Created:  16 April 2021
Modified:  4 June 2024
Approved: 11 December 2024

Participation in Online Education

Information and Notices—

 Information about online courses and programs available through the Statewide Online Education Program shall be provided in school registration materials, posted on the District’s website, and posted on school websites. Information in registration materials shall be provided concurrent with the high school registration period for the upcoming school year.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(4), (5) (August 8, 2023)

Eligibility of District Students for Online Courses—

With the advice of a school counselor at the student’s District school, a student enrolled in the District may enroll in a course offered through the Statewide Online Education Program to earn middle school or high school credit if the student meets the course prerequisites, the course is open for enrollment, and the course is aligned with the student’s plan for college and career readiness. Unless the District allows an exception, the student may enroll for a maximum of six credits per school year.

Utah Code § 53F-4-501(4) (2024)

Utah Code § 53F-4-503(1), (2), (3) (2024)

Facilitating Enrollment in Online Courses—

District schools shall facilitate student enrollment with any eligible online course providers selected by an eligible student, consistent with course credit limits. If an eligible student has an IEP or a Section 504 accommodation plan, the student’s District school shall forward a copy of the IEP or accommodation plan to an authorized online course provider in accordance with federal law and guidelines and shall ensure that the authorized online course provider is provided with an eligible student’s updated IEP when revisions are made. The student’s District school may ensure that the student’s IEP team and the online course provider review a course enrollment to ensure that the student meets enrollment requirements and may as needed coordinate additional IEP team reviews with the online course provider to ensure that appropriate services, supports, and accommodations are in place for the student.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(1) (August 8, 2023)

Utah Code § 53F-4-503(1), (10)(a) (2024)

Coordination With Online Course Provider—

For each student enrolled in an online course offered through the Statewide Online Education Program, the District shall enter into a course credit acknowledgment agreement in which the online course provider acknowledges that it is responsible for instruction of the student in the online course and in which the District and the online course provider agree on a process to provide the student’s District school with the ability to ensure the consistency of a course request with a student’s IEP or Section 504 accommodation plan, graduation requirements, and (if applicable) the student’s schedule. The agreement shall also meet the other requirements specified in Utah Code § 53F-4-508.

Utah Code § 53F-4-508(1) (2024)

Course Credit—

District schools shall include the online courses of students enrolled in the school in the student’s enrollment records and, upon course completion, shall include online course grades and credits on the student’s transcripts. Credits for courses completed before grade 9 will be recognized for purposes of high school graduation.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(6), (7) (August 8, 2023)

Yearly Credit Limitation and Exceptions—

A student enrolled in an online course may not earn more credits in a year than would be earned by taking a full course load during the regular school day at the student’s District school which is the student’s primary school of enrollment. However, this limitation does not apply if the Board of Education has adopted a policy which permits otherwise or if the student intends to complete high school graduation requirements early and exit high school early in accordance with the student’s plan for college and career readiness.

Utah Code § 53F-4-509(1), (2), (3) (2024) 

Inclusion in Daily Membership—

The online course credit hours of students enrolled in online courses whose primary enrollment is in a District school are included in calculating District daily enrollment except to the extent that doing so would result in the student being counted as more than one FTE. (This restriction does not apply if the student intends to complete high school graduation requirements early and exit high school early in accordance with the student’s plan for college and career readiness.)

Utah Code § 53F-4-509(1), (2), (3) (2024) 

Access to Facilities—

District schools shall provide to enrolled students who are enrolled in online classes access to facilities for such students to participate in an online course during the regular school day.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(10) (August 8, 2023)

Students Eligible for Fee Waiver—

If an enrolled student is eligible for fee waiver, District schools shall provide the student access to an online course by either allowing the student access to necessary technology to participate in the online course in a computer lab or other space within the school building during a school period or during the regular school day or by providing the student with the technology and wi-fi needed to participate in the online course outside of the school building.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(9) (August 8, 2023)