We’ve taken for granted what education looks like for probably our entire lives. It’s always been the same; Every student in the entire district has to get to class by 8:00 and take basically all of the same classes taught the same way with little or no regard for their individual needs. However, the pandemic of 2020 has renewed interest in what was previously a more niche option, independent study. The name is deceptively simple and with that said you might have many questions from what it is and who it’s for to how it works. Read on for the answers to those and many more questions about independent study.
Disclaimer: Some of the information covers independent study generally, while other parts of this article answer questions that are more specific to the 2021-2022 school year.
What is independent study?
Independent study is an education program that caters to students’ individual needs and learning styles. It requires students to take the same courses as other students in the district but allows them to complete their coursework outside of a traditional classroom setting.
How does independent study work?
Thankfully, you’re not as alone as the name might suggest. All independent study courses are required to be taught with the guidance of a teacher with a relevant subject-matter credential. Communication with the teacher(s) may take place online, in person, or over the phone. Students must follow the school’s district’s set curriculum, and work follows a written agreement signed by the student, the supervising teacher, and the parent.
Attendance for independent study programs isn’t measured strictly by “seat time,” the number of instructional minutes per day, week and year that students are required to be at school: typically, 200 for kindergarten, 280 for grades one to three; 300 for grades four to eight, and 360 for high school.
Instead, California has two alternatives: Traditional independent study programs count attendance based on how long it would take to complete a lesson or assignment rather than daily contact with a teacher. The state also offers course-based independent study which counts attendance based on whether students make required progress in those courses.
As an individualized learning plan for specific students, the program has fewer standardized accountability metrics. Proponents say that this allows for students to master subjects at their own pace and by their own means.
Does every school district have to offer independent study?
For the 2021–22 school year, all school districts and county offices of education (COEs) are required to offer an independent study option as an alternative to in-person instruction. Charter schools, however, are exempted. For school districts unable to offer an independent study program, this requirement may also be met by contracting with a COE or by entering into an interdistrict transfer agreement with another school district under Education Code (EC) Section 46600.
Which students qualify for independent study?
Independent study programs are actually open to any transitional K-12 student. However, they have traditionally served students with unique circumstances such as child actors, aspiring Olympic athletes, students who want to accelerate faster than the district can accommodate, or students who are uncomfortable attending classroom instruction due to bullying.
As a result of ongoing concerns around COVID-19, parents of immune-compromised children might also be interested in independent study as cited in Assembly Bill 130. Independent study, for this reason, doesn’t require a medical statement. Parents and students might also choose independent study in opposition to masking requirements for in-person learning.
How much interaction and instruction is provided under independent study?
For transitional K-3rd Grade, students must receive daily synchronous or live instruction. For students in grades 4-8, there must be “an opportunity” for daily interaction and weekly live instruction. For high school students, there must be some form of synchronous instruction. “Opportunity” has been left without a strict definition raising questions among administrators as to whether they’re liable should students decline.
While advocates have been pushing for medically vulnerable students to receive a remote program with live instruction comparable to what students in school receive. However, with districts already struggling to find and retain teachers, these requests have largely gone unaddressed for the time being.
Assembly Bill 130’s wording states that the youngest students in independent study must receive more teacher interaction than older students without a clear guideline on how much more interaction younger students should receive.
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Live interaction vs live instruction
Live interaction refers to any contact made between a student and a teacher and doesn’t necessarily have to include teaching. Live interaction could be wellness checks, phone communication or check-ins whether they be in-person or online.
Synchronous instruction refers to two-way communication between a student and teacher which can be in-person, online, or even over the phone.
What does it mean that a district must provide an ‘opportunity’ for live interaction or synchronous instruction?
The law does define the term. However, it’s unclear what should happen if a student chooses not to participate or if the opportunity the district offers conflicts with the student’s schedule.
What’s the student-teacher ratio for independent study?
California state law declares that the number of students an independent study teacher can supervise cannot exceed the average teacher-to-student ratio for instruction in a district’s other programs.
How can a parent find out what a district plans to offer for independent study?
Per AB 130, school districts are required to post what they plan to offer for independent study on their website.
The school board’s independent study plan should include information and reassurances on the following elements:
- How long students have to complete their assignments
- Reengagement strategies for students who don’t attend for more than three days in any given week.
- Level of satisfactory educational progress and number of missed assignments before an evaluation should be conducted on the student
- Content is taught by credentialed employees aligned with grade-level
- For high schools, pupils will have access to all courses required for graduation and for meeting admissions criteria to the University of California and California State University – the A-G course sequence;
When parents want their children to return to in-person learning, do they have the right of return to their school of record?
Unfortunately, this isn’t directly addressed by the law. While school districts do what they can to meet every parent’s school preference, districts may not be able to guarantee return to the preferred school while maintaining the required student-teacher ratios. Some districts are guaranteeing spots at bilingual and other schools of choice but not necessarily the neighborhood school.
Can a district legally create a cutoff date or a waitlist to register students for independent study?
AB 130 does not address either situation. So far cutoff dates haven’t been implemented and we don’t expect they will be given the limited resources and changing situation.
The law requires districts to return a student from independent study to classroom instruction within five days of a request but doesn’t set a guideline on how quickly a district must enroll a student in independent study upon request.
What should a parent do who is interested in independent study?
After learning about a district’s program, if interested, would be to request a meeting with the teacher or teachers who’d be supervising the child.
If a student is an English learner or has a learning difference, ask about the services to be provided. A student with special needs can participate in independent study only if an individualized education plan allows it.
A contract, signed by a parent, student, and supervising teacher, would include the following elements:
- A plan for submitting assignments and reporting academic progress
- Objectives and methods of study
- Available resources such as textbooks and access to computers and internet connectivity;
- The number of course credits or other measures of academic accomplishment for elementary-age students
[READ: Independent Study from FLS]
What can a parent do if independent study turns out not to be the right choice?
Unlike with right-of-return or timeframes for starting students in independent study, AB 130 provides much more detail for getting students back to in-person learning. school districts must arrange for a student’s return to in-person instruction within five days of a request and families may choose to leave for any reason.
Wrap Up
Although independent study was once thought of as a special accommodation for child actors, aspiring Olympians, and others in this vein, it’s open to all eligible students. We would advise parents who are interested in independent study to look deeply into what the school district is able to offer and consider it against their child’s needs to make an assessment. Are you considering independent study and wondering if it could work for your situation? Contact us for a free consultation to discuss how FLS can help.