Question: This question is in relation to SB727, Actual Attendance Accounting. The bill eliminates funding for excused absences effective 1998/99. Is Independent Study considered an excused absence or is it considered in actual attendance?
Response: Full and part time independent study does not allow any attendance to be claimed until the student agrees to the study objectives and an actual signed contract is in place. Compulsory attendance requirements are met if the student is completing work that is basically equal to class work that would have been assigned if the student were participating in classroom attendance.
There is no such thing as an "excused absence" in independent study. Illness and doctor appointments would be considered as an excused absence in traditional study, but in independent study there is no difference between excused and unexcused absences because the student can do the work at any time during the day of the week and because the student’s attendance is not the reason for the attendance credit.
Other legal requirements that are conditions of apportionment are the following:
Every student engaged in independent study must be enrolled in a specified school of a school district or county office of education--see EC § 51748. This enrollment should be evident from the written agreement.
ADA for independent study must fall within the teacher-to-ADA limits set by EC § 51745.6 to be eligible for apportionment.
Students who are age 19 to 21 must have been continuously enrolled since their 18th birthday for their ADA to be eligible for K-12 apportionments (EC § 46300.1).
No ADA may be claimed from independent study until the written agreement is completed (EC §§ 46300.7, 51747(c)(8)).
No ADA is earned unless (i.e., "to the extent that") supervising teacher judgments of the time value of pupil or student work have been made personally in each instance (i.e., assignment) for each student engaged in independent study (EC § 51747.5).
No ADA from independent study may be claimed by a district if it has provided any funds or other things of value to the student or his or her parent, guardian, or caregiver that the district does not provide to students who attend regular classes (EC § 51747.3(a)).
No ADA is earned from the independent study of any student who resides outside the local county or the adjoining county (EC § 51747.3(b)).
No ADA is earned from the full time independent study of any elementary student enrolled pursuant to EC § 48204(b), the provision that allows a student to be enrolled in a school near a parent's place of employment (EC § 51747.3(c)).
No attendance credit for work can be given until the work is submitted and assessed by the lead teacher.
06/27/06
