The online-learning provider, edX, is now expanding beyond higher education to offer courses geared towards high school students. 

EdX will unveil its 26 free online high school classes this week, according to a recent Boston Globe article. The courses were created by 14 institutions including MIT, Georgetown, University of Berkeley, Boston University, and others across the country.

"The online classes, available to anyone in the world, will cover such subjects as computer science, calculus, geometry, algebra, English, physics, biology, chemistry, Spanish, French, history, statistics, and psychology," said the article.

These classes will "help address a 'readiness gap' that leaves a significant number of high school students unprepared for college studies," according to Anant Agarwal, edX chief executive, in the article.

"When students are not prepared, and if they have to take remedial courses, they're highly likely to not succeed," she said.

More than 100,000 of edX's current users are high school students.

Teacher tip: To find the high school classes on edX's site, select "High School Courses" from the first drop down menu. Teachers can direct students to courses for outside enrichment or to help reinforce their studies. Several Advanced Placement-level courses are available as well. The course instructors have biographies listed and anyone can audit edX's courses for free. Students who wish to obtain a Verified Certificate of Achievement, can apply for one from edX. The online learning company was originally founded by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is run through a consortium of 29 institutions.

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Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor