Alternative Learning Experience Workgroup

1. Alternative Learning ExperienceWorkgroup • As you arrive, use a sticky note to write one question/comment or concern you have about ALE.

2. November 16, 2010 Olympia, WA Brouilett Conference Room Welcome

3. Introductions • Name • Organization • One hope for the day

4. Norms of Conduct • Respect questions • Monitor your own airtime • No hostile language • Focus on goals and objectives • Represent your district • Assume positive intentions • Avoid use of cell phones, checking email, etc • Use Parking Lot to air concerns or issues

5. ALE Goals • Provide a high quality public education • Fiscal and academic accountability • Good stewards of public funds

6. Why the workgroup? • Planned review of 2005 rules 3-5 years after adoption • Expansion of online/digital/virtual programs with statewide enrollment scope • Legislative concern • Major audit findings • Areas of concern • For transparent and open re-write process that involves the ideas and voice of districts implementing ALE programs

7. Background and Data • Background on ALE programs • Topics of concern • Data Sources • Audit • WALA • OSPI reports (ALE, Assessment, Online Learning)

11. Audit Findings

12. Issue: Stipends and parental reimbursement

17. Issue: Statewide Assessment Participation

21. Issue: Inter-District “Choice” Transfers

22. Choice Transfers – Sept. 2010 • 23,927 ALE students reported • 11,830 (49%) ALE students transferred from one district to another • (Note: this is probably an undercount.)

23. Other Known Issues • District oversight of ALE programs • Role of the teacher • Contact requirement concerns • Tracking student progress and documentation concerns • High school courses being “taught” that were not for credit, and elementary courses that do not align with GLEs.  • Special education • Being told to drop the IEP to gain entrance

24. ALE Goals • Provide a high quality public education • Fiscal and academic accountability • Good stewards of public funds

25. WAC 392-121-182 • Alternative learning experience requirements.

26. Section 1: Alternative Learning Experience Purpose/Definition • Provides an alternative method of determining full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment for learning experiences that are: • Individualized courses of study. • Supervised, monitored, assessed, and evaluated by certificated staff. • Provided in whole or in part outside the regular classroom setting, including those provided digitally via the Internet or other electronic means. • Allows for part-time enrollment. • Does not limit alternative instruction provided with federal or local resources.

27. Section 2: School board policies • The requirement of a written plan for each student (WSLP). • The ratio of certificated instructional staff to full-time equivalent students. • A description of how student performance will be supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated, and recorded by school staff. • The requirement that each student have direct personal contact with school staff at least weekly, until the student completes the course objectives or the requirements of the learning plan • The require that each student's educational progress be reviewed at least monthly • At the discretion of the school district board, a description of the responsibilities of the student's parent(s) or guardian. • A designation of one or more school district official(s) responsible for monitoring compliance and reporting at least annually to the school district board of directors on the program. • An agreement to comply with the State Board of Education WAC 180-50 and 180-51 for course equivalencies and graduation requirements. • Reimbursable expenditures

28. Section 3: Implementation Standards • Accessibility for students with disabilities. • Responsibility of district to provide instructional materials in line with learning plan. Instructional materials shall be provided in accordance with RCW 28A.320.230 • Work based learning and contracting must comply with applicable WACs ( WAC 392-410-315 and 392-121-124, WAC 392-121-188 and RCW 28A.150.305) • Parent acknowledgment of ALE vs. home-based instruction • The school district shall institute reliable methods to verify a student is doing his or her own work. • Accreditation of online ALE programs

29. Section 4: Written Student Learning Plan • Start and end dates • Estimated average number of hours in learning activities • Description of how weekly contact is fulfilled • Include learning goals and objectives. Course syllabi may be used to meet this requirement. • Identify essential instructional materials • Include timelines and methods of evaluation. • Be developed and monitored by district certificated staff. • Timelines and methods for evaluation • Include connection with EALRs and graduation requirements.

30. Section 5: Enrollment reporting • Full-time equivalent student in WAC 392-121-122 and the number of hours the student is expected to engage in learning activities • Estimated average weekly hours of learning activity described • Monthly count dates • based on the estimated average weekly hours of learning activity • Enrollment is based on the existing definition of a full-time equivalent (FTE) student. Actual reported student FTE is based on estimated hours of instruction in the written plan as long as the student’s progress review is satisfactory. • If a student’s progress review indicates a lack of satisfactory progress, the next month the actual hours are tracked and in ensuing months, the FTE is based on the actual hours of documented learning activity. • Students who have not met with appropriate school staff for 20 consecutive school days must be excluded from the enrollment count. • School districts must report alternative learning enrollment annually to OSPI.

31. Section 6: Accountability for student performance • Minimum performance evaluation schedule and process • Assessed at least annually, using, for full-time students, the state assessment for the student's grade level and using any other annual assessments required by the school district. • Part-time students shall also be assessed at least annually. However, part-time students who are either receiving home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW or who are enrolled in an approved private school under chapter 28A.195 RCW are not required to participate in the assessments required under chapter 28A.655 RCW. • Students enrolled full-time in nonresident ALE schools, programs, or courses shall have the opportunity to participate in any required annual state assessments at the district of residence. • It is the responsibility of the enrolling district to facilitate all necessary coordination with the district of residence. • Assessment results for students assessed according to these provisions shall be included in the enrolling district's accountability measurements.

32. Section 7: Program evaluation • Engage in periodic self-evaluation of these learning experiences in a manner designed to objectively measure their effectiveness.

33. Section 8: Annual reporting • Types of programs and course offerings • Student headcount and full-time equivalent enrollment claimed for basic education funding. • Ratio of certificated instructional staff to full-time equivalent students enrolled in alternative learning experience courses or programs. • Identify alternative learning experience enrollment of students provided under contract

34. Section 9: Documentation • Board policy • Annual board reports • Written student learning plans • Documentation of contact (weekly, monthly, evaluations, assessments) • Enrollment substantiation • Signed guardian enrollment documentation.

35. ALE Goals • Provide a high quality public education • Fiscal and academic accountability • Good stewards of public funds

36. Workgroup areas of concern • Using the provided stickers weight the areas of concern of most interest to the organization you are representing. • You can use your stickers in anyway you choose, spread across different issues, all to one issue, etc.

37. Small Group • Group 1: State Assessment (participation and logistics) • Group 2: Stipends/reimbursement • Group 3: Clarity (documentation, contact requirements, student progress) • Group 4: Role of Teacher • Group 5: Wildcard- something surprising may come out of the group, can also focus on choice, district oversight, reporting requirements

38. Small Group Work • Select a recorder • Select a reporter • Brainstorm probing questions • Brainstorm solutions that address the probing questions • Prepare a brief report to the group using the large sticky note and markers provided

39. ALE Goals • Provide a high quality public education • Fiscal and academic accountability • Good stewards of public funds

40. Questions

41. Next Meeting