Online College in the High School, which this fall topped 200 student registrations for the first time, has expanded its STEM offerings, giving students access to rigorous college-level math and science courses in their high school settings. The new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses include precalculus, statistics, environmental science, chemistry and biotechnology. Online College courses are built into a student's daily schedule at the 36 participating high schools, and students earn both high school and college credits for the classes. Minnesota State Community and Technical College is the lead institution in Online College in the High School, which serves high schools throughout Minnesota and currently offers 25 course options to students. Online courses are taught by instructors from M State, Alexandria Technical College and Northland Community College. M State Dean Jill Abbott said that, because the program is online, high schools do not need to be located near a college campus to participate. Nor do schools need a minimum number of students enrolled in a course, since students from around the state are combined into an online section. "Online College in the High School addresses the unique needs of rural, geographically dispersed schools in a way that also provides a viable model for larger, metropolitan districts," said Abbott, who is postsecondary manager of the program. Online College in the High School offers both college transfer and career and technical courses for eligible high school juniors and seniors. Special program features include customized support through the Online Support Center in Perham and published student performance data. In addition to the 36 participating high schools, program partners include five secondary service cooperatives, NW Links, the Online Support Center, the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. In this area, participating school districts include Ashby, Brandon, Frazee-Vergas, Detroit Lakes, Evansville, Hawley, Lake Park-Audubon, New York Mills, Parkers Prairie, Sebeka, Underwood and West Central Area Schools. For more information, contact Inger Wegener, secondary manager of Online College in the High School at Lakes Country Service Cooperative, at (218) 739-3273 or iwegener@lcsc.org; Jill Abbott at (218) 846-3796 or Jill.Abbott@minnesota.edu; or visit www.OnlineCollegeintheHighSchool.org.