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Scan the QR code or use the link below

Direct Link

tinyurl.com/soeput

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To build trust through transparency and ensure a clear understanding

of the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP).

LEA Support for the SOEP

SOEP Decision Tree

Operational Goal: Master SEATS procedures, including statutory acceptance and rejection windows and the roles of counselors and Primary Approvers.

sarOffers Concurrent Enrollment

Open Enrollment for 9-12

Graduation Alignment

Check that the course request aligns with the student’s graduation plan.

Submit in SEATS

Submit a recommendation within 3 business days from submission utilizing the SOEP Course Request Decision Tree.

Accommodations

Ensure IEP, 504, and/or MLL plan boxes are selected and specific accommodations are added in SEATS.

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Final Authority

The Primary Approver (Business Administrator or District Lead) holds the final decision on all course requests.

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3-Day Window

Must approve or reject course requests within 3 business days from submission based on the counselor's recommendation.

Auto Approval

Statute requires the USBE to approve requests on the 4th business day if no action is taken.

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Adding SOEP Courses to the SIS

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Accurate Funding

Adding these courses ensures accurate funding, as some SIS systems generate funding directly based on the number of courses in a student's schedule.

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Placeholder Codes

Generic codes serve as a placeholder until official transcripts arrive, allowing for accurate final recording.

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Release Time Funding Limitation

SOEP courses marked as release time will not be funded as only one release time is funded.

SOEP Canyons District

Course Code: 25-01-00-00-051�Cactus ID: 769326

SOEP Mountain Heights Academy

Course Code: 25-01-00-00-055�Cactus ID: 769330

SOEP Utah Virtual

Course Code: 25-01-00-00-052�Cactus ID: 769327

SOEP Davis Connect

Course Code: 25-01-00-00-059�Cactus ID: 795093

SOEP Innovation Online

Course Code: 25-01-00-00-060�Cactus ID: 819423

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SOEP Washington (Utah Online)

Course Code: 25-01-00-00-050�Cactus ID: 769325

Process Goal: Understand the lifecycle of a course request to anticipate when funding will be distributed and the timeline for student withdrawal before funding is distributed.

1. Pending Execution

Course Credit Acknowledgement (CCA)

2. Enrollment Complete

3. Confirmed

Summary of Funding: Funding is distributed when a course moves to Confirmed, Pass All Complete, Late Pass Course Extension or Late Pass Course Reinstatement.

Confirmed

50%

of the course fee is paid by the LEA to the Online Provider

Pass All Complete

or Late Pass Course Extension

50%

Remaining course fee is paid by the LEA to the Online Provider

Late Pass Course Reinstatement

30%

of the remaining course fee is paid by the LEA to the Online Provider

Financial Goal: Protect LEA budgets and maximize funding by leveraging Small School grants, navigating over-enrollment, and managing incomplete SOEP courses, credit recovery, and grade replacement options.

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$899

Weighted Average Course Fee (25-26)

Based on all courses actually taken through the SOEP

Tiers 1–3

High Priority

Expected to receive full funding as a primary allocation target.

Tiers 4–6

Lower Priority

Funding is subject to availability at year-end after higher tiers are satisfied.

Funding is prioritized based on the difficulty of providing college and career-ready coursework due to:

How do I know what tier my school is?

Every LEA was notified by the SOEP via email of their tier this past academic year.

Tiers Access

Tiers may also be viewed on the official list:

Small Schools Tier list - Updated Jan. 2026

Future Funding

Will this funding be available in the future?

• Available for the 26-27 school year.
• Tiers are not anticipated to change much for 26-27.
• Funding status for 27-28 is currently unknown.

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1. Request & Approval

• Course Request: The student requests an SOEP course

• Approval: The Primary LEA and the Online Provider reviewed and approved the request

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2. Active Participation

After 20 school days from the course start date, the Online Provider verifies the student met active participation requirements.

• Logged into the course one or more times
• Submitted one or more graded assignments
• Did not request to withdraw

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3. Payment

If the student meets the active participation requirements for the course, 50% of the course fee is paid from the LEA to the Online Provider.

The flow of funds can be viewed on the monthly allotment memo under the following codes.

• Primary LEA: PPBO

• Online Provider: PPBD

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4. Course Completion

The Primary LEA pays the Online Provider the remaining course fees based on course completion:

• 50% of the Course Fee: Student completed the course by the course end date or within 9 weeks (Extension)

• 30% of the Course Fee: Student completed the course late (Reinstatement)

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Small Schools Grant Recipients: LEAs may view reimbursements on their allotment memo under OCCA, while Online Providers may view corresponding payments under SOEF.

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Summer SOEP Courses

Summer SOEP courses are part of the student’s overall enrollment and should be counted towards their membership.

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Over-Enrollment & Early Graduation

Select this tag in the SIS to ensure the LEA is being funded for students who are over-enrolled, intend to graduate early, and have an early graduation plan.

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Incomplete SOEP Courses

Students who do not complete a course receive an NG or I. The LEA is not required to approve additional course requests for this specific course in SEATS, and can request an extension or reinstatement.

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Credit Recovery & Replacement

SOEP courses are strictly for original credit. The LEA is not obligated to approve credit recovery or grade replacement courses through the SOEP.

Oversight #1- Summer SOEP Courses

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Enrollment & Membership

Summer SOEP courses are part of the student’s overall enrollment and should be counted towards their membership.

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Accurate Recording

To ensure accurate membership, these courses should be recorded on the student’s next academic year schedule.

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Full-Time Load & Funding

If combined enrollment exceeds a full-time load, an early graduation plan is required for additional funding eligibility.

Oversight #1- Summer SOEP Course Options

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LEA Course Rejection

If a summer course causes a student to exceed full-time enrollment between summer and their fall and spring schedule, the LEA may reject those courses.

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Simultaneous Drop/Add

An online request constitutes a simultaneous request to drop a duplicated physical course.

Schedules must be adjusted so combined credits do not exceed full-time enrollment limits.

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Early Graduation Plan

If a student intends to graduate early, an early graduation plan can be established.

Student membership days may be increased in the SIS to account for these excess credits.

Oversight #2- Over-Enrollment and the Early Graduation Tag

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A student may not count as more than one full-time enrollment (FTE), unless they have an Early Graduation Plan in place. (This intent is non-binding)

Over-Enrollment Funding Checklist

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LEA Requirements for Over-Enrollment Funding

• Select the “Early Graduation” tag for the student in SEATS and your SIS
• Include the SOEP course(s) in the student’s schedule
• Increase the student’s membership days in the SIS for excess credits
• Refer to your IT Department/administration on who’s role this would be

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Increasing Membership

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Calculation for Over-Enrolled Students

Step 1: Divide your LEA's full-time load by 180 (days in membership).

Step 2: Use the resulting number of additional membership days to calculate the student's increased funding amount per credit hour.

For a 1.0 credit excess:

22.5 days Round up to 23 Days

Total Membership Days: 180 + 23 = 203 Days

Background

A student enrolled in an LEA where full-time is defined as 8 credits per year.

Current Load:

• 7.0 Credits (Primary LEA)

• 2.0 Credits (SOEP)

= 9.0 Credits Total

(1.0 Credit Excess)

Note: The student intends to graduate early and has established an Early Graduation Plan. It is indicated in the SIS.

Over-Enrollment Question

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If a student has a full schedule, and requests an SOEP course that is already on their schedule, can the LEA reject it?

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Answer & Regulatory Guidance

The primary school shall consider an online request to constitute a simultaneous request to drop a duplicated physical course in favor of the online course. R277-726-3 (3)(b)

A student may alter a course schedule by dropping a physical course and adding an online course in accordance with the primary school's same established deadline for dropping and adding physical courses. R277-726-4 (6)(a)

Over-Enrollment Scenario 1

Full-time enrollment is defined locally by each LEA. In this scenario, it is 8 credit hours/year, with no release time (seminary).

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Scenario: A student requests two SOEP .50 credit summer classes and has a full schedule (8 credits) for Fall/Spring.

Total Load: 9 credits total

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LEA Options:

1. If the student intends to graduate early, the LEA would establish an early graduation plan and increase membership to fund the excess credits.
2. Reduce the Fall/Spring schedule so total enrollment does not exceed 8 credit hours.

Full-time enrollment is defined locally by each LEA. In this scenario, it is 8 credit hours/year, with one release time period (seminary).

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Scenario: A student requests 2 SOEP credits for Fall/Spring. They are enrolled at school for 7 credits for Fall/Spring and seminary.

Total Load: 9 credits total

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LEA Options:

1. If the student intends to graduate early, the LEA would establish an early graduation plan and increase membership to fund the excess credits.
2. Reduce the Fall/Spring schedule so total enrollment does not exceed a full-time load (8 credits).

Over-Enrollment Scenario 3

Full-time enrollment is defined locally by each LEA. In this scenario, it is 8 credit hours/year, with one release time period (seminary).

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Scenario: A student is enrolled in 7.0 credits for Fall and Spring plus seminary. They request 0.5 SOEP credits.

Total Load: 7.5 credits total

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Is this student over-enrolled?

No.

• The student does not exceed the 8 credit hour limit.
• One release time period will be funded for a full-time enrollment of 8 credit hours.

Oversight #3- Incomplete SOEP Courses

Incomplete SOEP Courses

Students who do not complete an SOEP course will receive an NG or I on their transcript from the Online Provider or a grade for .25 credit instead of the .50 credit requested.

Restrictions

• The NG or I may not be changed to an F
• Students are ineligible for credit recovery

LEA Protection

Recording the NG or I allows the LEA to:

• Reject future requests for the same course
• Stop paying for the same credit twice

Cost Reduction

Ensuring Primary Approvers and counselors are aware of these options can significantly reduce unnecessary costs for your LEA.

Options for students who did not complete their SOEP course

If a student maintained active participation in the course, they are eligible for the following options to earn credit:

*The Online Provider retains discretion to approve or deny course extensions or reinstatements

Option 1: Course Extension

A student, parent, or counselor may request a course extension with the Online Provider to complete the course.

• This request must be submitted within 9 weeks of the original course end date or the Online Provider’s extension deadline
• Because the deadline is fixed, the later a request is made in the nine week period, the less time a student has to work
• If the course is completed following the extension, the LEA pays the remaining 50% of the course fee

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Option 2: Course Reinstatement

Once the extension period has passed, the student, parent or counselor may request that the course be reinstated anytime before a student’s graduation cohort date.

check_circleIf the course is completed following reinstatement, the LEA pays the remaining 30% of the course fee.

If a student maintained active participation in the course, they are eligible for the following options to earn credit:

Option 3: LEA Enrollment

The school may allow the student to take the course and earn credit through their Primary School.

Option 4: Third Party

The student may seek credit through a third-party option at their own expense.

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Oversight #4- Credit Recovery & Grade Replacement

SOEP Course Request Decision Tree: Is the request for original credit?

Original Credit

SOEP courses are intended for original credit.

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Credit Recovery

• LEAs are not required to approve.
• Local programs are generally more cost-effective.

Grade Replacement

• LEAs are not required to approve through the SOEP.

Strategic Goal: Leverage SOEP enrollment data to guide master scheduling, inform staffing, expand academic pathways, and tailor local course offerings.

Board Rule R277-726-6 (16):

“Upon request from a primary LEA, the Superintendent shall provide an itemized report, by student and course enrolled, showing deductions described in Subsection 53F-4-508(2).”

The LEA can request a SOEP monthly report that details all enrollment data and financial obligations.

Column Definitions

• Current Period Offset: Amount reflected on the upcoming period allotment memo under PPBO.
• YTD (Year to date) Offset: Cumulative offset for the fiscal year.
• Sum of Course Fee/Encumbered: Total amount allocated or encumbered for courses.
• Sum of Credit Attempted: Total credits sought. (Note: Will not match 1:1 earned credits due to early withdrawal, lack of active participation, etc.)

1.Sign up to receive the SOEP monthly report using the QR code.

2.Review your district’s data each month.

3.Reach out to Elijah Whitaker with any specific questions or for a deep dive into the data.

Scan to Sign Up

Monthly SOEP Summary

Allotment Memo Offsets

• PPBO: SOEP Course Fees
• OCCA: Small Schools Grant Reimbursements

Credits By Course Category

Strategic Actions:

• Expand course offerings and CTE pathways
• Elevate teacher quality
• Open an online school within the LEA

"With online learning trends rising, how are we positioning our LEA to lead rather than react?"

Recommendations and Resources

Recommended SOEP Best Practices for LEAs

Administrative Setup

Ensure clear communication and funding alignment:

• Establish a process for Primary Approvers to track counselor recommendations in SEATS
• Add SOEP classes to student schedules to secure funding
• Review SOEP course enrollments for students checking out/transfering
• Refer to USBE Cactus Codes for accuracy

Training

Stay current with program requirements and skills:

• Receive annual mandatory SOEP training
• Attend SOEP virtual mini-trainings specifically designed to support LEAs

Operational Tools

Utilize SOEP resources for decision making:

• SOEP Course Request Decision Tree
• LEA Staff and Counselor Handbook
• SOEP Course Guidance for Middle School Students
• SOEP Course Enrollment Guidance Document: Q&A

Feedback & Professional Development

https://tinyurl.com/soepfeedback

Visit our website:

www.schools.utah.gov/soep

Meagan Johnston, M.Ed.

SOEP Program Manager

email meagan.johnston@schools.utah.gov

phone 801-538-7783

Cynthia White, Ph.D.

SOEP Academic Counselor

email cynthia.white@schools.utah.gov

phone 801-538-7783