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How Utah Online School is giving students a second (or even third) chance

How Utah Online School is giving students a second (or even third) chance

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Pomp and circumstance aside, there’s something to be said about a high school diploma. The watershed moment of a young adult’s life, receiving that piece of paper represents opportunities opening far and wide — like better jobs and more money.

In fact, failing to finish high school will cost you big time down the line. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2010 to 2016 the mean earnings for workers with less than a high school education was $27,800 compared with $36,700 for those with a high school diploma or equivalent.

While most of Utah’s students complete their K-12 education, 12 percent do not. At 87 percent, Utah’s graduation rate is lower than the national average of 90 percent.

For students discouraged about their ability to catch up and complete, there’s hope: Utah Online School (UOS) is a free (or low cost), convenient way to add or make up credits, supplement your public school education, catch up with your peers and/or finish high school.

Regardless of your current situation, you’ve got a second (or third, or fourth) chance at success with UOS.

Skip the crowded classrooms

Everyone learns differently. For some, sharing the classroom with dozens of students (some less distracting than others) can be a challenge. According to the Utah State Board of Education, class sizes in secondary schools continue to grow each year, with the average for district secondary schools at 30 students in October 2017.

UOS provides go-at-your-own-pace online learning, with special help available for those who need it. Enrolled students can contact their teachers, attend open tutoring hours or watch help videos coordinating with their current course or lesson.

Don the cap and gown (on time)

No one likes to be left behind — particularly when it comes to opportunity. If you’re not on track to graduate on time, post-graduation plans like college or other training are in jeopardy. And when you have more credits to make up than you have time to take them, it’s easy to enter panic mode.

Don’t fret. With UOS, you can make up credits while staying enrolled in your district school. In fact, credit recovery is one of the school’s key focuses, with students able to recover as many courses as possible in a single quarter for a $50 flat fee. And with a wealth of course options, from honors to electives and driver’s education, there’s something to fill every credit need.

Last May, a concerned mother contacted UOS because her son Lincoln did not have enough credits to participate in his scheduled (imminent!) graduation. Using the UOS credit recovery program and working day and night, this student graduated on time and with his class — something neither Lincoln nor his mother thought possible.

Bridger, a current high school senior, was hoping to graduate early last December. But with a hectic work schedule, he got behind and failed his courses. Bridger was discouraged and didn’t know if he’d graduate at all. With the help of his grandmother, Bridger enrolled in the UOS credit recovery program, which he recently finished.

Thanks to its flexibility, consistent encouragement and constant contact, Bridger and his grandmother credit the UOS program for helping him reach his goal.

Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Get ahead with summer learning

Summer school can be a drag, especially when a rigid schedule interferes with seasonal jobs, extracurricular activities, family vacations and, well, fun. Online education is the perfect solution for students who want to use summer school to get ahead or to catch up.

With courses available to complete at your own pace and on your own schedule, there’s no either/or when it comes to summer learning. That means you still have time for soccer camp, a morning job at the snow cone shack or that family trip to Hawaii.

Take it easy

The school year can get pretty hectic. Between your academic load, extracurricular activities, sports participation and social calendar, you might be scrambling just to hand in your English paper on time. That’s why Utah Online School isn’t just for students who have fallen behind and need to recover credits. By enrolling in summer school, you’re taking a proactive approach to your education. Online education allows you to get a head start with high school before you step foot in the door.

For some, graduating early can be advantageous for schooling or employment plans. Summer courses or supplemental school-year courses through UOS can empower you to move your graduation date forward. If you’re an athlete, musician, thespian or have another hobby that requires your time, completing credits online during the summer months can lighten your load come fall, opening your schedule for elective courses or to pursue your passion.

Prep on your time

Not happy with your ACT score? If you could use a second chance on your college admissions test, you’re not alone. According to the ACT’s Condition of College & Career Readiness Report, only 39 percent of 2017 high school graduates met the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in at least three of the four core subject areas tested.

Make sure you’re ready for your college entrance exam — and college — by supplementing your education with UOS courses. Offering a free ACT prep course, UOS empowers students to achieve a great ACT score or improve their current score. Created, facilitated and monitored by a Utah-licensed teach with a master’s degree in education, the course offers blueprints for each ACT section as well as individual feedback and help.

Your education is in your hands. Get a second (or third) chance at success with Utah Online School.

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