How Distance Education Works

Who we are

Liahona Preparatory Academy is a Latter-day Saint based private school in Pleasant Grove, Utah with a large distance education program for 1st through 12th grades.

We offer a fully accredited track through Cognia, a home school track, or a combination of the two tracks. Our motivating teachers are well-qualified in their subjects and strive to provide a classical academic base, instill a love of learning, integrate revealed gospel principles with secular subjects, and encourage patriotism. Parents decide which grade best suits their student’s age and skill level. Classes and homework are designed so that parents oversee all aspects of their student’s education.

Liahona’s Distance Education classes are filmed daily at the academy for 32 weeks and may be watched live with interaction from the teacher or watched recorded at the student’s convenience. All classes are viewed online through our secure website and may be viewed as many times as desired, as long as you are registered for the class. Specifics of Liahona’s policies are explained in the Distance Education Policies and Procedures.

Sample classes of each grade are available to preview before enrolling.

Classes, Homework, and Testing

LDS Home School, LDS Private School, LDS curriculum, Distance Education

Classes are held September through May.

At the Jr. High and High-School level, class instruction for English, History, Science, and Math is held Monday – Thursday between the hours of 8:30 am and 1:15 pm MST if watched live. Electives are taught on a rotating schedule each semester. At the elementary level, class instruction for Reading, Writing, History, Math and Science is held Monday-Thursday between the hours of 8:40 am and 12:45 pm MST if watched live. They are available through our secure server at any time for 32 weeks. In Jr. High or High-school, you may take any number of classes. In elementary, the entire program is done together. Academic classes are on a two to six-year rotation depending on the course and the grade. Please review the “Course Content” section for further course specifics. Fridays are reserved for parent-led activities, homework, elective or proctored classes, and field trips. Holidays are one week at Thanksgiving, two weeks at Christmas one week in February for Disney Break, and one week in April for Spring Break as well as some Monday holidays. Many states allow concurrent enrollment where students attend Liahona and then supplement other classes of their choice from their local public school, BYU Independent Study, or other similar programs.

There is no difference in the workload or grading for accredited versus non-accredited homework. But according to Cognia policy, accredited students at the high-school level must turn all designated homework into the teacher for grading and complete and pass a once-a-semester proctored test in each class. Non-accredited students may correct their own assignments or have their parents correct them. There is a $20 per class difference in tuition costs due to accreditation fees.

Every spring all Liahona students, 7th through 11th grade, take the ACT practice test and have access to an ACT instruction course. This prepares them to take the official ACT and is one reason our students score significantly higher than their public school counterparts.

Student Involvement

Students from the Academy and Distance Education program often develop close friendships.

Activities are designed to include distance education students if they choose to participate. For example, Liahona holds a Temple Day where all students attend the temple closest to them and report back to the group on their service. Local distance education students are invited to join the academy activities. Prom, school pictures, a yearbook, and graduation services are part of the program. A live Me and Thee class is held after the block of classes for further interaction between Liahona’s teachers and DE students. DE birthdays are recognized daily before classes begin.

Graduation

Liahona offers an online selection of electives and accepts credits from other accredited institutions.

Students who desire to earn a recognized State of Utah diploma from Liahona must have 24 credits (versus 28 credits from public school) in specific subjects, 9th thru 12th grade. In addition to our core academic classes, Liahona offers an online selection of electives and accepts credits from other accredited institutions. Parents should schedule a yearly call with our accreditation counselor to develop and maintain a plan for earning a diploma. Transcripts are available upon request.

Those graduating from the home school track, who desire an unaccredited Certificate of Graduation, must achieve a minimum of a C average on 85% of the assignments.