Instruction, Part Two:
- Teacher Qualifications & Role
- Course Offerings
Teachers in Open Doors/Reengagement programs in schools districts must comply with state certification and endorsement requirements for each course they are teaching.
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Without an applicable endorsement, they need to follow the guidelines for out-of-endorsement assignments in WAC 181-82-110, which includes school board out-of-endorsement approval, or pursue additional endorsements through one of the pathways listed on the OSPI Certification website linked here: http://www.k12.wa.us/certification/teacher/Endorsement.aspx
- Alternately, using an OSPI-approved online course provider and their certificated instructors can meet this requirement.
- For more information about district-level out-of-endorsement assignments, contact the Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB) at (360) 725-6275 or by email at PESB@k12.wa.us.
Instructors in colleges must meet the college's requirements for instructor qualifications.
In an Open Doors/Reengagement program, the instructor's responsibility is to
- evaluate the student's skill levels and knowledge
- provide instruction toward individualized, high school graduation, and/or college level coursework, including GED preparation and increasing basic education skills
- verify hours of face-to-face time and completion of assignments
- provide course assessments
- submit the documentation for credits to be posted to the student's transcript
Non-certificated staff provide support to the certificated staff and students as needed.
Some students will work on more than one course at a time, while others focus on just one. Still other students may work only with the case manager on career-prep or GED activities, although the instructors should be responsible for the GED prep and some career prep. Case managers support these goals while not taking the role of instructor.
For compliance purposes, maintaining documentation of class attendance and face-to-face time via class, conference, or weekly status checks is imperative. This information should then be shared with the designated reporting staff for determining the student's monthly count eligibility.
The instructor to student ratio should not exceed 1:25 in one space at one time, or with a support staff member, 2:50.
WAC 392-700-065 (1)&(2)
Instruction must include:
- academic skills instruction and high school equivalency certificate preparation course work;
- curriculum and instruction appropriate to each student's skills levels and academic goals;
- college readiness and work readiness preparation course work; and
- scheduled times that are available during the program's scheduled instructional day.
For competency-based learning, the instruction may be more about filling in
the student's academic holes rather than covering all the traditional course content. Any Open Doors program can utilize the competency-based education as defined by the State Board of Education.
High school credits:
Sometimes an interest-based elective credit course can help them get excited about core courses! AND, for every 0.25 high school credit (or a documented half of a semester credit), they earn an IAP!
High school level skills:
- provide reading and writing skills at the high school level in preparation for college or career.
- are provided at the student's level - which may not correspond to their grade level or age.
Skills needed to move into high school level work, which are:
- leveled below ninth grade
- not for credit
- for the purpose of preparing the student for high school level work
Note: Completion of a grade level curriculum (e.g., 5th grade math or 6th grade reading) equals an IAP!
What else can it include?
- Competency based vocational training;
- Career preparation
- College preparation math or writing instruction;
- Subject specific high school credit recovery instruction;
- English as a second language instruction (ESL); and
- Other course work approved by the district, tribal compact school, or charter school including cooperative work experience.
Did you miss Instruction, Part One? Check your email or send a request to Liz at the email address below.
Next Month: State Testing
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