Frequently Asked Questions

We accept Utah students in grades 7-12. We also accept part-time and full-time students, NCAA student athletes and students who have IEP or 504 plans. 

Mountain Heights Academy serves Utah residents statewide. Students who meet the Utah State Board of Education’s residency requirements are eligible to attend. 

We are tuition-free and we don’t charge fees for supplies.  As a public charter school, we are funded by the state of Utah, just like your neighborhood school. Students who choose to take concurrent enrollment classes will be subject to select fees; learn more about that fee schedule here.

Yes! We accept both part-time and full-time students. Our part-time students enroll through the Statewide Online Education Program (SOEP). Mountain Heights is also one of two Utah schools that allow part-time students to take concurrent enrollment classes.  

No. We are an online public charter school serving Utah students in grades 7-12. Families have flexibility, and parental involvement is appreciated, but it is not required. 

We proudly serve students with IEPs and 504 plans. Our special education case managers and school counselors will contact you to ensure appropriate accommodations and support are in place.

Visit our enrollment page. Our online form walks you through the process step by step. We recommend applying earlier rather than later, since part of the state-required application involves gathering documents like birth certificates, immunization records and transcripts, which can take time.

You will hear from us within one week of the lottery period in which you applied. Please check the email address you provided for an official notification. 

Yes, we are fully accredited through AdvancEd, the accrediting body for K-12 schools in Utah. This also means that our students’ credits transfer to and from all other public schools.

Our teachers are certified, experienced and nationally recognized for excellence in online education. We’re proud of our teachers, many of whom have a long list of accolades — Charter Educator of the Year, multiple International USDLA Award winners, a UCET Young Educator of the Year and a UCET Educator of the Year, among others. And you can expect to spend plenty of one-on-one time with them, since every full-time teacher is available to work with students during their daily office hours.    

There is no single “type” of Mountain Heights student. Everyone is welcome! Here are a few kinds of students who have attended Mountain Heights Academy: 

• Students who benefit from one-on-one tutoring and individualized instruction 
• Students with chronic conditions, such as migraines, ADHD, anxiety or depression 
• Professional athletes and performers  
• Students who prefer to sleep in, rise early, take a daily nap or do all three 
• Advanced learners interested in earning college credit while in high school 
• Students who need additional support through IEPs or 504s 
• Previously homeschooled students wanting to earn a diploma 
• Students who need a quiet, distraction-free environment to focus on their studies 
• Students whose families travel extensively 

Whether your student is pursuing hobbies, sports, internships, work, travel or simply more sleep, our flexible curriculum makes space for life outside of school.  

We combine personal teacher support and customized curriculum with strong student outcomes. All coursework is due each Friday at 6 p.m., giving families real scheduling freedom. Our teachers design and adjust standards-aligned curriculum based on student performance data, which allows for meaningful personalization. We provide filtered Chromebooks to our full-time students, host regular social activities and offer college and career preparation pathways including concurrent enrollment. Our course completion rates (82% to 85%), graduation rates (86.4%) and statewide test scores are among the highest for Utah online schools, and our retention rates consistently outperform similar programs.

Whatever works best for your student. Each class offers at least one optional live session per week, and all assignments for the week are due Fridays at 6 p.m. This gives students time to structure their education — and life — according to their own preferences. Some students focus on one subject per day. Others study in short blocks with built-in breaks. Some enjoy a regular three-day weekend by finishing assignments on Thursdays. Many make a plan with Google Calendar or paper planners; others take it week by week. (Check out this feature of two students to read how they plan life around their studies.) Our counselors can help you build a personalized study plan, though our engagement data shows students who spend about one hour per core class per day tend to earn strong (A and B) grades.

Our curriculum is designed and built by our fantastic teachers. Teachers combine open-source materials with custom-created lessons, allowing them to adjust instruction based on student performance data and feedback. 

Yes! Honors classes are available to all students (grades 7-12). Mountain Heights Academy also has a long-standing early college partnership with Utah Tech University, where eligible high school students can earn college credit either online or in-person. We also have partnerships with SLCC and Snow College. For a full list of available classes, please see our Course Catalog. Or, visit this page to learn more about our college and career resources. 

Mountain Heights Academy offers structured, hands-on college and career preparation in addition to honors and concurrent enrollment classes. Students in grades 9-12 can explore career pathways through Utah’s technical colleges, participate in internships and attend annual, counselor-led college tours at universities across the state. Juniors receive free ACT boot camp support, and eligible students can apply for national programs like the Washington, D.C., Seminar or the American Exchange Project. Our counselors work individually with students to build graduation plans, explore postsecondary options and  apply for scholarships, universities and jobs. Learn more about these resources here.

All of our courses for students in grades 9-12 are NCAA approved. Since 2009, we have worked with a wide variety of athletes and performers, including golfers, professional dancers, competitive cyclists and even an ice climber. 

Yes, we provide personalized support for students who need extra help. Because our curriculum is digital and teacher-built, educators can adapt lessons, add practice and provide targeted tutoring during office hours. 

Yes, credit recovery is offered quarterly and during the summer. Credit recovery sessions run four times per year in six-week blocks. Original credit summer classes are available for $90 per half-credit.

No. Students may attend weekly live sessions in each course, but attendance is optional. With courses accessible 24 hours a day and all assignments due by 6 p.m. on Fridays, students have the freedom to set their own schedule.  If students need teacher assistance, they can meet with their teacher during their daily office hours or by appointment.  

Students do not need to be fully independent from day one to succeed at Mountain Heights Academy. While online learning does require responsibility, we intentionally build structure and support into the experience. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Daily teacher office hours: Every full-time teacher holds up to four office hours each day for tutoring, reteaching or simply checking in. 
• 24-business-hour response policy: Students never wait long for help and most questions are answered within a few hours.  
• One-on-one counseling support: Counselors help students create weekly study plans, monitor progress and intervene early if a student begins to fall behind. 
• Data-informed instruction: Because our teachers create their curriculum, they can quickly identify when a student is struggling and adjust pacing, add practice or schedule extra support. 
• Optional live sessions: Each course offers at least one live lesson per week, giving students real-time interaction and additional structure when needed.  
• Parent communication: Families receive regular updates, allowing them to stay informed and involved without acting as teachers or learning coaches. 

Since 2009, we’ve worked with athletes, students with medical needs, previously homeschooled learners and students who simply needed a quieter, more flexible environment. Students do no need perfect time-management skills on day one. It’s about having consistent support while your student builds those skills. 

Students can contact teachers through chat, email, video conference, phone or collaborative tools like shared whiteboards and Google Docs. Teachers are available during daily office hours for real-time help and respond to messages within 24 business hours at the latest — and they will respond. If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of reaching out for help and never receiving a response from your teacher, or only getting a few minutes of a teacher’s time, know that the Mountain Heights experience is radically different. Our teachers work in small groups or one-on-one every single day with students. The office hours are clearly posted in each course, so students know exactly when real-time support is available. If a message is sent outside of office hours, students can expect a response by the next business day. (In practice, most questions are answered far more quickly.) Consistent communication between students and teachers is one of the hallmarks of the Mountain Heights experience.

All kinds! We offer weekly, monthly and annual opportunities for socialization and connection, including clubs for academic interests and hobbies, connection groups (counseling-led groups) and school activities including prom and a back-to-school carnival. Visit our face-to-face activities page to learn more about our clubs and activities. We also have service-learning projects. Any student who completes 25 hours of service per semester will be eligible for a Trailblazer Service Award at our annual Student Recognition Night. 

Parents are welcome to be partners in their child’s education, but they are not expected to act as teachers or learning aides. We simply ask that parents review the monthly school communications and weekly emailed progress reports throughout the year. Our certified teachers provide instruction, tutoring, grading and academic support directly to students through daily office hours and consistent communication. 

Two to three times per year.  Mountain Heights Academy hosts a mandatory orientation at the beginning of the year where students learn about school culture and activities, receive a laptop, learn how to access courses and connect with teachers. We hold orientations in Southern Utah, Vernal and West Jordan. State testing takes place in person each spring with testing locations in Layton, West Jordan, Southern Utah and Vernal. (There are typically four tests given, which students can take over one to three days, depending on their preference.) For juniors, the ACT is offered free of charge in March. At the end of the year, we host a Student Recognition Night in Salt Lake Valley to celebrate the school year and to present academic and service-learning awards. 

Yes, especially if you work ahead. Course materials are available at the beginning of each quarter, allowing students to work ahead. However, students must log in and make regular progress to comply with state attendance laws. If you do not log in and complete work for 10 consecutive days, you will be marked as truant. 

Students should contact their counselor as soon as they begin falling behind. Counselors can help create a recovery plan, adjust pacing when appropriate and connect students with additional teacher support.

Students need reliable internet access and a compatible device, though we provide a free Chromebook to full-time students who request one. Using a school-issued, heavily filtered Chromebook allows our IT team to provide direct technical support.

No. School-issued laptops are for educational use only. Devices are filtered and restricted to approved academic sites.

Visit our help desk page. Check out this page for all of your technical support needs.

Fill out our transcript request form. If you need an official copy of your transcript for college applications or to send to another school, please visit this page. Transcripts are free to current students and $5 for alumni. If you need an unofficial transcript, contact the counseling office.