Instruction, Part One:
Some programs post their calendar on-line while others keep a paper copy available for students and families. As your format your calendar, some key items to include are:
- number of instructional days
- hours of operation
- total hours available to students.
Remember, per WAC 392-700-155, your calendar must include:
- 10+ months
- 900+ hours of available instruction time (will increase to 1000+ hrs for 2018-2019)
- minimum two hours per day (maximum hourly count for a day is six hours - even if you run longer days
- Each week is 3+ school days, Sunday - Saturday
Also, per section (b), the school calendar officially runs September 1 - August 31.
- Colleges must have a calendar that shows 10+ instructional months and the planned days must be identified.
Scheduled teaching hours
The scheduled teaching hours of an instructional staff will equal or exceed the hours of the program's standard instructional day plus one additional hour per every five teaching hours for planning, curriculum development, recordkeeping, and required coordination of services with case management staff.
Sample Calendar
Here is a sample calendar from ESD 113 Gravity High School (shared by permission). This may provide more detail than yours may need to show, but it clearly shows:
- 1110+ hours available for instruction over the course of 12 months, and
- facilitates acknowledgment of weekly status checks and monthly count dates.
•Instructional staff ratio of at least 1 teacher to 25 students (1:25) - OR -
•Instructional + support staff (under direct supervision) ratio of at least two staff members (instructional and support) to 50 students (2:50). Support staff may not replace instructional staff.
In colleges, the ratio is determined by the college, however if a class is solely designed for the reengagement program students, the ratio shall not exceed one teacher to 35 students (1:35).
Instruction can be a significant portion of a student's weekly contact: status checks, class time, instructional hours on-site, tutoring with the teacher off-site, online interactions about coursework. This can be a key method for obtaining the required two hours of face-to-face time (not including online time).
Make sure you have consistent methods for maintaining documentation of all student contact: weekly contact, face-to-face time, IAPs.
Next Month: Instruction, Part Two: Teacher Qualifications & Courses
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Great information for Open Doors and ALL alternatives in education!
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