Board Policy	No. 6158

CLOVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

INSTRUCTION Alternative/Specialized Programs INDEPENDENT STUDY

PURPOSE:	To set the standards for independent study programs that meet the educational needs of District students.

The Board authorizes independent study as an optional alternative instructional strategy for eligible students who are in any school K-12 or Adult School in the District and whose needs may be best met through study outside of the regular classroom setting.

As necessary to meet student needs, independent study may be offered on a full-time basis or on a part-time basis in conjunction with part- or full-time classroom study.

Independent study provides a way for students to achieve curriculum objectives and meet graduation requirements. The District shall provide and ensure independent study students the same access to existing services and resources as are available to all other students in the school in which the independent study students are enrolled.

The Superintendent or designee may provide a variety of independent study opportunities, including, but not limited to, through a program or class within a comprehensive school, an alternative school or program of choice, a charter school, a home-based format, and an online course.

Independent study is avoluntary, educational alternativeforall students forwhich parental consent is required. Students participating in independent study shall have the right, at any time, to enter or return to the regular classroom mode of instruction as provided in their written agreement described below. (Education Code 51747; 5 CCR 11700)

Parents/guardians of students who are interested in independent study shall contact the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall approve independent study for an individual student only upon determining that the student is prepared to meet the District's requirements for independent study and is likely to succeed in independent study as well as or better than he/she would in the regular classroom setting.

The minimum period of time for any independent study option shall be three consecutive school days.

A. Written Agreements

The Superintendent or designee shall determine that the prospective independent study student understands the District’s requirements for independent study and is prepared to meet them. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that a written master agreement and, as appropriate, a

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Board Policy	No. 6158

CLOVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

learning agreement for students participating in course-based independent study exist for each participating student as prescribed by law. (Education Code 51747, 51749.5)

The independent study strategy requires a written agreement with all of the required components, agreed to by the student, parent/guardian/caregiver, certificated employee, and all other persons who have direct responsibility for providing assistance to the student. Individual Independent Study Agreements including any Subsidiary Contract (generally, a third party or extracurricular program for credit), must be consistent with the District’s adopted course of study.

The master agreement shall specify the length of time in which each independent study assignment must be completed. Because excessive leniency in the duration of independent study assignments may result in a student falling behind his/her peers and increase the risk of dropping out of school, independent study assignments shall be no more than one week for all grade levels and types of program. However, when necessary based on the specific circumstances of the student's approved program, the Superintendent or designee may allow for a longer period of time between the date an assignment is made and when it is due, up to the termination date of the agreement.

An evaluation shall be conducted to determine whether it is in a student's best interest to remain in independent study whenever the student misses three assignments, unless the student's written agreement specifies a lower or higher number of missed assignments based on the nature of the assignments, the total number of assignments, and/or other unique circumstances.

B. Student-Teacher Conferences

Supervising teachers should establish an appropriate schedule for student-teacher conferences to help identify students falling behind in their work or in danger of failing or dropping out of school. Teachers areexpected to monitor student progress and work closely with each student to determine the amount and type of contact needed for the student to be successful in the program.

Missing appointmentswith the supervising teacher without validreasons may trigger an evaluation to determine whether the student should remain in independent study.

C. Program Evaluation

The Superintendent or designee shall annually report to the Board the number of District students participating in independent study, the average daily attendance generated for apportionment purposes, student performance as measured by standard indicators and in comparison to students in classroom-based instruction, and the number and proportion of independent study students who graduate or successfully complete independent study. Based on the program evaluation, the Board and Superintendent shall determine areas for program improvement as needed.

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Board Policy	No. 6158

CLOVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

D. Site-Based Independent Study Classes

Independent study classes may be established on elementary, intermediate, and secondary school sites for students identified as “at risk students” who would benefit from one to four hours of classroom attendanceper day or week with the balanceof the individualized learning plan provided through independent study.

Adopted: 11/18/2020 (moved provisions regarding independent study from BP 3502) Amended: 02/07/2024

EDUCATION CODE
17289 Exemption for facilities
41020 Requirement for Annual Audit
41422 Emergency conditions and apportionments

42238 Revenue limits
42238.05 Local control funding formula; average daily attendance
44865 Qualifications for home teachers and teachers in special classes and schools 46100 Length of school day
46200-46208 Instructional day and year
46300-46307.1 Methods of computing average daily attendance 46390-46393 Emergency average daily attendance
46600 Interdistrict attendance computation 47612-47612.1 Charter School Operations 47612.5 Independent study in charter schools 48204 Residency
48206.3 Home or hospital instruction; students with temporary disabilities 48220 Classes of children exempted
48340 Improvement of pupil attendance 48915 Expulsion; particular circumstances
48916.1 Educational program requirements for expelled students 48917 Suspension of expulsion order
49011 Student fees
51225.3 Requirements for high school graduation 51744-51749.6 Independent study programs 52060 Local control and accountability plan
52523 Adult education as supplement to high school curriculum; criteria 56026 Individuals with exceptional needs
58500-58512 Alternative schools and programs of choice

FAMILY CODE
6550-6552 Caregivers

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Board Policy	No. 6158

CLOVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5 11700-11705 Independent study

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20 6301 Highly qualified teachers
6311 State Plan

Doc# 45117-8 (02/2024, 09/2022)

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