Students to access online courses

By Denise Dick

Staff report

columbus

Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut has announced the launch of OhioLearns! Gateway, a new initiative called for by Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio General Assembly. It gives all Ohio high school students access to online courses.

The OhioLearns! Gateway has been added to the existing OhioLearns! program, which has provided higher education distance learning courses and degree programs for public and private colleges and universities for more than 10 years.

“The OhioLearns! Gateway enables Ohio’s high school students to take courses that will help them be better prepared for college,” Fingerhut said. “We are committed to using the technology available to us to ensure Ohioans have access to the education they need to be successful both in college and in their jobs.”

High school students can navigate an online course catalog and select from 40 approved courses, linking them to a variety of course providers and web-based courses. The courses will assist school districts across Ohio to differentiate educational offerings and meet the various needs of their students.

Additionally, Ohio public school students are eligible to apply for a fee waiver provided through funding appropriated by the Ohio General Assembly to the eTech Ohio Commission – a partner state agency dedicated to enhancing learning through educational technology.

Though initial offerings are limited to Advanced Placement (AP) courses, non-Advanced Placement courses will be made available throughout the coming weeks. There are three course providers that have approved AP courses in the catalog: Advanced Academics, Aventa Learning and K12, Inc.

All courses available through the Gateway are approved by the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents. Advanced Placement courses are accredited by the College Board, and all non-Advanced Placement courses are aligned to Ohio Academic Content Standards.

For more information, visit www.ohiolearns.org.