Online instruction and independent study.

(1) Existing law establishes the public elementary and secondary school system in this state, and further establishes a funding system pursuant to which the state apportions funds to local educational agencies based on, among other factors, the average daily attendance of pupils at the schools operated by those agencies. Numerous statutes and regulations govern the calculation and reporting of average daily attendance. Existing law, commencing with the 2014–15 school year, authorizes, for purposes of computing average daily attendance, the inclusion of pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, under the immediate supervision and control of a certificated employee of the school district or county office of education who is delivering synchronous, online instruction, as defined, provided that this instruction meets specified criteria. Existing law requires, if a school district or county office of education elects to offer synchronous, online instruction, that the school district or county office of education provide all pupils who choose to enroll in a synchronous, online course access to the computer hardware or software necessary for the pupil to participate in the course. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish rules and regulations for purposes of implementing these provisions, and requires those rules and regulations to, at a minimum, address specified matters. Existing law also authorizes the Superintendent to provide guidance regarding the ability of a school district or county office of education to provide synchronous, online instruction. This bill would make these provisions applicable to technology-based synchronous instruction, as defined, rather than synchronous, online instruction. (2) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district or a county office of education to offer independent study to meet the educational needs of pupils in accordance with prescribed criteria. Existing law requires that not more than 10% of the pupils participating in an opportunity school or program, or a continuation high school, calculated as specified by the State Department of Education, be eligible for apportionment credit for independent study. This bill, commencing July 1, 2014, would require the calculation to be based on the prior year average daily attendance reported to the department. (3) Existing law requires the ratio of average daily attendance for independent study pupils 18 years of age or less to full-time equivalent certificated employees responsible for independent study to not exceed a specified ratio. This bill, commencing July 1, 2014, would authorize a school district or a county office of education to establish a different ratio of average daily attendance for independent study pupils 18 years of age or less to full-time equivalent certificated employees responsible for independent study through a local collectively bargained agreement. (4) Existing law provides that a school district or county office of education is not eligible to receive apportionments for independent study pupils unless it has adopted and implemented certain policies, including, but not limited to, policies related to the maximum length of time that may elapse between the time an independent study assignment is made and the date by which the pupil must complete the assigned work, the number of missed assignments that will be allowed before an evaluation is conducted to determine whether it is in the best interests of the pupil to remain in independent study, the manner, time, frequency, and place for submitting a pupil's assignments and for reporting his or her progress, and requiring a written agreement for each independent study pupil to be maintained on file. This bill, commencing July 1, 2014, would require a school district or county office of education to adopt different policies to be eligible to receive apportionments for independent study pupils, including policies requiring periodic contact, as defined, between the certificated employee providing instruction and the pupil to assess whether satisfactory educational progress, as described, is made. The bill would require the written agreement for each independent study pupil that is maintained on file to include additional information, including a copy of the governing board of the school district's, county board of education's, or governing body of a charter school's independent study authorization, and would authorize the written agreement to be maintained in a paper or electronic copy, as defined. The bill would authorize independent study to commence upon receipt of an electronic copy of the agreement.