All About Our Minnesota Online School Options

October 31, 2024 byConnections Academy

3 min to read

A Minnesota student participating in an online class, sitting at a table with a laptop and notepad, in a well-lit living room.

Every child in Minnesota deserves a great education. For many, that might be in a traditional, brick-and-mortar public or private school. However, you might be wondering if your child might be better suited for enrollment in a Minnesota online school.

What Is Online Public School in Minnesota?

Minnesota Connections Academy is the largest tuition-free K–12 online public school in Minnesota.* As a member of the Minnesota Transitions Charter School (MTCS), Minnesota Connections Academy is state-certified and open to students throughout Minnesota.

ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL

Learn more about Connections Academy in Minnesota, including our mission, the online learning experience, and more.

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Where Is Online School Available in Minnesota?

Minnesota Connections Academy is available to all students in Minnesota, as long as they reside in the state of Minnesota, including Aitkin County, Anoka County, Becker County, Beltrami County, Benton County, Big Stone County, Blue Earth County, Brown County, Carlton County, Carver County, Cass County, Chippewa County, Chisago County, Clay County, Clearwater County, Cook County, Cottonwood County, Crow Wing County, Dakota County, Dodge County, Douglas County, Faribault County, Fillmore County, Freeborn County, Goodhue County, Grant County, Hennepin County, Houston County, Hubbard County, Isanti County, Itasca County, Jackson County, Kanabec County, Kandiyohi County, Kittson County, Koochiching County, Lac qui Parle County, Lake County, Lake of the Woods County, Le Sueur County, Lincoln County, Lyon County, McLeod County, Mahnomen County, Marshall County, Martin County, Meeker County, Mille Lacs County, Morrison County, Mower County, Murray County, Nicollet County, Nobles County, Norman County, Olmsted County, Otter Tail County, Pennington County, Pine County, Pipestone County, Polk County, Pope County, Ramsey County, Red Lake County, Redwood County, Renville County, Rice County, Rock County, Roseau County, St. Louis County, Scott County, Sherburne County, Sibley County, Stearns County, Steele County, Stevens County, Swift County, Todd County, Traverse County, Wabasha County, Wadena County, Waseca County, Washington County, Watonwan County, Wilkin County, Winona County, Wright County, and Yellow Medicine County.

Who Can Attend Online School in Minnesota?

Minnesota Connections Academy is accessible to K–12 students across Minnesota. Students must meet all enrollment criteria for Minnesota Connections Academy, including age limitations and immunization requirements and have access to a reliable internet connection in a safe learning environment.

How Much Does Online School in Minnesota Cost?

As an online public school, Minnesota Connections Academy is tuition-free, including textbooks and the curriculum. Families are responsible for the costs of school supplies and in-person field trips. A family may receive a computer, as well as qualify for a hardship subsidy for internet access, if eligible.

Why Choose Online Public School in Minnesota?

Students enrolled in Minnesota Connections Academy enjoy the flexibility to learn at their own pace, experience more individualized attention from teachers, and have freedom from the distractions present in brick-and-mortar schools. Parents also appreciate the ability to be more involved in their children’s education.

What Does Minnesota Connections Academy Offer?

Minnesota Connections Academy allows enrolled families to customize their learning schedules to accommodate various lifestyles, commitments, and learning styles.

Minnesota Connections Academy at a glance:

NCAA-approved
offers gifted and talented, honors, special education, and Advanced Placement®** courses for high school students, gifted programs for middle school students, and gifted programs for elementary and middle school students
accommodates Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
allows eligible eleventh- and twelfth-grade students to complete college-level coursework—and earn transferable college credit—with flexible, dual-enrollment courses from Pearson Accelerated Pathways
provides Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses
the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, industry certifications, and college credits simultaneously through our innovative tri-credit offering
high school students have the opportunity to choose work-based learning courses
currently enrolled students may take credit-recovery core subjects during the summer for courses they have previously failed
helps 11th-grade students through our ACT prep course
entry-level professional certificates are available from companies like Google, Meta, and Salesforce through an exclusive partnership with Coursera
students may work at their own pace

Does Minnesota Connections Academy Have Clubs or Socialization Opportunities?

Clubs are offered to students in grades K–12.
We host a variety of events throughout the state and aim to reach each region of the state every month. Some examples include volunteer projects, science museums, theater productions, bowling, and more!
Students are permitted to play high school sports in their resident district.
National Honor Society is available for qualifying high school students, a Junior National Honor Society for grades 6–9 and an Elementary National Honor Society for grades 4–5.
Pop-up events are offered with an ever-changing assortment of unique online get-togethers.

Learn more about Minnesota Connections Academy’s school clubs.

How Long Has Minnesota Connections Academy Been Operating?

Minnesota Connections Academy has been operating since 2005.

Is Minnesota Connections Academy Accredited?

Minnesota Connections Academy is an accredited public school where students can meet all the Minnesota educational and high school graduation requirements. We are accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), an accrediting division of Cognia, formerly AdvancED.

What Grades Does Minnesota Connections Academy Offer?

Minnesota Connections Academy is open to students in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade, tenth grade, eleventh grade, and twelfth grade.

If you’d like to learn more about online school in Minnesota, visit us at Minnesota Connections Academy.

*Based on 2020–2021 enrollment data from the Minnesota Department of Education.

**Advanced Placement® is a registered trademark of the College Board. Used with permission.