October Alternative Learning Update

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 10/24/2019 05:49 PM PDT

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Proposed ALE Rule Change
ALE Advisory Committee
Online Learning Advisory Committee (OLAC)
ALE Compliance Corner
Upcoming Events and Resources

Proposed ALE Rule Change

The Alternative Learning Department (ALD) is exploring potential rule changes to WAC 392-121-182 for implementation in the 2020-2021 school year. A CR 101 has been filed and is currently available on the OSPI Rule Making Activity website.

A draft proposal and timeline will be available in the rule updates section of the ALE website soon.
The ALD is working with stakeholders to obtain feedback on the current proposal and evaluate other ways the ALE rules may be enhanced in the future.

Our goals for this comprehensive WAC revision include:

recodifying and reorganizing of the WAC sections for a more accessible version
adding truancy language, per legislative request
removing the statement of understanding as a stand-alone requirement

You are invited to learn more about the draft proposal through one of the following methods of participation.

11/6/19 1:00 PM – ESD 105, Yakima
11/12/19 11:00 AM – ESD 113, Tumwater
11/22/19 10:00 AM – NEWESD 101, Spokane
12/13/19 10:00 AM – ESD 189, Anacortes

We look forward to connecting with you at one of these events!

Questions? Contact the ALD.

ALE Advisory Committee

The ALE Advisory Committee met on September 18, 2019. Representatives from programs across the state, Washington Association for Learning Alternatives (WALA), and the Alternative Learning Department (ALD) discussed the following topics:

2019 legislative update
2019-20 committee priorities
ALE rule change proposal
2020 ALE Administrator’s Meeting

For questions about the ALE Advisory Committee, please contact WALA or the ALD.

Online Learning Advisory Committee (OLAC)

OLAC convened on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Members and attendees discussed:

ALE Rule Change Proposals
Online Learning Options in 1599 Pathways
New CEDARS Reporting for Online Courses

Visit the OLAC webpage for more information about the committee, meeting schedule, and membership.

ALE Compliance Corner

Monthly Progress Reviews & Intervention Plans

Monthly Progress Reviews

Each month, Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) programs are required to perform monthly progress reviews that assess whether the student is making progress toward the goals listed in their Written Student Learning Plan (WSLP). That information is then shared with the student in grades 9-12, and with the parent and student for grades K-8.

Satisfactory progress is determined per school board policy and program definitions. Satisfactory progress assumes that the student has met their estimated weekly hours.

--> If the student is determined to have not made "Satisfactory" progress, an Intervention Plan must be written within five school days. (Programs that use "In Progress" need to be define this determination as satisfactory or not.)

Intervention Plans

"Intervention plan" means a plan designed to improve the progress of students determined to be not making satisfactory progress, per WAC 392-121-182(3)(g). This should be a SUCCESS plan, not a disciplinary action. The goal is to help the student be successful through interventions and supports documented in the WSLP.

An intervention plan must be developed, documented, and implemented by a certificated teacher in conjunction with the student and, for students in grades K-8, the student's parent(s). There should be evidence of this participation, as this promotes buy-in: when the student is consulted in what will work for them, they are more likely to meet the plan and make satisfactory progress thereafter.

For students whose written student learning plan includes only online courses, the intervention plan may be developed by the school-based support staff in conjunction with the student and certificated teacher and must be approved by the student's online certificated teacher.

At minimum, the intervention plan must include at least one of the following interventions:

Increasing the frequency or duration of contact with a certificated teacher for the purposes of enhancing the ability of the certificated teacher to improve student learning;
Modifying the manner in which contact with a certificated teacher is accomplished;
Modifying the student's learning goals or performance objectives;
Modifying the number of or scope of courses or the content included in the learning plan.

After no more than three consecutive calendar months in which it is determined the student is not making satisfactory progress despite documented intervention efforts, one of two things needs to happen:

A course of study designed to more appropriately meet the student's educational needs must be developed and implemented by a certificated teacher in conjunction with the student and where possible, the student's parent; or
The student needs to be removed and enrolled in another educational program offered by the school district.
[WAC 392-121-182(4)(c)(viii)

Questions about or suggestions for our Compliance Corner? Contact Liz Quayle, ALE & Reengagement Compliance Manager.

Upcoming Events and Resources

GATE Equity Webinar Series Regular monthly webinars. Information and registration available through the GATE website.
Fall WALA Workshops October/November 2019. To register for one of these workshops, visit the WALA website.
iNACOL Symposium October 28-31, 2019 Palm Springs, CA. For more information, visit the iNACOL website.
NAEA Conference October 28-30, 2019 Tampa, FL. For more information, visit the NAEA website.
2019 BECCA Conference November 6-8, 2019 Ellensburg, WA. Additional information here.
Special Education Technology Center (SETC) 2019 Annual Conference November 13, Spokane, WA. The SETC 2019 Annual Conference will be taking place live in Spokane, WA or participants can join remotely from locations in the Bellevue School District, Bellingham School District, Tacoma School District, and Olympic ESD 114. Information on registration for the conference and the Fall 2019 SETC webinar offerings are currently available now online. Questions? Contact SETC at (509) 963-3350 or wrightsu@cwu.edu.
2020 ALE Administrators Meeting January 17, 2020 Lacey, WA, More information to follow.
45^th Annual WALA Spring Conference March 5-7, 2020, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, WA. For more information, visit the WALA website.

Contact Us!

For more information about Alternative Learning, please contact us as ALDInfo@k12.wa.us, or visit our newly updated website here.

For specific questions, contact us by email:

ALE Programs: Anissa Sharratt
ALE/Reengagement Compliance: Liz Quayle
Online Learning: Nicole González

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

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