The California State Senate recently approved a bill to expand the program, with $8 million from the state budget earmarked for the development of online advanced placement courses. The bill would provide an additional $4 million to the $4 million that has already been allocated for ongoing efforts and the development of new courses.

Project directors select high schools having few or no AP courses and connect them with other schools with strong AP programs that can provide resources for cyber-instruction.

"We're looking for schools that don't have strong advanced-level courses, and by and large those are schools that are financially disadvantaged," Wheeler said.

Other distance-learning ventures, like the Virtual High School and APEX Online Learning, also offer online AP classes.

But unlike other virtual high schools, which attempt to create an entire curriculum online, the UCCP project targets students who are preparing to be competitively eligible for University of California admission.

However, the program doesn't reach everyone. Schools without Internet access cannot participate.

The UCCP will attempt to increase student support next year for those with access by providing additional training to over 200 teachers and by launching a cyber-mentoring program of online tutors.

While online courses are not for everyone, many students are more comfortable sending an email to their instructor than asking a question in front of their peers in class. For these students, the program still works, Wheeler said.

"We're opening it up to a larger audience," she said.

Project coordinators hope to work with over 100 schools and thousands of students within the next year.

Said Wheeler: "I would like to be able to meet the governor's goal of providing opportunity to every student in the state who wants it."