Participation in Statewide Online Education Program
SOEP
Adopted: 9/10/25
Philosophy
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance and direction on how the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) operates with the District schools and students.
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 7, 2024)
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. The student, parents, and school counselor shall determine if a SOEP course is in the best interest of the student. If the school counselor determines the course request does not align with the students graduation plan and rejects the course request, the South Sanpete School District Business Administrator must also be notified to reject that course request as they are listed as the primary approver.
The South Sanpete School District currently receives funding reimbursement from the Utah State Board of Education for the cost of the District’s high school students taking the SOEP courses. In the best interest of the student and proper use of taxpayer dollars, students will normally not be allowed to sign up for a SOEP course they have previously failed or attempted and did not complete. More than likely a better option for that student would be to take the same course at the school or enroll in a credit recovery course. Only in very limited situations will the same course that was previously failed or not completed be approved for a second time for the same student.
Utah Code § 53F-4-501(4) (2025)
Utah Code § 53F-4-503(1), (2), (3) (2025)
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 7, 2024)
Utah Code § 53F-4-503(1), (10)(a) (2025)
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 graduation requirements, the student’s plan for college and career readiness, and (if applicable) the student’s schedule. If a student has an IEP or Section 504 plan, the District shall forward a copy of the relevant portion of the student’s existing IEP or Section 504 accommodation plan to the online course provider in accordance with federal law and regulations, ensure the student’s IEP team and the online course provider review a course enrollment for compliance, coordinate additional IEP team reviews as necessary with the online course provider to ensure appropriate services, supports, and accommodations are in place for the student, and ensure that the online course provider is included in a student’s IEP revision. These actions shall be completed within a timeline consistent with IDEA requirements. The agreement shall also meet the other requirements specified in Utah Code § 53F-4-508.
Utah Code § 53F-4-508(1) (2024)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-3(4) (August 7, 2024)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-8(6) (August 7, 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 high school courses completed before grade 9 will be recognized for purposes of high school graduation. Statewide Online Education Program course credits are for original credit. If a student fails an online course that grade will be reflected on their high school transcript. If a student fails to complete the online course, a “NG” or “I” will go on their high school transcript for that course.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(6), (7) (August 7, 2024)
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)
Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(1), (3) (August 7, 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 Services
The District shall provide enrolled students who are enrolled in online classes with student leadership opportunities, sports, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, counseling, graduation, and other services offered to students generally without consideration of relative levels of participation in traditional courses versus online education courses.
Utah Admin. Rules R277-726-5(10), (11) (August 7, 2024)
SOEP Course Request Decision Tree
The SOEP Course Request Decision Tree created by the USBE will be used to help guide counselors.
