Since 2020, BYU has been offering high school diplomas through BYU Online High School (OHS). Now in its fifth year, the school has seen incredible growth as it serves students from all around the world. This Fall, BYU OHS has begun offering enrollment to seventh and eighth grade students.
Though BYU Independent Study courses have long been available for middle school students, this change marks a historic moment, as BYU has never offered a complete education to students so young.
While the announcement came as a surprise to many, the idea has been on the minds of BYU OHS administrators for some time. “Families reach out to us frequently and talk about how they would love it if we had a junior high,” said Alecia Shinkle, BYU OHS assistant principal.
For many students, “junior high can be a really interesting time in the brick-and-mortar school,” Shinkle explains. “That has led to a lot of families asking BYU OHS to offer an online program for seventh and eighth graders as well.” Some BYU OHS students are professional athletes, actors, or others whose schedules and lifestyles differ drastically from that of the typical adolescent. The flexibility offered by BYU OHS greatly benefits such students, as well as all who prefer more freedom in when, where, and how they learn.
After the idea to offer enrollment for seventh and eighth grade students was born, a significant amount of work went into preparations. Eventually, after collaboration with the BYU OHS attorney and others to certify legal compliance, the idea was presented to the board of directors and approved in January of this year.
“The first word I think of is exciting,” Shinkle commented, reflecting on the feelings of BYU OHS administration. Adjusting to high school can be challenging for all youth, and the transition to online school for those coming from an in-person junior high further complicates that adjustment. “I think it will be really positive to have the kids start earlier and be able to train them on how to be good students at BYU OHS,” Shinkle stated.
Some middle school students who have already enrolled have siblings who are studying with BYU OHS. “I know a family that has two BYU OHS students right now: a ninth grader and an eleventh grader,” Shinkle shared. “They have two younger kids as well, and they were so excited to hear about [the change] because now their whole family is going to be enrolled in BYU OHS and have the same schedule.”
This change has families asking if there could one day be a BYU elementary school. While the idea of going from kindergarten to PhD entirely with BYU is certainly an exciting prospect, BYU Continuing Education currently has no such plans.
The decision to open enrollment to seventh and eighth grade students isn’t just an important event in the history of BYU OHS, it’s an important solution to the unique circumstances and preferences of students and families around the world.