Provo School Board approves eSchool restructure to contract with Utah Online School
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Summary
The Provo City School District board voted unanimously to restructure its eSchool program, contracting with Utah Online School for much of secondary online instruction, a move the district says will save roughly $500,000 while allowing competency-based options and GED testing.
The Provo City School District Board of Education on Tuesday approved a plan to restructure its eSchool program and contract with Utah Online School for much of online instruction, a change district leaders said will reduce costs and expand options for students.
District leaders presented the plan during the Jan. 27 business meeting, saying the proposal would shift original-credit and credit-recovery instruction for grades 9–12 to Utah Online and offer elementary families the option of an online charter or contracted service. Superintendent Wendy Dowell said the move could cut roughly $500,000 from current spending and reduce per-elementary-student costs “from over $5,000… to just over $2,200.”
Board members emphasized continuity of service and financial impacts on staff. Lisa Boyse noted the district’s total eSchool cost last year was $833,000 and raised concerns about teachers who earn supplemental income through district-run online courses. Dowell said affected teachers could pursue positions with BYU Online or Utah Online, and that roughly 1.5 full-time-equivalent positions remain tied to elementary online services.
After discussion, board member Emily Harrison moved to approve the restructure and rename the program “Provo City School District Online Services.” Meg Van Wagonen seconded. Because a member participated via Zoom, the board conducted a roll-call vote; all voting members present cast ‘aye’ and the motion passed unanimously.
The approved plan also includes provisions staff said would permit homebound instruction for students hospitalized or otherwise unable to attend in person, and would enable the district to introduce competency-based education options and serve as a GED testing site to award credit toward diplomas. District leaders said counselors report higher student completion rates in Utah Online’s format compared with the district’s current eSchool model.
The board did not adopt additional financial mitigations for employees at the meeting but discussed possible options such as preserving opportunities to sell a seventh-period prep or enabling staff to apply for outside online positions. Officials said they will incorporate contractual language about special cases (for example, homebound instruction) as needed.
The vote completes the board’s action on the restructure; district staff will implement the contract and related operational steps under board direction.