You made your voice heard! The committee’s analysis on AB 318 deemed it expensive and it went to the suspense file. It will be heard with the other suspense measures next Thursday or Friday.

Senate Committee on Appropriations

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2017 – 2018 Regular Session

AB 318 (Caballero)- Pupil instruction:  independent study:  visual contact with pupil

• Version: July 12,2017
• Urgency: No
• Hearing Date: August 21, 2017
• Policy Vote: ED. 4-2
• Mandate: No
• Consultant: Lenin Del Castillo

This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

Bill Summary

This bill increases the frequency of communication between students in independent study and teachers of the local educational agency (LEA) by requiring visual in-person contact with the students or by a live visual connection at least once per week.

Fiscal Impact

• This bill could drive unknown local costs on existing independent study programs throughout the state. While some programs may already be adequately staffed to absorb the additional workload, it is likely that a portion of the existing 300 independent  programs in the state will not  have sufficient resources.   To the extent that an LEA would need to hire additional staff to comply with this measure, it could incur a potentially significant increase in local costs that could result in resources being redirected from existing programs and services.  The additional requirements include making visual contact with each student every two weeks and any associated administrative activities that may result, such as the documentation of meetings and record-keeping. For programs that serve students living in rural areas where it may be more difficult to make visual contact whether it is due to the student living in a remote area or the student does not have access to the Internet, the .costs could be even higher.  There could also be transportation costs to get the student on campus (or the teacher to the student’s home) to make the live connection.  Any costs resulting from these requirements would not be reimbursable by the state because independent study is an educational option that is available to LEAs, not a · program that is required.
• The California Department of Education anticipates General Fund costs of approximately $229,000 to comply with this measure. This estimate includes the cost of the equivalent of 2.3 positions to provide technical assistance to LEAs, update guidance, and verify the adoption of policies regarding independent study for apportionment purposes.

Background

Existing law prohibits an LEA from being eligible to receive apportionments for independent study unless it has adopted and implemented written policies that include the following:

1. The maximum length of time, by grade level and type of program, that may · elapse between the time an independent study assignment is made and the date by which the student must complete the assigned work.
2. The number of missed assignments that will be allowed before an evaluation is conducted to determine whether it is in the best interest of the student to remain in independent
3. A requirement that a current written agreement for each independent  study student is maintain on file, including specified information.
4. A statement of the number of course credits or for elementary grades, other measures of academic accomplishment, to be earned by the student upon completion.

Existing law requires the independent study by each student to be coordinated, evaluate, and under the general supervision of an employee of the LEA who possesses a valid and appropriate teaching credential or an emergency permit.

Proposed Law

This bill prohibits an LEA from being eligible to receive apportionments for independent study unless it has adopted and implemented  written policies that include a statement that a teacher shall make visual in-person  contact with a student or by a live visual connection no less than once every two weeks to assess whether the student is making satisfactory educational progress.

This bill prohibits an LEA from being eligible to receive apportionments for independent study unless it has adopted and implemented written policies that include a statement that a teacher shall make visual in-person contact with a student or by a live visual connection at least once per week, to assess whether the student is making satisfactory educational progress.

Further, this bill authorizes an exception to be made on a case-by-case basis by the principal of the program, or a designee of the governing board of the LEA, for justifiable reasons and for a specified period of time.  It also requires a parent or guardian to request in writing that designates the reason and the specified period of time for the exception.  The principal of the program or designee of the LEA shall approve or deny the request pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the LEA.

The bill provides that its provisions apply to charter schools.