[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to alternative learning experience parent partnership programs; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:

An alternative learning experience parent partnership program may be counted as a course of study. An alternative learning experience parent partnership program is an individualized course of study for a student who is not homeschooled under RCW 28A.225.010(4), a private school student under RCW 28A.225.010(1)(a), or an adult education student. The alternative learning experience is provided in accordance with a written alternative learning experience plan that is implemented pursuant to the school district board's policy for alternative learning experience parent partnership programs. The school district board policy must have been adopted in a public meeting. The alternative learning experience is provided by the school district and may be conducted in part outside of the regular classroom. A portion of the alternative learning experience may be provided by the student's parent or guardian under supervision by the school district. An alternative learning experience parent partnership program may be counted as a course of study if the following requirements are met:

(1) Each school district claiming basic education funding for alternative learning experience parent partnership programs shall have written policies on file that:

(a) Require a written plan for each student participating in an alternative learning experience that meets the minimum criteria under subsection (2) of this section;

(b) Require that all alternative learning experience curriculum and course requirements be approved by the school district;

(d) Require that each student's educational progress will be reviewed at least once during the first twenty school days and afterwards at least once every forty-five school days and that the results of each evaluation shall be communicated to the student and if the student is in grades K-8, the student's parent or guardian. If the school district determines that a student is not substantially successful in completing the learning activities described in the written alternative learning experience plan, a revised written plan may be implemented. Any revised written plan shall be designed to enable the student to be substantially successful in completing the learning activities described in the revised written plan within ninety school days from the date that the district first determines that the student is not substantially successful in completing the assigned learning activities included in the original written plan. If the school district determines that the student is still not substantially successful in completing his or her assigned learning activities after ninety school days from the date that the district first determines that the student is not substantially successful in completing the learning activities included in the original written plan, or sooner at the discretion of the school district, a plan to remove the student from the alternative program shall be devised. Such plan shall specify that the student shall be removed from the alternative program no later than the end of the current school year for a period of at least one school term. Students removed from the alternative program shall be offered the opportunity to enroll in another course of study;

(e) Require that the alternative learning experience plan for each student and all records of enrollment, attendance, and total hours of participation in educational activities for the student are maintained and available for audit in the appropriate school building;

(f) Ensure that board policies, student instruction, and the instructional materials referenced in the alternative learning experience plan are consistent with the United States and Washington state Constitutions and RCW 28A.600.025; and

(g) At the discretion of the school district board, the policy may describe responsibilities of the student's parent or guardian including, but not limited to:

(i) Approval of the written alternative learning experience plan;

(ii) Responsibility for the parent or guardian to provide or supervise a portion of the student's alternative learning experience if the parent or guardian agrees; and

(iii) Requirements to meet with district staff for purposes of evaluating the student's performance and/or receiving instructions on assisting with the student's alternative learning experience. The school district board may also prescribe requirements for appointing a person to provide or supervise a portion of the student's alternative learning experience in the event the student's parent or guardian will not or can not be a participant in the student's alternative learning experience;

(2) The alternative learning experience plan for a student shall be a written plan of instruction designed to meet the individual needs of the student, and shall be approved by a school district official and any other person as required or allowed by school district policy. The written plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements:

(a) A schedule of the duration of the program, including beginning and ending dates;

(b) A description of the learning activities the student is expected to successfully complete. Such description shall be sufficient in detail to guide and advise the student of the expectations;

(c) A description of the teaching component of the program, including where and when teaching activities will be conducted by school district staff;

(d) A description of the responsibilities of the student including a requirement that if, on average, the student attends school fewer than five hours a week, the student shall meet one-on-one with qualified district staff for an average minimum of sixty minutes every five school days for instruction, review of the student's assignments, testing, and/or other learning activities. If more than one student meets with a qualified district staff member at one time, the required time is increased proportionately, for example, the requirement becomes one hundred twenty minutes if two full-time equivalent students meet with the staff member at one time. Students enrolled in board-approved distance learning programs are exempt from the requirements of this subsection (2)(d); and

(e) A reasonably accurate estimate of the average number of hours per month that the student will be engaged in learning activities to meet the requirements of the alternative learning experience plan. This estimate may be used in reporting enrollment in compliance with subsection (3) of this section and must be based upon the criteria in subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section;

(3) The full-time equivalency of students enrolled in alternative learning experiences shall be determined based upon both (a) and (b) of this subsection as follows:

(a) The number of hours that each student engages in learning activities as determined by either (a)(i) or (ii) of this subsection as follows:

(i) The total number of hours that the student engages in learning activities under the written alternative learning experience plan including:

(A) Those hours in which a student is engaged in teaching and learning experiences conducted by school district staff;

(B) Those hours of work-based learning calculated that counts one hour per scheduled school day as four hundred five hours of scheduled work experience per school year;

(C) Those hours of learning activity other than those specified in (a)(i)(A), (B), and (D) of this subsection that are provided by the student's parent or guardian, or other person as designated by the written plan, under the direct supervision of the district's qualified instructional staff; and

(D) Those hours that the student participates in learning activities other than those specified in (a)(i)(A), (B), and (C) of this subsection. Such learning activity shall be pursuant to the student's alternative learning experience plan and if the student is in grades K-8, only includes those hours the student is supervised by the student's parent or guardian or other person designated by the written alternative learning experience plan;

(ii) The district may use the estimated average hours per month the student is engaged in learning activities as stated in the alternative learning experience plan that meet the requirements of (a)(i) of this subsection. However, for any count date on which the student has averaged, for the immediate two prior months during the current school year, a number of hours engaged in learning activities that differ by more than five hours a week from the alternative learning experience plan estimate under subsection (2)(e) of this section, the district shall adjust the full-time equivalency of the student for such count date to the lesser of one or the full-time equivalency calculated using the two-month average;

(b) The district shall exclude students meeting the definition of enrollment exclusions or students who have not met with appropriate district staff for twenty consecutive school days. Any such student shall not be counted as an enrolled student until the student has met with appropriate district staff and resumed participation in his or her alternative learning experience or participated in another course of study;

(4) The district shall keep on file in the appropriate school building and have available for audit, documentation of all hours of learning activities used to determine the student's full-time equivalency including documentation of the following:

(a) For students in grades K-8, written statements from the student's parent or guardian or other person as designated by the written alternative learning experience plan. Such statements shall be submitted to the district on a monthly basis or more often at the discretion of the district and shall list those hours that the student has engaged in planned learning activities while not in the presence of district staff. Reported hours shall be used to determine the full-time equivalency of the student under subsection (3) of this section;

(b) For students in grades 9-12, the student shall submit to the district written statements on a monthly basis or more often at the discretion of the district. Such statements shall list those hours that the student has engaged in planned learning activities while not in the presence of district staff. Reported hours shall be used to determine the full-time equivalency of the student under subsection (3) of this section; and

(c) Each student's educational progress in grades two through ten shall be assessed at least annually using either the state assessment provided the student's grade level or another assessment selected by the school district if the state assessment is not provided;

(5) The school district shall either:

(a) Maintain a ratio of full-time equivalent certificated instructional staff serving the annual average full-time equivalent students reported for basic education funding under this section that is at least equal to the district's basic education funding ratio for the grade band of the students being reported for basic education funding pursuant to this section; or

(b) Separately account for, document, and have available for audit, evidence that the alternative learning experience parent partnership program expends during the school year at least seventy percent of the basic education entitlement claimed for students enrolled in alternative learning experiences during the school year. Such expenditures shall be direct expenditures in the following programs as defined in the "Accounting Manual for Public School Districts in Washington State" for the school year:

(i) Program 01, basic education; and/or

(ii) Program 31, vocational, basic, state; and/or

(iii) Program 45, skills center, basic, state.