Enrollment in Minnesota Online Learning Courses

Wondering what your online learning options are? Get the facts on online enrollment.

Who Can Enroll in Online Learning?

As a public school student, you may enroll in online courses through certified public online programs. If you want to take one, two, or three online classes at a time, you can stay enrolled at your local school and take at least half of your classes there. Or you can transfer to an online school. It's always a good idea to discuss any changes to your academic plan with your school counselor. And it's important that your family supports your online learning plans. In fact, the law requires parental permission to apply for online learning for students age 17 and younger.

Supplemental (Part-time) Enrollment

Supplemental enrollment means you enroll in online learning in addition to your local school classes. Here's how to get started:

1. Find a certified course that best suits your needs.
2. Contact the school, charter school, or district that offers the course. See if they are accepting applications for new students and have space in the classes you want to take.
3. Meet with your current school counselor to discuss the plan. Make sure you are meeting all local academic requirements. Request that your current school sends your records to the online institution.
4. Submit an application to the online school. If you're under 18, you'll need your parents to sign the application.
5. Confirm that the course(s) will count toward your high school graduation at your enrolling district. You'll need to get a copy of the Online Learning Supplemental Notice of Student Registration form. Complete it and give it to your enrolling school.

You may enroll in supplemental online courses during a single school year up to a maximum of half of your full schedule of courses per term. These schedule changes must be made prior to the mid-point of your enrolling district's term. Either of these requirements, however, may be waived by the local school.

Comprehensive (Full-time) Enrollment (Nonresident District)

Enrolling in a comprehensive online program requires a change of school district or enrollment in a charter school. To open enroll in a nonresident district online program, complete an application form (151KB, .pdf) and submit it to the nonresident district or program.

Upon graduation you will receive a diploma from the nonresident district that offered the online program.

More information about open enrollment is available from the
Minnesota Department of Education.

Comprehensive (Full time) Enrollment in an Online Charter School

For enrollment in a comprehensive online charter school, contact the charter school. Complete their enrollment procedures and forms. The charter school will help you transition from your current school to the online charter school. Upon graduation, you will receive a diploma from the online charter school.

Deadlines for Enrollment

Online programs publish their enrollment deadlines and semester schedules on their websites. Some programs have a rolling enrollment schedule. This means that there are many times each year when students can begin. Others follow a fixed term schedule with deadlines on specific dates.

If a student is enrolling part time in an online program, they must give notice to their local school by the mid point in the term before beginning an online class. The student can request that the notification period be waived by their school.

Attendance Requirements

Requirements for attendance are set by each online program. In most programs, attendance is measured by regularly interacting in the web-based class, completion of assignments, and making progress toward completing the course curriculum. This type of class attendance may vary by program and by individual classes. It is important to understand the expectation of student engagement in classes prior to enrolling.

For More Information

Contact the School Choice Programs and Services Division of the Minnesota Department of Education at 651-582-8733 or mde.school-choice@state.mn.us

Source: Minnesota Department of Education