Board approves BYU packet courses for high school to comply with HB 191

The Murray School District Board of Education voted Oct. 2 to approve a set of packet-based high school courses so the district can continue using a packet method for original and makeup credit under changes enacted in House Bill 191.

Director Eschler described the change as arising from the 2024 legislative session and told the board HB 191 established oversight and standards for credit awarded via the packet method, defined as "any sort of credit that a high school student does with no to minimal direct and teacher instruction." She said packets may not be used to replace grades for GPA improvement and may be used only for original credit or makeup credit as defined in the statute. The district chose to use its local instructional materials review process rather than submit every packet to the Utah State Board of Education for review.

"We organized an instructional materials review committee that included administration from Murray High, teachers, an instructional coach and parents," Eschler said, noting the committee met Sept. 17 and voted unanimously to recommend approval of the courses in the board packet. "The only the only courses that will be approved through the packet method will be the courses that the board approves."

Eschler said many of the approved courses are BYU online modules that align with Murray High courses and that some students use packet options to fit required classes into busy schedules rather than to avoid taking in-person classes. The district will add the approved packet courses to the high school course catalog and attach them to state course codes so Murray High is the awarding LEA for those credits.

A board member moved to approve the packets for credit program as required by HB 191; a second followed and the motion passed after an oral vote.

The board recorded no roll-call votes on the record; the motion was announced as passing after the vote.