The Tuition-Free Online Education Benefit Utah Families Already Fund but Most Have Never Used

Every Utah student in grades 6 through 12 holds an education benefit most families have never used. Since 2011, the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP) has let any student in those grades take online courses tuition-free, funded by the Utah taxpayer, while staying enrolled at their current school. Yet the Legislature's own auditors found in 2024 that the program's enrollment system leaves students and parents unaware of the options available to them. As families settle into a new school year, Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA), one of Utah's most experienced online school providers, is working to make sure parents know what they already own, and that enrollment for the new school year is open now.

The demand exists. In 2023, more than 1,100 SOEP enrollment requests were rejected for one reason: families did not complete registration on two separate systems the process required. The audit also found that only 11 percent of enrollments over five years were reviewed by school counselors, the very people positioned to tell families the program exists. The findings prompted improvements now underway at the state level, and UTVA's enrollment team walks families through every step so no student is lost to paperwork.

“For many families who come to Utah Virtual Academy, SOEP is the reason online learning was ever an option. Wherever a student lives, they get the same highly qualified Utah teachers, trained specifically in online delivery, and the same Core-aligned coursework as a student in the largest district.”

Meghan Merideth, Executive Director of UTVA

The program reaches students the traditional system often cannot. A rural student can take a course no local school offers. A student athlete or performer can build a schedule around training and travel. A high achiever can clear schedule conflicts and move faster. One UTVA student used SOEP to enroll at Mountainland Technical College, where she is finishing a CNA program and an associate degree while still in high school.

Lacey Robinson, UTVA's Elementary School Principal, said the growth of school choice reflects how much students differ.

“When I was going to school, there was one way to do it. You either succeeded or you didn't. We don't live in that type of world anymore. Kids have all kinds of different needs, and thank goodness we have options that meet them.”

Lacey Robinson, UTVA Elementary School Principal

For families whose children need more than one class, UTVA's full-time program offers live daily instruction from certified Utah teachers, small class sizes, and a complete K-12 curriculum aligned to Utah State Standards, including electives, career and technical education pathways, and concurrent enrollment. Students learn in an environment built around the student, not the building, with counselors, advisors, and support staff behind them.

Robinson, who has served UTVA for 14 years in roles from teacher to math interventionist to principal, said the biggest misconception is that online school is something less than school.

“People think we're a homeschool program. We're not. Our teachers are licensed Utah teachers, our students attend live classes, and I do all the same things the principal down the road does. I just have to be more creative about how I do them.”

Lacey Robinson, UTVA Elementary School Principal

Merideth said families should not mistake flexibility for lowered expectations.

“Online education done well is not a lesser version of the classroom. It changes the conditions, not the expectations. Done well, it asks more of them, not less.”

Meghan Merideth, Executive Director of UTVA

Open enrollment for the 2026-27 school year runs through October 1, with monthly cohorts after that as space allows. Families can enroll full-time at utahvirtualacademy.org/enrollment, explore part-time SOEP courses at utahvirtualacademy.org/academics/soep, or contact LuAnn Charles at (801) 688-2104. UTVA's enrollment team helps families complete every required step of the state process.

Media interviews available: UTVA leadership and families are available for interviews on how the program works, what the audit found, and what parents should know about the options their taxes already fund. Contact Cory Maloy to schedule.

About Utah Virtual Academy

Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA) is a tuition-free, accredited online public charter school serving K-12 students across Utah. With flexible full-time and part-time enrollment options, live instruction from certified Utah teachers, and a curriculum aligned to state standards, UTVA provides personalized, high-quality education that meets students where they are. Learn more at utahvirtualacademy.org.