Alternative Education

Prior to signing the Independent Study (IS) written agreement, and at a pupil or parent or guardian’s request, all LEAs offering IS must hold a pupil-parent-educator conference or school meeting via phone, videoconference, or in-person (EC Section 51747). At a minimum, this conference or meeting must involve all of the people who sign the pupil’s written agreement for IS. During the conference or school meeting, attendees may ask questions about the educational options, curriculum offerings, and nonacademic supports available to the pupil.

Daily IS

Students who have an interest in the Independent Study program who are currently eligible for Special Education and related services through an IEP must have an IEP meeting to discuss a possible programmatic change PRIOR to enrollment in Independent Study. Similarly, students on a 504 plan who have an interest in the Independent Study program must have a 504 meeting to discuss a possible programmatic change PRIOR to enrollment. 

Daily attendance expectation:

• Engagement logs can document the synchronous and “daily live” interactions
• Procedures for tiered reengagement strategies for all pupils not generating attendance for more than three school days or 60 percent of the instructional days in a school week, or who are in violation of their written learning agreement.

Return to In-Person Instruction must include:

A plan to transition pupils whose families wish to return to in-person instruction from IS expeditiously, and not later than five instructional days.

CUSD will provide access to all pupils to the connectivity and devices adequate for participation and completion of work in the specific resources made available to the pupil.

• Access to district-approved curriculum for core content areas (ie. Wonders, Number Corner, CPM, Eureka Math)

• For high schools, a provision for access to all courses offered by the LEA for graduation and approved by the University of California or the California State University as creditable under the A–G admissions criteria.  (Edgenuity)

Progress Monitoring must include:

• A detailed statement of academic and other supports provided to address the needs of pupils not performing at grade level, or needed support in other areas such as English learners, individuals with exceptional needs in order to be consistent with the pupil’s individualized education program or 504 plan, pupils in foster care, pupils experiencing homelessness, and pupils requiring mental health supports.

• Satisfactory progress as an added means to evaluate continued IS participation and placement.

• Procedures for tiered reengagement strategies for pupils not making satisfactory educational progress in one or more courses, or who are in violation of the written learning agreement.

• Maximum length of time to complete assignments, by grade level and type of program (traditional IS only).

CBIS (Course-Based Independent Studies) must include:

• Policies that comply with California Education Code (EC) Section 51749.5 (course-based IS only).

• Courses are taught under the general supervision of appropriately credentialed teachers who are employees of the LEA or for whom a memorandum of understanding is provided (course-based IS only).

• Courses are annually certified to be of the same rigor, educational quality, and intellectual challenge and substantially equivalent to in-person instruction and equivalent classroom-based courses, which shall include access to A–G courses for high schools. The certification must include, at a minimum, the course duration, number of equivalent daily and total instructional minutes, and course credits, number of course credits, and a plan to provide required minimum synchronous learning and live interaction (course-based IS only).

• Pupil age and residency eligibility (course-based IS only).

• Proctored exams (course-based IS only).