Schools generate funding based on student enrollment. To generate accurate totals and comply with Utah law and USBE rule, we must accurately report enrollment based on the amount of each day that a student attends. When a student is scheduled for less than a full day’s worth of classes (either because of the choice of the student’s legal guardian or because there are insufficient numbers of courses to fill a schedule), the enrollment percentage for that student needs to be reduced.
We must also reduce a student’s enrollment percentage when a charter school or homeschool student elects to enroll for a portion of their day in a District school. Charter school students may participate in “extra/co-curricular enrollment” and homeschool students may “dual enroll” (please visit the corresponding link for additional information).
Do I have to complete this form for a student who takes religious release time? No. USBE Rule R277-419-6-11 allows schools to count a student at full enrollment if they are participating in one period of religious instruction, provided that period is recorded on the student’s “Plan for College and Career Readiness” (and is listed in the student’s schedule).
Can a student participate in an activity outside of school and still count as fully enrolled? Maybe. USBE Rule R277-419-6 11 allows school’s to count one period per day of “individual learning activity” as full enrollment, provided that activity is recorded on the student’s “Plan for College and Career Readiness.” However, a student may be counted for religious instruction OR an individual learning activity. Participating in both activities may necessitate a reduction in enrollment percentage. In either case, counting an activity outside the school setting for enrollment would require principal approval and consultation with Planning & Enrollment.
Isn’t there some amount of “free” time that a student could miss where we don’t have to reduce enrollment? No. If a student is regularly leaving the school setting for other activities or purposes, their enrollment must be reduced.
What about students who are doing SEATS or SOEP classes? Because these classes are typically done off school property and under the direction of the student’s guardian, we use the same release form to process these changes. This allows the parent to be aware of requirements for the student to leave campus when they are not participating in regular classes.
However, SEATS or SOEP classes can be counted towards enrollment, so these courses are entered in the “Academic Release” section of the form and the enrollment percentage is not changed.
Can’t I just put “Educational Release” in a schedule to cover the places where we can’t find a class for a student? No. This would be claiming the student as enrolled and participating in instructional activities when we know that is not the case and generating enrollment funding that we do not have a right to claim. An “Educational Release” course can be used as a placeholder in a student’s schedule while their SEATS or SOEP enrollment is being processed.
PLEASE USE ONLY THE CURRENT ONLINE FORM. All copies of previous versions should be retired.