New & Refreshed: Courses at BlueSky in 2026–2027

At BlueSky, we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of exciting and practical courses that you won’t typically find at a traditional brick-and-mortar school. Built around our “school designed for you” philosophy, we listen to students and parents, introducing new and updated courses each year.

The 2026–2027 school year is no exception. In this blog, we’ll explore what’s new for the upcoming school year, just in time for enrollment season.

Exploring Horticulture

Ever wondered what actually happens beneath the soil, or how to make your backyard garden thrive? This new course puts students right in the middle of both, tracing how plants grow, reproduce, and interact with the ecosystems around them. It’s a hands-on look at the science of growing things and the industry built around it.

In this course, students dig into:

• Plant genetics and life cycles
• How plants and their environments shape each other
• Trends and ethics shaping the horticulture industry today
• Where a horticulture background can take you career-wise

Note: Introduction to Agriculture Science or prior hands-on agricultural experience is recommended before enrolling.

Accounting 1 (New Curriculum)

Accounting isn’t just math and spreadsheets, it’s your pathway to financial literacy and driving business ideas forward. The updated accounting curriculum walks students through the full lifecycle of a business’s finances, from the first journal entry to the final balance sheet, with an eye toward both entrepreneurship and career readiness.

Students will come away knowing how to:

• Explain what different accounting roles actually do
• Map out career paths inside the accounting world
• Apply core accounting lessons to personal and business finances
• Move transactions through journals, ledgers, and trial balances
• Spot fraud risks
• Read and interpret income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements

Whether a student is weighing accounting as a career or just wants to understand how businesses actually track money, this refresh gives them real tools to work with.

Computer Applications A

Consider this an automatic addition to the ‘skills’ portion of your resume. Computer Applications A gets students comfortable with the hardware, software, and everyday digital tools that power school and work. The updated version reflects how those always-evolving tools are actually used today.

Topics covered include:

• The fundamentals of how computers and operating systems function
• Managing email, attachments, and organization in Gmail
• Storing and sharing files through Google Drive
• Building documents, spreadsheets, and slide decks in Docs, Sheets, and Slides
• Practical shortcuts and habits for working more efficiently online

Along the way, students also unpack the trickier side of tech:  internet safety, digital ethics, and information security.

Learn even more in the full course syllabus.

Personal Finance GP

Personal Finance isn’t new, but the format is: students can now take it as a Group Pace course, meaning a little more structure, more peer-interaction, and a built-in rhythm for staying on track. The content still covers the money skills every student needs before heading out into the world. Similar to Accounting 1, it looks at the idea of financial literacy and the real-world skills that every adult needs post-graduation. 

The course dives into:

• The psychology behind everyday financial decisions
• Job searching, resumes, and understanding a paycheck
• How banks, credit, and financial products actually work
• Managing credit, debt, and building a strong credit history
• Insurance and other ways to manage financial risk
• Budgeting, saving, and getting started with investing

It’s a practical course designed to leave students better prepared for whatever comes after graduation.

American Government (New Curriculum)

Just in time for the 250th anniversary of our country, this senior-level course takes a close look at how the U.S. government works, not just on paper, but in practice. Students trace American democracy back to its founding documents, then follow the thread forward to see how those ideas play out in current events and everyday life in the U.S.

Along the way, students will explore:

• The historical roots of American democratic ideals
• How the legislative, executive, and judicial branches operate
• The Bill of Rights and later constitutional amendments
• Federalism, political parties, and how elections work
• The U.S.’s role in international affairs
• Tribal sovereignty and Native American governance
• A capstone project tackling a real public policy issue

It’s a fast-moving course that covers a wide territory, but by the end, students walk away understanding not just how the government functions, but where they fit into it.

Explore the full course syllabus for more details.

Other Favorites for Your Schedule

• Environmental Exploration — A deep dive into how the natural world works and how human activity is reshaping it, from water and land use to global change.
• World Religions — A tour through the world’s major religious traditions and the mark they’ve left on history, culture, and society.
• Modern Art — A hands-on look at contemporary art and artists, paired with plenty of studio time to build a personal artistic voice.
• Culinary Arts 1 — A foundational cooking course that builds real kitchen skills, one hands-on project (and taste test) at a time.
• Attacking Anxiety — A support group for full-time students in grades 9–12 looking to build practical tools for managing anxiety and stress.
• Earth & Space Science — A look at the systems shaping our planet, from the atmosphere to the lithosphere, and how they’re changing over time.

Still More to Come

These aren’t the only courses getting attention this year. Students can also expect curriculum updates in Introduction to Agricultural Science, Financial Fitness MS, Geometry, and across our Global Studies, World History, Geography, and Economics courses.

Curious which courses are the right fit for your school day? Reach out to your counselor or visit BlueSky’s course listings page to start planning your 2026–2027 schedule. And if you’re not yet enrolled at BlueSky but thinking about making the switch to the best online school in Minnesota, our enrollment process page or this blog is a good place to start.