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District eSchool enrollment and cost review: staff propose outreach, tracking to retain online credits locally
Summary
District eSchool staff reported enrollment, pass rates and costs, and proposed counselors promote the district BYU-based program and limit out-of-district online enrollments to retain funds and improve outcomes.
Provo School District’s online education coordinator briefed the board on March 28 about eSchool enrollment, pass rates and program costs and proposed counselor outreach and tracking to retain online course enrollments within the district‑run program.
John Anderson reported third‑quarter data current to March: 610 high‑school students were enrolled in 1,434 course enrollments (each enrollment = 0.25 credit), producing the equivalent of roughly 51 full classrooms; K–8 online activity included 62 students in 301 elective course enrollments. He said about 64 percent of online classes (of equivalent classroom sections) resulted in passing grades; district staff said many non‑passing students were already academically behind and often struggle in highly reading‑ or math‑intensive online coursework.
Budget and vendor dynamics drew particular attention. Anderson said the district spends about $900,000 annually on its own eSchool staffing, stipends and curriculum (BYU‑sourced curriculum for high‑school offerings), and the district also reimbursed other online providers (notably Utah Online School — UOS) roughly the equivalent of an additional $900,000 this year because students signed up through SOEP (the state’s School Online Education Program) with other providers. The combined outflow effectively made the total district cost for online instruction approach $1.8 million in the period discussed.
Staff described two near-term responses: (1) have counselors proactively present the district’s BYU‑based eSchool product (which has been updated since COVID) and (2) begin tracking students who enroll in external providers so counselors can counsel families about limits on the number of external credits and discuss the district program as an alternative. The state allows students to pick SOEP providers; staff said they cannot ban families from outside vendors but can educate and set practical limits (consistent with state policy) on the number of external credits a district will allow without an approved early‑graduation plan.
Board members requested clearer monthly reporting on which students take external SOEP courses, an accounting of the district’s per‑student costs vs. external vendor costs, and a pilot of “tracker” outreach to see whether retention of local enrollments improves cost and completion rates.
Ending: District staff will share monthly lists of students enrolled via external SOEP vendors, meet with counselors to promote the district eSchool offering, and trial targeted outreach to increase retention of local enrollments.
