Standard 2.5 High Expectations

According to the Utah State Board of Education school report card, PHS received a "Commendable" rating for the "Postsecondary Readiness" category. One reason for this high rating is that according to the way they operationalize "readiness coursework" (CTE, Concurrent Enrollment, and Advanced Placement), 96.2% of our students are taking the proper classes for postsecondary readiness. A screenshot of our USBE report card is below. Another data point is our percent of students taking advanced coursework. 57% are enrolled in some form of advanced coursework at any given time, mostly Concurrent Enrollment and Advanced Placement.

Concurrent Enrollment

Payson High School works in conjunction with Utah Valley University to offer concurrent enrollment classes in nearly every department in the school: core subjects as well as CTE, FACS, fine arts, and foreign languages. The curriculum for each CE class is rigorous as it mirrors the equivalent college course.

Advanced Placement

Students can enroll in a variety of Advanced Placement classes offered through the College Board. The teachers of these classes submit syllabi to the College Board for approval prior to teaching the course. Each AP course culminates in the national Advanced Placement exam given at the school in May.

Payson High School is actively participating in the creation and implementation of district standards and benchmarks. Our teachers have served as teacher leaders on the district committees. Currently, math, PE, and social studies have implemented the new standards frameworks. Science and Language Arts are in process. One sample artifact of how the district framework is informing our teaching is in the creation of our Student Learning Outcome (SLO) process.

Many students choose to complete an internship during their junior and/or senior years. This commitment includes class time where they learn job related skills, prepare resumes, and complete other assignments as well as spending time in the field working with business and community leaders in a job field of interest to them. They are held to high expectations as they enter the professional world as an intern. Approximately 10-25 students are in the intern class each semester.