online learning— options to meet student needs
TRANSCRIPT
Online Learning—Options to Meet Student
Needs
Nicole S. González, M.A., M.F.A. (she/her/hers)Online Learning Program ManagerAlternative Learning Department
Secondary Education & Pathway Preparation DivisionOffice of Superintendent of Public Instruction
I am speaking to you from the occupied territory of the Coast Salish, S’Klallam, Suquamish, Squaxin, and Twana/Skokomish peoples who stewarded this land.
Vision All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.
Mission Transform K–12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities.
Values • Ensuring Equity• Collaboration and Service• Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement• Focus on the Whole Child
10/14/20 2Alternative Learning Department
Equity Statement Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefits their peers, educators, and schools.Ensuring educational equity:• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine
the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.
10/14/20 3Alternative Learning Department
Alternative Learning Department Vision
To foster innovative, personalized, and flexible learning opportunities in public education.
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Online Learning
Overview of Online Learning• Any student, be they publicly enrolled, privately enrolled, or
home-based, may enroll in an online course.• An online course is not always 100% online.• Any student may enroll in an approved online school program.• An online school program is not always 100% online.• There are currently 24 approved online course providers and
over 200 approved online school programs.
Examples of how ALE/OL could be used• Accelerated credit accrual
• Interdisciplinary courses• Fill in gaps for students with partial credits or high mobility
• Competency-based crediting (per district policy)• Initial assessment across scope of content• Evaluate gaps in knowledge• Learning plan to demonstrate competency of prior knowledge and individualize instruction to fill in the rest
• Individualized based on student interests • Project-based
• Flexible based on student schedule• Blended learning• Online or remote courses
• Supplement and/or continue student learning while in transition • Use ALE in combination with non-ALE schedule to maintain school connection
Benefits
Flexible
Individualized
Continuity of Learning
Accelerate Credit Accrual
Considerations
Student Residency(May be negated by other laws)
District Decision(Labor intensive & school board approval)
Minimizes Time at School(Student safety & disengagement)
Technology
Partial Credits/Transfers
Online School Program Enrollment Steps• #1: Ask your district if a full-time online learning option is available.• #2: If your district does not offer online learning for your grade level,
review the list of approved online school programs. • #3: Choose any features you are looking for. Be sure to check
“Accepts Non-Resident Students” if you are looking outside your district.
• #4: Contact the program you are interested in. Ask questions. • #5: Request a Choice Transfer from your district. Once it has been
accepted by the other district, you may enroll in the online school program. You are now the responsibility of the new district. This must be renewed each year.
Example #1• Gabriel (he/him/his) would like to enroll in a full-time online
learning program.• He asks his counselor but his district does not offer this option.• He visits the list of approved online school program and finds a
program that offers asynchronous Advanced Placement courses and allows him to not have to come on campus.
• Gabriel requests a Choice Transfer from his resident district. His resident district sends it to the district with the online program. It is accepted and Gabriel is enrolled in the online program.
Example #2• Mia (they/them/their) would like to take some courses in-person at
her high school and some courses online.• They ask their counselor but the school district does not offer online
courses.• Mia visits the list of approved online school program and finds a
program that allows dual enrollment and has availability for them. • They request a Choice Transfer to the district with the approved
online school program. An Interdistrict Agreement is drawn up between the two districts that specifies which district will provide Mia with which classes/services (and how they will split funding.) The request is approved and Mia enrolls in the online school program for 3 courses.
Online School Programs
Online School Program ApprovalsSingle District
• May use Approved Online Course Provider content/teachers and/or district content/teachers
• Nonresident cap of 10%• Applications accepted year-
round
Affiliate• Must use Approved Online
Course Provider content and teachers
• No nonresident cap• Applications accepted year-
round
https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/learning-alternatives/online-learning/programprovider-approval-application
Online School Program Approvals
• No nonresident cap• May use Approved Online Course Provider content/teachers
and/or district content/teachers• Applications accepted in January
Multi District
https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/learning-alternatives/online-learning/programprovider-approval-application
Choice Transfers
Choice Transfers• Family Choice allows parents to select which public school their children will attend, within
certain limitations. However, a school district is not required to accept a student requesting a transfer if the district does not have space for additional students or the student does not meet other acceptance standards stated in the district’s policy.
• WA State Choice Transfer Request Portal: https://eds.ospi.k12.wa.us/ChoiceTransferRequest/
• Ultimately, the student must be released from his/her/their resident district and be accepted by the district in which he/she/they want(s) to enroll. The student’s home school district must allow the student to attend school in another district if:
• The student’s financial, educational, safety, or health conditions would likely be improved, or • Attendance in the nonresident district is more accessible to the parent’s/guardian’s place of work or
to the location of child care, or • There is a special hardship or detrimental condition, or • The purpose of the transfer is for enrollment in an online course or school program offered by an
OSPI-approved provider.
RCW 28A.225
Choice Transfers• A nonresident school district may not charge a transfer fee or
tuition for nonresident students. • A resident district may deny a transfer request if it would
adversely affect the district’s desegregation plan or if none of the four conditions noted above exists. A nonresident district may deny a transfer request based on the acceptance and rejection standards stated in the district’s policy. An approved transfer may also be revoked according to conditions listed in the nonresident district’s policy.
RCW 28A.225
Choice Transfers• Local athletic eligibility rules are dictated by school districts. The
Washington Interscholastic Activities Association dictates state athletic eligibility rules.
• Transfer students may participate in nonathletic extracurricular activities just as non-transfer students do.
• If existing district transportation routes do not meet the needs of the transferring student, the student and parent or guardian are responsible for arranging for school transportation.
RCW 28A.225
Equitable Access
Equitable AccessChallenges/Factors:• Hardware
• Some students do not have, or have reliable access to, a computer or Internet.
• Even if students have smartphones, not all online courses are mobile-friendly so these may not be a suitable option.
• Environment• Some students may not be in an
environment that is conducive to learning.
• Adult Support• Some students may not have
suitable support from an adult.
Proposed Solutions• Hardware
• Approach a local business about donating laptops or funds for purchasing laptops.
• Research grants that can be utilized for purchasing online learning equipment.
• Assign a contact for technical assistance. Does this person speak more than one language?
• Offer non-technology-based assignments
• Environment• Talk with your local library, coffee shops, faith-based organizations,
community centers, and/or colleges/universities to see if a space with free WiFi may be lent to students during specific days/times for online learning. Be sure the time slots are varied.
• Engage student populations during school breaks.• Host an event where students’ online accomplishments can be
shared/displayed. • Tour local businesses to supplement online learning.
• Adult Support• Identify a community leader or leaders of specific student
populations. Reach out to them.• Survey families of student populations for what they identify as
needs/barriers. • Invite alumni, from specific student populations, to speak with
students and their families about opportunities after high school.
Equitable AccessChallenges/Factors:• Synchronous Courses
• Courses that are ‘live’ may not be flexible enough to meet students’ schedules (which may include court dates, child care, work, etc.).
• Support Services• Whether formally identified or not,
some students may be need of support services. How will this be identified and pursued? What support services are available from the program? How does a student or family access support services?
Proposed Solutions• Synchronous Courses
• Offer synchronous & asynchronous courses• Consider flexible scheduling (afternoon, evening)• Offer office hours
• Support Services• Transportation
• Purchase bus passes for students.• Utilize school buses for after hours.
• Identify a community liaison at the school/district level. Does this liaison speak the same language as community members? Be sure students/families/community leaders know and trust this contact.
• Invite parents and the community to the school at various times throughout the week to meet the needs of those who have nontraditional schedules.
• Hold classes and meetings in the native language of the community or student populations. Give information both orally and in writing.
• Have school/district personnel that speak the languages of specific student populations. Offer educational opportunities to them to learn another language.
• Speak with health and social organizations to identify needs of specific student populations. Identify contacts at these organizations. Invite them to school events and meetings
Data Collection
Programs’ Data• Each year approved online school programs self-report data to
OSPI• Teacher-to-student ratio• Online course completion rate• Online course pass rate
https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/ald/pubdocs/OnlineLearning_Guide_2020-21.pdf
CEDARS• Online Course (CEDARS Element E09): • What is this? • Courses should be designated “Online” when 50% or more of
the course content is delivered electronically and 50% or more of the teaching is conducted remotely from the student.
• Action: • Designate online courses as “Online” in Elements E09, H27, T12.
Courses designated as “Online” must also designate which online school program they are connected with as well as who is providing the online course.
CEDARSOnline Provider (CEDARS Element E10): What is this? Online courses may be taught by school district teachers or may be contracted to be taught by an approved online course provider. The key element to identify who is the Online 59 Provider for the course is by the teacher’s employer. Please see Appendix AA for a list of approved providers. Action: Designate the appropriate approved provider when contracting for the course and the teacher. Designate the provider as “District taught course” if the teacher is a school district teacher and not employed through an approved online course provider for the course.
CEDARSOnline Program (CEDARS Element E11): What is this? Online School Programs are approved by OSPI. School districts allowing students to be enrolled in a majority of online courses should be approved. Please see Appendix AB for a list of approved programs. Action: Designate the appropriate approved district program for the course. Each approved online school program will have a unique value in CEDARS. Designate the course as “No approved program” if the course is not associated with an approved school program – either the district does not have an approved program, or the course is not part of an existing program in the district. Designate the course as “New program” if the program has been approved by OSPI but a valid value has not yet been added to the list.
Options
Enrollment Options• Traditional brick & mortar schools• Online school programs• Alternative Learning Experiences• Charter Schools• Tribal Compact Schools• Running Start• Skills Centers• Private Schools• Dropout Reengagement Programs• Home-Based Instruction
Learning By Choice Booklet: https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/generalinfo/pubdocs/learningbychoice2014.pdfPartial Credit Guidance:https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/homelessed/On%20Time%20Grade%20Progression%20Manual_OSPI%20.pdf
Dual Credit Options• Advanced Placement• Cambridge International• International Baccalaureate• Running Start• College in the High School• Career & Technical Education
https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/support-programs/dual-credit-programs
Navigating Options• Contact local districts to ask
• School board policy • Online Learning website • Advocate
• Awareness of intensity of this model for both the student and teacher• Look outside the district
• Choice transfers• Multidistrict online school programs
• Language is important• Be familiar with types of alternative options and where ALE fits• ALE options are district decision and require approval by local school board• Credit transfer rules especially in online learning • Districts responsible to provide full basic education (SPED and 504) in ALE
Except where otherwise noted, this work by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License.
Contact Us!Nicole S. González, M.A., M.F.A. (she/her/hers)Online Learning Program Manager
Visit our website! www.k12.wa.us/student-success/learning-alternatives