At A Glance
Uinta Academy’s academic program is designed to help students continue moving forward while receiving treatment, with individualized support, accredited coursework, and close coordination with families and schools.
Academic Structure
- Cognia-accredited academic program
- Licensed teachers for core subject areas
- Rolling enrollment so students can begin when they arrive
- Competency-based, self-paced learning
- Credit recovery and graduation progress support
- Transferable credit support
Student Support
- Individualized academic planning based on transcripts and graduation needs
- IEP support and communication with home school districts
- Accommodations for learning differences and executive functioning needs
- Collaboration between academic, clinical, and residential teams
- Monthly academic updates for parents
- College preparation, including SAT/ACT prep and application support
A School Program Designed for Students in Treatment
At Uinta, academics are an essential part of the treatment experience. School is often one of the places where students have felt the most discouraged, overwhelmed, or misunderstood. For this reason, our classrooms are designed to help students experience school differently.
Our teachers work closely with the clinical team to understand each student’s strengths, challenges, emotional needs, and treatment goals. When a student is struggling in school, we look beyond the assignment itself and ask what support, structure, or skill may be needed. In this way, academics become part of the student’s larger growth process.
Every week, members of Uinta’s clinical, academic, residential, medical, and recreational teams meet to coordinate care, and the academic team is part of that larger treatment system.
Individualized From the Beginning
Starting a new school can be stressful, especially for a student who has already had difficult academic experiences. Uinta uses rolling enrollment, which means a student’s semester begins when they arrive. This allows students to begin where they left off rather than waiting for a term to end or being placed in the middle of coursework that does not match their needs.
When students arrive, the academic team reviews transcripts, current credits, grade level, and graduation requirements. Students begin with introductory courses that help them settle into school at Uinta while the academic team gathers the information needed to build their full academic plan. Students begin with Fitness for Life, a math assessment, and Equine Psychology while formal transcripts are gathered and reviewed.
Each semester, students are assigned classes that move them toward graduation requirements. Lessons are broken into manageable parts so students can build confidence, experience success, and continue progressing at an appropriate pace.
Competency-Based, Self-Paced Learning
Research-Based Academic Approach
Students at Uinta Academy see meaningful academic growth.
- Average 1.8 GPA points increase
- Many students return to their home district stronger, more confident, and better prepared for success.
- Data-informed instruction that meets students where they are
Uinta’s classrooms may look different from a traditional school setting, and that is intentional..
The academic program was designed specifically for students in treatment and is based on research-supported educational methods.
- Continuous assessment
- Mastery criteria
- Constructive feedback
- Positive reinforcement
- Repeatable opportunities
- Graded work with teacher comments
- Accommodations
- Staff involvement in the classroom
This structure allows teachers to identify what each student needs and adjust instruction accordingly. Students may receive extended time, quiz previews, note cards, one-on-one instruction, or other accommodations when needed.
Helping Students Stay on Track
One of the most common concerns families have about residential treatment is whether their child will fall behind academically. At Uinta, the academic team works intentionally to preserve progress and help students continue earning credits.
Uinta can give and receive credits, issue high school diplomas, and support students who are returning to a home school, transitioning to another school, preparing for graduation, or considering college. Uinta can award credits in quarter, half, and full-credit increments, which can help students receive credit for completed work and support smoother transfer back to another academic setting.
Support for IEPs, Learning Differences, and School District Coordination
Uinta’s individualized academic program provides accommodations and support for students with a wide range of learning styles and challenges. For students with IEPs, Uinta works with the student’s home district to help maintain IEP status and support the student’s educational needs.
Our academic team may participate in IEP meetings virtually, communicate with school districts, advocate for accommodations, and provide present levels and classroom observations. We also encourage students, when appropriate, to have a voice in their academic goals. This helps students practice self-advocacy and increases their sense of ownership in their education.
Helping Students Find Their Voice
Many of our students are old enough to participate meaningfully in conversations about their education. When students are able to identify what helps them learn, what accommodations they need, and what goals feel meaningful, they often become more invested in their academic growth. At Uinta, self-advocacy is not just an academic skill; it is part of preparing students for life beyond treatment.
Parent Communication & Academic Updates
- Monthly academic progress reports
- Updates on classwork, grades, credits, and executive functioning
- Communication between therapists, academics, and families
- Access to the Academic Director or academic team for questions
Qualified Teachers and Consistent Relationships
Uinta’s teachers are licensed professionals who bring both academic training and compassion to the classroom. Our teachers are endorsed by the Utah State Office of Education in the subjects they teach, and many have master’s or doctorate-level education and experience in public and private school settings.
Just as important, our teachers understand that students need to feel safe before they can learn. Many of Uinta’s teachers have been part of the program for years, giving students the consistency of familiar adults who know them, support them, and believe in their ability to succeed.
Uinta’s teachers work to treat students the way they would want their own children to be treated at school. That kind of relationship can help students feel safe enough to ask questions, take academic risks, and rebuild confidence.
Course Offerings
Uinta offers core academic courses, college and career preparation, world languages, health and life skills, and electives that allow students to continue meeting graduation requirements while also exploring interests and building confidence.
Core Academics
- English
- History
- Math
- Science
- Civics
- Economics
- Psychology
- Related graduation requirements
College & Career Prep
- SAT/ACT Prep
- Career Decision Making
- Financial Literacy
- Study Skills
- Online college-level classes
World Languages
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Italian
- Mandarin
- Portuguese
- American Sign Language
Health, Fitness & Life Skills
- Health
- Fitness for Life
- Yoga
- First Aid
- Life Skills
- Related electives
Electives
- Photography
- Drawing
- Art history
- Interior design
- Thread arts
- Music
- Culinary arts
- Equine studies
- Other interest-based courses
College Preparation
For college-bound students, Uinta helps keep future options open. Students receive support with college exploration, standardized test preparation, application essays, and the independent study skills they will need after treatment.
For many students, academic growth at Uinta includes preparation for college or continued education. Uinta supports students as they explore colleges and universities, write application essays, prepare for the SAT and ACT, and think about future goals. Sophomores take the PSAT, and juniors and seniors take both the SAT and ACT twice a year. Uinta also offers SAT/ACT Prep and Career Decision Making for elective credit.
Students who are college-bound can also access world language courses, advanced levels of selected classes, and online college-level classes in a variety of subjects.
Frequently Asked Questions
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