Online Courses (Outside Credits)

IMPORTANT!  Students and parents should discuss their education plans and outside credit options with their Counselor BEFORE taking ANY online/outside courses for credit.  There are a lot of options for online learning these days and there are many important factors to consider, like is the program accredited, will the course meet PCHS graduation requirements, etc. Your Counselor can help you find the right program for your needs, but ultimately, all decisions regarding the selection and completion of outside credit courses are the responsibility of the student and parents.

"I’ve heard that online classes are easier than regular classes." Actually, online classes can be more difficult to complete than live classes. There is more responsibility on the student to perform as the teacher is not in regular proximity to provide live encouragement. Successful online students need to be motivated, self-disciplined, and have good time management.

Is online learning right for my student?  Online learning is not for every student, but it can be an excellent choice for some. You do need to understand that learning online can be just as difficult and sometimes more difficult than taking a class in a traditional classroom. You can use the information and questions in this document to decide if online learning is right for you.

Attention Athletes!  If you plan to participate in NCAA Division I, II, or III athletics in college, it is your responsibility to make sure the online classes you choose meet NCAA eligibility requirements. Contact the online program directly and refer to the NCAA website NCAA.org.  NOTE: If you are taking Utah Students Connect online courses, DO NOT list Utah Students Connect as a separate school on your NCAA account. Only list Park City High School--we are the approved school that awards you the grade and credit for UTSC courses.

How are online courses added to your PCHS official transcript?  Park City High School is obligated to accept high school credits from other educational institutions reflecting the appropriate accreditation. See the Transfer Grades and Outside Credits section for important information on accreditation and how online classes are transcribed onto the Park City High School transcript. Park City High School must receive an OFFICIAL signed and sealed transcript DIRECTLY from the other school. We cannot accept transcripts from students or parents, unless they are received in an unopened physical envelope that was signed and sealed by the sending school. Park City High School reserves the right to deny credits that are not properly accredited or approved

Choosing an Online Learning Program

Online learning should always be discussed with your school counselor BEFORE enrolling in ANY program. We've compiled a Comparison of Online Learning Programs for Grades 9-12 document to help students and parents choose a program that best fits their needs. While this document provides an overview of the kinds of online providers available and important things to consider when deciding whether online learning is right for you, it is NOT a substitute for meeting with your counselor.

Utah Students Connect

The Park City School District’s online education option is Utah Students Connect (UTSC).  Utah Students Connect is NOT a separate school; it is a consortium of Utah public school districts that provides innovative, quality online curriculum that was developed by highly qualified Utah teachers who also teach the course, and is written to the Utah Core Standards. For more information about UTSC, including courses offered and rules and policies, see the UTSC Student & Parent Manual. To sign up for UTSC courses, see your School Counselor.

• To be eligible for UTSC courses, students must be enrolled in their boundary school in one of the participating school districts: Cache, Jordan, Murray, Nebo, Park City, Salt Lake.
• Courses are offered by quarter credit and adhere to a quarter term schedule with completion deadlines. Courses are NOT open-ended and there should be NO expectation that deadlines can be extended.
• Students can enroll for original credit or credit recovery. There’s no cost for original credit during the school year, but fees do apply for summer term and credit recovery.
• Each course has an in-person proctored final.
• Park City High School awards the course grade and credit and records it on the student’s official PCHS transcript. Utah Students Connect is NOT a separate school and does not have a separate transcript.

Statewide Online Education Program

The Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) is offered by the Utah State Office of Education. The program enables Utah students to earn high school graduation credit through the completion of publicly funded online courses provided by Utah public schools accredited for 9-12th grade education. Refer to the Statewide Online Education Program website for participating online providers, course offerings, registration information, policies and more. Some important notes about this program:

• Students maintain regular enrollment at their boundary school, and essential services such as graduation and access to a counselor are available at that school, as are co-curricular activities such as choir and band, extracurricular activities, and sports participation.
• SOEP online credits REPLACE and do not supplement courses taken at the student’s primary school of enrollment. A student may not earn more credits in a year than the number of credits that the student would earn by taking a full course load at their primary school of enrollment. For each SOEP credit taken, the equivalent credit amount is removed from the student's PCHS class schedule and is replaced with Parent Release to give the student time to work on their SOEP course.
• A student may be eligible to earn more credits in a year than the number of credits he or she may earn by taking a full course load, if that student intends to complete high school graduation requirements and exit high school early. To be eligible, students must complete a Declaration of Intent to Graduate Early form with their school counselor. This form also applies if a student wishes to earn high school graduation credit via SOEP prior to their 9th grade academic year.
• Students must enroll using the SEATS web application provided online by the Utah State Board of Education. If you are enrolling directly from a provider's website, be sure you are using SEATS to enroll in individual courses (do not use the provider's full-time student method).

Other Online and Outside Providers

Listed below are a few examples of other online/outside providers that some of our students have had success with. You are encouraged to do your own research, and seek advice from your counselor, if you are unsure which online/outside program to use. PCHS and PCSD do not actively endorse any of these programs--they are listed here as a courtesy.

BYU Independent Study High School Courses
Educational Advantage
Northridge Learning Center/Dorius Academy
University of Utah High School University Program