(1) General.
(a) This section provides an alternative method of determining full-time equivalent enrollment and claiming state funding for public school learning experiences that are:
(i) Individual courses of study for students in adult jail facilities housing juveniles;
(ii) Supervised, monitored, assessed, and evaluated by school staff. As used in this section, "school staff" means certificated instructional staff of the school district according to the provisions of chapter
181-82 WAC, or a contractor pursuant to WAC
392-121-188;
(iii) Provided in accordance with a written alternative learning experience plan that is implemented pursuant to the school district board's policy for alternative learning experiences; and
(iv) Provided in whole or part, outside the regular classroom setting, including those learning experiences provided digitally via the internet or other electronic means.
(b) This section sets forth the standards, procedures, and requirements for state funded alternative learning experiences for juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities. This section is not intended to prevent or limit alternative education programs provided by a school district with federal or local resources.
(2)
Requirements. An alternative learning experience for a juvenile student incarcerated in adult jail facilities may be counted as a course of study pursuant to WAC
392-121-107 if the alternative learning experience meets the requirements of this section.
(3) School district board policies for alternative learning experiences. The board of directors of a school district claiming state funding for alternative learning experiences for juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities shall adopt and annually review written policies for each alternative learning experience program and program provider that:
(a) Require a written plan for each student participating in an alternative learning experience for juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities that meets the minimum criteria pursuant to subsection (5) of this section;
(b) Describe how student performance will be supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated, and recorded by school staff. Such description shall include methods for periodic grade reporting, if different from existing school district policy;
(c)(i) Require each juvenile student who is incarcerated in an adult jail facility and enrolled in an alternative learning experience to have direct personal contact with school staff at least weekly, until the student completes the course objectives or the requirements of the learning plan.
(ii) Such direct personal contact must be for a period not less than thirty minutes per week.
(iii) Direct personal contact shall be for the purposes of instruction, review of assignments, testing, reporting of student progress, or other learning activities.
(iv) Direct personal contact must be a face-to-face meeting with the student;
(d) Require that each student's educational progress be reviewed at least monthly and that the results of each review be communicated to the student;
(e)(i) Designate one or more school district official(s) responsible for approving specific alternative learning experience programs or courses, monitoring compliance with this section, and reporting at least annually to the school district board of directors on the program.
(ii) The annual report shall include at least the following:
(A) Documentation of alternative learning experience student headcount and full-time equivalent enrollment claimed for basic education funding;
(B) A description of how certificated and classified staff are assigned program management and instructional responsibilities that maximize student learning, including the ratio of certificated instructional staff to full-time equivalent students;
(C) A description of how a written student learning plan pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, is developed, and student performance supervised and evaluated, by certificated staff;
(D) A description of how the program supports the district's overall goals and objectives for student academic achievement; and
(E) Results of any self-evaluations conducted pursuant to subsection (8) of this section.
(f) Satisfy the office of superintendent of public instruction's requirements for courses of study and equivalencies under chapter
392-410 WAC; and
(g) For alternative learning experience courses offering credit, or for alternative learning experience programs issuing a high school diploma, satisfy the state board of education's high school graduation requirements under chapter
180-51 WAC.
(4) Alternative learning experience implementation standards.
(a) Alternative learning experiences shall be accessible to all juveniles incarcerated in adult jail facilities, including those with disabilities. Alternative learning experiences for students eligible for special education services shall be provided in accordance with chapter
392-172A WAC.
(b) It is the responsibility of the school district or school district contractor to ensure that enrolled juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities have all curricula, course content, instructional materials, and other learning resources essential to successfully complete the requirements of the written student learning plan.
(c) Contracting for alternative learning experiences shall be subject to the provisions of WAC
392-121-188 and RCW
28A.150.305.
(d)(i) The school district shall institute reliable methods to verify a student is doing his or her own work. The methods may include proctored examinations or projects, including the use of web cams or other technologies.
(ii) Proctored examinations or projects must be directly monitored by an adult authorized by the school district.
(e) A school district alternative learning experience for juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities may make use of digital and/or online curricula, and may be delivered over the internet or using other electronic means.
(f) A school district alternative learning experience for juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities may include participation by students and parents in the design and implementation of a student's learning experience.
(5) Written student learning plan.
(a) Each juvenile student incarcerated in an adult jail facility who is enrolled in an alternative learning experience course of study shall have a written student learning plan designed to meet the student's individual educational needs. The written student learning plan may be developed in partnership with the student, with recognition that school staff has the primary responsibility and accountability for the plan, including supervision and monitoring, and evaluation and assessment of the student's progress.
(b) The written student learning plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements:
(i) A beginning and ending date for the learning experience;
(ii) An estimate of the average number of hours per week that the student will engage in learning activities to meet the requirements of the student learning plan. This estimate may be used in reporting enrollment in compliance with subsection (6) of this section and must be based upon the criteria in subsection (7) of this section;
(iii) A description of how weekly contact requirements will be fulfilled;
(iv) A description of the specific learning goals and performance objectives of the alternative learning experience. This requirement may be met through the use of course syllabi or other similarly detailed descriptions of learning requirements. The description shall clearly identify the requirements a student must meet to successfully complete the course or program;
(v) Identification of instructional materials essential to successful completion of the learning plan; and
(vi) A description of the timelines and methods for evaluating student progress toward the learning goals and performance objectives specified in the learning plan.
(c)(i) The written student learning plan shall identify whether the alternative learning experience meets one or more of the state essential academic learning requirements or any other academic goals, objectives, and learning requirements defined by the school district.
(ii) For a high school alternative learning experience, the plan shall also specify whether the experience meets state and district graduation requirements.
(6) Enrollment reporting. The full-time equivalency of juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities who are enrolled in alternative learning experience programs shall be determined as follows:
(a) Using the definition of full-time equivalent student in WAC
392-122-225(1) and the estimated average weekly hours of learning activity described in the written student learning plan on the first enrollment count date on or after the start date specified in the written student learning plan; and
(b) The enrollment count shall exclude students meeting the definition of enrollment exclusions in WAC
392-121-108 or students who have not had direct personal contact with school staff for ten consecutive school days. Any such student shall not be counted as an enrolled student until the student has met with appropriate school staff and resumed participation in his or her alternative learning experience or participated in another course of study as defined in WAC
392-121-107.
(7) Accountability for student performance.
(a) At minimum, juvenile students incarcerated in adult jails who are enrolled in alternative learning experiences shall have their educational performance evaluated according to the following process and schedule:
(i) Each student's educational progress shall be reviewed at least once per month. The progress review shall be based on the learning goals and performance objectives defined in the written student learning plan.
(ii) The progress review shall be conducted by school staff and shall include direct personal contact with the student. The results of the review shall be communicated to the student.
(iii) Based on the progress review, school staff shall determine and document whether the student is making satisfactory progress in completing the learning activities and reaching the learning goals and performance objectives defined in the written plan.
(iv) If the student fails to make satisfactory progress for no more than two consecutive evaluation periods or if the student fails to follow the written student learning plan, an intervention plan designed to improve student progress shall be developed and implemented. This intervention plan shall be developed by school staff in conjunction with the student.
(v) If, after no more than three subsequent evaluation periods, the student still is not making satisfactory progress, a plan designed to more appropriately meet the student's educational need shall be developed and implemented by school staff.
(b) The educational progress of juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities who are enrolled in alternative learning experiences shall be 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.
(8) Program evaluation. School districts offering alternative learning experiences to juvenile students incarcerated in adult jail facilities shall engage in periodic self-evaluation of these learning experiences in a manner designed to objectively measure their effectiveness, including the impact of the experiences on student learning and achievement. Self-evaluation shall follow a continuous improvement model, and may be implemented as part of the school district's school improvement planning efforts.
(9) Annual reporting.
(a) Each school district offering alternative learning experiences shall report annually to the superintendent of public instruction on the types of programs and course offerings subject to this section, including student headcount and full-time equivalent enrollment claimed for basic education funding.
(b) The report shall identify the ratio of certificated instructional staff to full-time equivalent students enrolled in alternative learning experience courses or programs.
(c) The report shall separately identify alternative learning experience enrollment of students provided under contract pursuant to RCW
28A.150.305 and WAC
392-121-188.
(10) Documentation. In accordance with required records retention schedules, a school district claiming state funding for alternative learning experiences shall maintain the following written documentation available for audit:
(a) School board policy for alternative learning experiences pursuant to this section;
(b) Annual reports to the school district board of directors as required by subsection (3)(g) of this section;
(c) Annual reports to the superintendent of public instruction as required by subsection (9) of this section;
(d) The written student learning plans required by subsection (5) of this section, including documentation of required weekly direct personal contact;
(e) Student progress reviews, evaluations, and assessments required by subsection (7) of this section; and
(f) Student enrollment detail substantiating full-time equivalent enrollment reported to the state, including estimated total hours of participation in educational activities, and any actual documentation of hours of learning for those students failing to make satisfactory progress.
