs, internships, and family commitments, mirroring how the real world works.
This isn’t a second chance; it’s the way learning should be.
Though WAVE’s approach was ahead of its time, its technology lagged behind. Spreadsheets, Google Forms, and an outdated PowerSchool LMS made it nearly impossible to keep up with so many individualized learning paths.
Too many tools, not enough time
Before Headrush, WAVE’s manual processes left students without any way to track their achievements.
Every Monday, teachers spent hours updating spreadsheets to reflect the prior week’s student progress, taking them away from guiding or mentoring students. Any individual credit was subject to being misreported because of one errant keystroke or a momentary distraction.
We had students doing incredible things, but the systems we used made it hard to give them credit for it. It felt like we were holding them back. Students couldn’t see their progress in real-time. It was demotivating. And for us, it was exhausting.
- Sarah McCarthy, Head of Instructional Technology and Math Teacher
Keeping families and guardians in the loop was time consuming and cumbersome, creating a disconnect between home and school. The end result was a lot of wasted effort and a lack of timely feedback that sapped motivation from both students and staff.
WAVE needed a solution that could embrace their diverse learning modalities. They needed a way to capture incremental progress and empower learners with agency to keep them engaged.
Enter Headrush
When their old LMS got acquired, WAVE had a decision to make:
- Stick with the new parent company’s system
- Find a better option that aligned with their values and innovative approach
They evaluated new LMS options and selected Headrush because of its ability to empower students, teachers, and parents.
Fractional credits
An “all or nothing” semester system rewarded only the endgame and didn’t credit the journey. Headrush eliminates the waiting game by helping students see progress instantly. Rather than waiting months for a final grade, they can earn 0.1 credits at a time, keeping them motivated and accountable. This agile “credit stacking” approach works perfectly with WAVE’s shorter modules and flexible scheduling.
Students couldn’t see their progress before, and now it’s a click away. It’s made all the difference.
- Sarah McCarthy
Agile accounting for learning
Stacking together multiple spreadsheets and PowerSchool pages created confusion and required heavy admin workload. Headrush enables students to track both transferred and newly earned credits in a single dashboard through a rules-based approach, aligning every piece of work to learning outcomes.
Teacher collaboration and professional growth
Traditional teaching happened in silos, making it difficult for educators to collaborate across subjects or align their teaching to tackle complex, real-world topics. Headrush supports interdisciplinary teaching by allowing multiple educators to create more authentic learning experiences together. This gives students the chance to explore different subject areas.
Teachers can also create shared modules for their own professional development or build personal learning networks (PLNs) right within the platform. This turns WAVE into a space where educators grow alongside their students.
Engaging modalities for every learner
One-size-fits-all works for baseball caps, not curriculums. From self-paced units and live classes to hands-on projects, Headrush accommodates the variety of learning modalities WAVE offers. Students can jump into new modules midyear, opt into internships, or go deeper on a personal interest project.
One of our students created a jazz module where he wrote music and studied jazz legends. Headrush made it possible for us to honor that work with real credit.
- Sarah McCarthy
Informed parents and guardians
Our families can login and see everything the student can see--their progress, the assignments they're handing in, the activity--it's been great for families.
- Sarah McCarthy
On the previous LMS, parents weren’t kept in the loop, making it harder to provide support at home. Headrush Guardian Portals ensure that families receive updates as soon as teachers review assignments, reinforcing the student’s momentum at home and giving parents a full picture into their child’s accomplishments.
A partner, not just a platform
For WAVE, choosing Headrush wasn’t just about finding new software. It was about finding a partner that genuinely supported their mission.
We had ideas for how to make learning more flexible and meaningful, and Headrush didn't just listen—they worked with us to make it happen.
- Sarah McCarthy
Manual spreadsheets are now a thing of the past. Teachers use the reclaimed time to focus on curriculum innovation and mentorship, while parents feel more connected and empowered.