Board recommendation: Lawmakers end funding for Electronic High School

Board recommendation: Lawmakers end funding for Electronic High School

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SALT LAKE CITY — Schools that use Utah's Electronic High School, a public program that offers an alternative way for students to earn credit, may have to find another online provider to continue offering those services to students.

The Utah State Board of Education voted Friday to recommend that the Legislature not renew a yearly appropriation of roughly $1.1 million for the program to free up funding for other priorities, such as an additional $10 million for expanding full-day kindergarten and a $50 million classroom technology program.

"Always asking for new money and never looking for lower priorities than the money you're asking for means that you oftentimes don't get money for things that are a very high priority," said State School Board Vice Chairwoman Jennifer Johnson. "We have a lot of things that we're asking for for this office this year."

Electronic High School is not a school as it doesn't have the ability to graduate students. But the program does serve students in 35 districts and 53 charter schools by helping them take extra courses or retake courses they did not pass.

The program operates year-round from an annual appropriation from the Legislature and does so at relatively low cost, according to Utah State Office of Education staff. The average cost per full credit for traditional schools is $834, but Electronic High School operates at $285 per credit at no cost to students.

During the 2014-15 school year, the program enrolled more than 7,400 students across the state.

Board member Dixie Allen said Electronic High School has been especially useful for students in rural schools, which may have limited resources in supplemental instruction for students.

"The Electronic High School has been very advantageous in rural Utah. It's been a good thing for them," Allen said.

But now that Utah schools have numerous similar programs to choose from, education leaders question whether Electronic High School is worth the money for duplicative services.


The Electronic High School has been very advantageous in rural Utah. It's been a good thing for them.

–Dixie Allen, Utah


"Since there are so many other options, I see this as less value than it once was —not that it is without value — and of less value than our other priorities," Johnson said. "I think it's more likely for us to get some really critical needs for this office if we make this recommendation to the Legislature."

Some board members disagreed with the recommendation.

"I think there has been a lot of value in electronic high school," said board member Barbara Corry. "I just don't think we have the knowledge and the information and have had enough discussion to make that kind of recommendation."

The board passed the measure in a 12-2 vote.

The decision doesn't bring any immediate changes to the program. But if lawmakers follow the recommendation, education leaders say there is money available to phase out the program while allowing enrolled students to finish their courses. Schools would then have to take on the cost of offering similar services to their students.

Some school districts have already entered cooperative agreements to offer those services as a consortium. Others have adopted their own program.

In addition to funding for full-day kindergarten and classroom technology, education leaders are also hoping for extra money for special education, professional development for teachers and an increase to the weighted pupil unit, Utah's measure for equalized per-student funding.

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Morgan Jacobsen

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