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Minnesota District Expands Virtual School Statewide

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The Minnesota Center of Online Learning (MCoOL) announced this week that it's expanding its online virtual school to accept more students from around the state. The online school operates out of Houston (MN) Public Schools.

According to MCoOL, the expansion "is being spurred by the growing demand for the program which achieved the highest writing scores among Minnesota online schools, and is recognized for its reputation as the school of choice for Advanced Placement courses, academic rigor, highly experienced teachers, and commitment to individualized attention to help each student succeed."

All classes at MCoOL are delivered electronically, and full-time students are given a free "loaner" computer for the duration of their studies, if it's requested. Students are also provided with free textbooks.

MCoOL offers more than 100 courses in core and elective subjects (such as digital video
production, game design, and Flash animation) and offers more than 20 Advanced Placement courses.

"We are expanding our program to meet growing enrollment demands, resulting from Minnesota students' increased interest in online education as well our continued track record of success in providing a high-quality, flexible education option for students in grades 7-12," said MCoOL Principal Dean Gunnarson, in a statement released Wednesday. "We maintain a strong commitment to personal attention and academic success of our students. While we utilize cutting-edge technology to deliver education, we remain true to our small community roots by investing the time to get to know each student and tailor educational plans to meet individual needs and interests."

Enrollments are now being accepted from across the state for the fall semester, which begins Sept. 2.

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About the author: Dian Schaffhauser is a writer who covers technology and business for a number of publications. Contact her at [email protected].

Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at [email protected].

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


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