Toledo Public Schools is expanding a partnership with Buckeye CableSystem and the University of Toledo that provides free laptops and Internet access to district students.

Last school year, 25 Scott and Woodward high school students took part in a pilot program, which was developed as an attempt to bridge the “digital divide” — the disparity in Internet access between low-income and more privileged neighborhoods. Buckeye provided free Internet services, TPS provided the laptops, and UT allowed the students to enroll in a sociology course.

Now the district has about 170 students from all nine high schools enrolled in the program. They can choose from sociology, psychology, cultural anthropology, social problems, astronomy, and composition 1. The intention was always to scale the program larger, officials from the partners said last year, and it didn’t hurt that it was a success.

The average GPA for the 24 students who completed the program — one moved out of the district — was 3.47, higher than that of UT students.

Jim Gault, TPS chief academic officer, said the district hopes to have 200 students enrolled in the spring. More courses could be available. The district is looking for ways to increase its advanced course offerings, including the addition of three new advanced placement classes this year, two of which are at Scott High School.

Students must have at least a 3.2 GPA and need recommendations from teachers and administrators, so unprepared students aren’t putting bad marks on their college transcripts.

“If we have students who are pushing themselves,” Mr. Gault said, “we are all for that.”

Only students who don’t have a laptop receive the free TPS one, and must return the computer after the course is over.

Buckeye CableSystem is a sister company of The Blade, and both are owned by Block Communications Inc.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086, or on Twitter @NolanRosenkrans.

First Published August 11, 2015, 4:00 a.m.