Minnesota Online High Schools» connections academy

Alexandria area families invited to online public school information session

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:31:46 +0000

MTS Minnesota Connections Academy invites area families to learn about its tuition-free K-12 online public school program at a free information session on Wednesday, May 18, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Alexandria, The Barn, 5637 Highway 29 South.

Families will have an opportunity to speak one-to-one with MTS Minnesota Connections Academy faculty, explore the school’s individualized learning approach, well-respected curriculum, technology-enhanced learning environment, and learn about the enrollment process.

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New year, new school? Virtual schools ease transition

admin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:31:14 +0000

Educators say many families switching their kids’ schools mid-year are turning to virtual schools like Connections Academy, for a variety of reasons.

First, more families than ever have embraced virtual education in general: Some 2 million American K-12 students now get some or all of their education virtually, according to research firm Ambient Insight. Second, the format of virtual schools eases a student’s adjustment period – and physical transitions for both student and family. Finally, family finances sometimes come into play. Virtual public schools – like all public schools – are tuition free and virtual private schools like National Connections Academy cost a fraction of traditional “bricks and mortar” private schools. Yet they deliver the academic rigor and highly personalized educations that are hallmarks of independent schools. So families with children enrolled in traditional private schools who are struggling to meet hefty tuition obligations often find they can save significant money and still get an independent school-caliber education.

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Students in online school go on a field trip

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 03:20:31 +0000

Connections Academy is a tuition-free virtual public school available to kindergarten through 12th-grade students from across the state. Field trips and community activities offer students the opportunity to come together, support the lessons presented in the students’ daily course work and socialize with other Connections Academy students and family members.

MTS Minnesota Connections Academy combines state-certified teachers, high-quality curriculum, unique technology tools and an extensive selection of electives, clubs and community experiences to create an individualized alternative to the brick-and-mortar classroom.

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E-Education Inc. Seeks the Mainstream

admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:17:46 +0000

The for-profit e-learning company K12 Inc. grew 40 percent last year, generating $385 million in revenue by providing virtual courses to 70,000 students across the country. Connections Academy, another such provider, generated about $120 million in revenue serving up online courses to some 20,000 students. And last month, the education technology company PLATO Learning announced that it is now offering online Advanced Placement courses, marking the first time the company will do so as part of its courseware for school districts.

Experts say for-profit providers of online courses—long seen as an option for home-schoolers and a potential rival to public schools—are breaking into the public education mainstream as more schools mix face-to-face classes and online courses to expand their curricular offerings. With demand for that “blended” approach expected to grow, other players in the online-coursetaking marketplace, such as Apex Learning, Aventa Learning, Compass Learning, and Kaplan Virtual Education, are also seeking business in public schools.

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