South Dakota is now offering students the chance to take AP courses online - and be paid a $100 incentive for passing AP exams. Their new program is aimed at getting students, particularly those living in rural areas, interested in math and science. The Argus Leader reports:

"...Students in rural areas will be able to immerse themselves - many for the first time - in the Advanced Placement program that offers college- level training in high school.

"We have to get the opportunities to where the student is," said Mary Cundy, principal at the E-Learning Center at Northern State University.

The program is called Learning Power. It will operate from an office in Rapid City with an array of supportive agencies, public and private, including NSU and the state Department of Education.

It will run on a four-year, $2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative, backed by ExxonMobil. The Texas-based agency seeks to correct a shortage of young adults in science and math careers, so the AP courses in the program all have that flavor. The lineup includes five courses in the hard sciences - biology, chemistry, statistics, calculus and physics - and two more in English language and literature."

The new online program is funded by a $2 million grant and does not use public funds.