Socrates Online offers supplementary online and blended courses to its regional members taught by Minnesota licensed Socrates or partner instructors. Students from member school districts remain fully enrolled in their local district and Socrates Online works with local district counselors and administrators to ensure that students choose appropriate online programming and receive the support they need to be successful in the online courses they choose. Socrates Online and the South Central Service Cooperative has also formed partnerships to help member schools develop their own online programming. Socrates Online and the South Central Service Cooperative has also formed partnerships to help member schools develop their own online programming.
Online Courses
Minnesota Resident High School Students (Grades 9–12 and advanced Middle School) are able to take up to half of their courses online without any special permission from their local school. Tuition is paid for by the local district. Students are allowed to take more courses, up to full time, online with permission from their local school district. Students who are interested in taking online courses should start the process by contacting their school counselor. Following are our current course offerings and registration information:
- High School Level CTE Online and Blended Academy Courses: Students can participate in fully online or online instruction blended with industry community experiences. Socrates provides online instruction and partners with local industry and post secondary to provide career related experiences. Most courses earn college credit and/or recognized industry certifications.
- Comprehensive High School Level Courses through NSO Partnership: Over 100 high school level supplementary core and elective online courses taught by Northern Star Online instructors. Asynchronous course structures along with flexible enrollment and course completion options gives students maximum opportunities to learn at a time and pace that best fits their needs.

Socrates Online provides Middle and Elementary Online Programming only to students from schools who wish to partner with us in order to offer online options for their students and families. Students can take some or all of their courses online while remaining enrolled in their local school district. Schools interested in participating should contact Dave Paschke, Teaching and Learning Specialist, dpaschke@mnscsc.org, 507-389-1773. Following is some general information about the programming we can offer but we will customize the programming for each school partner.
Middle and Elementary Level Online Courses: Online instruction and support options are provided by a partnership between Socrates Online, Stride Learning and participating member schools. An asynchronous model is used so that students can complete daily course work when their schedule permits. Synchronous programming is available to develop community and provide assistance.
- Programming and Course Descriptions
- Registration is customized for each participating school so that students enroll in programming that is pre-approved by the local school district.
- For more information including pricing, contact:
Dave Paschke, Teaching and Learning Specialist, dpaschke@mnscsc.org, 507-389-1773
Partnerships with Member School Districts
Socrates Online works with member school districts and partners to help schools provide their own online and hybrid programming including credit recovery.
- Online Courseware, Management Systems and Implementation Assistance: Socrates partners with Stride Learning and Imagine Learning to provide courseware and assistance for schools that wish to develop their own online or hybrid options. Many of these resources are also ideal for schools who wish to provide students with alternative learning options and credit recovery.
- Shared Instruction Courses: Socrates Online assists member schools that are unable to find teachers with the appropriate credentials to teach all of the courses that their students are requesting. Courses are co-taught by a qualified Socrates or member district instructor and partner instructor(s) from the local district(s) participating. Core instruction for students and guidance for partner instructors are provided online
- For more information, contact:
Dave Paschke, Teaching and Learning Specialist, dpaschke@mnscsc.org, 507-389-1773