Alternative Learning Experience
Workgroup
As
you arrive, use a sticky
note to write one
question/comment or
concern you have about
ALE.
WELCOME
November 16, 2010
Olympia, WA
Brouilett Conference Room
Introductions
Name
 Organization
 One hope for the day

Norms of Conduct
Respect questions
 Monitor your own airtime
 No hostile language
 Focus on goals and objectives
 Represent your district
 Assume positive intentions
 Avoid use of cell phones, checking email,
etc
 Use Parking Lot to air concerns or issues

ALE Goals
Provide a high quality public education
 Fiscal and academic accountability
 Good stewards of public funds

Why the workgroup?
Planned review of 2005 rules 3-5 years after
adoption
 Expansion of online/digital/virtual programs
with statewide enrollment scope
 Legislative concern
 Major audit findings
 Areas of concern
 For transparent and open re-write process
that involves the ideas and voice of districts
implementing ALE programs

Background and Data
Background on ALE programs
 Topics of concern
 Data Sources

◦ Audit
◦ WALA
◦ OSPI reports (ALE, Assessment, Online
Learning)
ALE Programs
260
250
240
230
220
210
200
190
180
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
Total ALE Headcount
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
Percent of ALE Headcount by Type
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2005-06
2006-07
Contract Based Learning
2007-08
Digital or Online
2008-09
Parent Partner
AUDIT FINDINGS
ISSUE: STIPENDS AND
PARENTAL
REIMBURSEMENT
Average Stipend Amount
$700
$600
$500
$400
$300
$200
$100
$0
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Programs Offering "Stipends"
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1
Stipends under $500
2
3
Stipends over $500
4
Stipends over $1000
Stipend Programs - Headcount
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Average Headcounts
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2005-06
2006-07
Average Headcount - Stipend
2007-08
2008-09
Average Headcount - Non-Stipend
ISSUE: STATEWIDE
ASSESSMENT
PARTICIPATION
10th Grade Reading - % of Students with No Score
100
90
Percent of Students with No Score
80
70
66.7
60
50
50
45
43.3
40
33.3
35.3
37.3
30
24.9
20
10
0
5.9
3.8
Online Schools (Line is State Average)
10th Grade Reading - % of students meeting standard
100
90
State
Averag
Percent of Students Meeting Standard
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
ReadingPercentMetStandard
ReadingPercentMetStandardExcludingNoScore
Written Student Learning Plans
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2005-06
2006-07
1.0 FTE
.9 to .99 FTE
2007-08
.5 to .9 FTE
Less than .5 FTE
2008-09
ISSUE: INTER-DISTRICT
“CHOICE” TRANSFERS
Choice Transfers – Sept. 2010
23,927 ALE students reported
 11,830 (49%) ALE students transferred
from one district to another
 (Note: this is probably an undercount.)

Other Known Issues
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District oversight of ALE programs
Role of the teacher
Contact requirement concerns
Tracking student progress and
documentation concerns
High school courses being “taught” that
were not for credit, and elementary courses
that do not align with GLEs.
Special education
◦ Being told to drop the IEP to gain entrance
ALE Goals
Provide a high quality public education
 Fiscal and academic accountability
 Good stewards of public funds

WAC 392-121-182

Alternative learning experience
requirements.
Section 1: Alternative Learning
Experience Purpose/Definition

Provides an alternative method of determining
full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment for learning
experiences that are:
◦ Individualized courses of study.
◦ Supervised, monitored, assessed, and evaluated by
certificated staff.
◦ Provided in whole or in part outside the regular
classroom setting, including those provided digitally
via the Internet or other electronic means.

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Allows for part-time enrollment.
Does not limit alternative instruction provided
with federal or local resources.
Section 2: School board policies
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The requirement of a written plan for each student (WSLP).
The ratio of certificated instructional staff to full-time equivalent students.
A description of how student performance will be supervised, monitored,
assessed, evaluated, and recorded by school staff.
The requirement that each student have direct personal contact with
school staff at least weekly, until the student completes the course
objectives or the requirements of the learning plan
The require that each student's educational progress be reviewed at least
monthly
At the discretion of the school district board, a description of the
responsibilities of the student's parent(s) or guardian.
A designation of one or more school district official(s) responsible for
monitoring compliance and reporting at least annually to the school
district board of directors on the program.
An agreement to comply with the State Board of Education WAC 180-50
and 180-51 for course equivalencies and graduation requirements.
Reimbursable expenditures
Section 3: Implementation Standards
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Accessibility for students with disabilities.
Responsibility of district to provide instructional
materials in line with learning plan. Instructional
materials shall be provided in accordance with RCW
28A.320.230
Work based learning and contracting must comply
with applicable WACs ( WAC 392-410-315 and 392121-124, WAC 392-121-188 and RCW 28A.150.305)
Parent acknowledgment of ALE vs. home-based
instruction
The school district shall institute reliable methods to
verify a student is doing his or her own work.
Accreditation of online ALE programs
Section 4: Written Student Learning
Plan
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Start and end dates
Estimated average number of hours in learning
activities
Description of how weekly contact is fulfilled
Include learning goals and objectives. Course syllabi
may be used to meet this requirement.
Identify essential instructional materials
Include timelines and methods of evaluation.
Be developed and monitored by district certificated
staff.
Timelines and methods for evaluation
Include connection with EALRs and graduation
requirements.
Section 5: Enrollment reporting

Full-time equivalent student in WAC 392-121-122 and the number of
hours the student is expected to engage in learning activities

Estimated average weekly hours of learning activity described

Monthly count dates
◦ based on the estimated average weekly hours of learning activity

Enrollment is based on the existing definition of a full-time equivalent
(FTE) student. Actual reported student FTE is based on estimated hours
of instruction in the written plan as long as the student’s progress review is
satisfactory.

If a student’s progress review indicates a lack of satisfactory progress, the
next month the actual hours are tracked and in ensuing months, the FTE is
based on the actual hours of documented learning activity.

Students who have not met with appropriate school staff for 20
consecutive school days must be excluded from the enrollment count.

School districts must report alternative learning enrollment annually to
OSPI.
Section 6: Accountability for student
performance

Minimum performance evaluation schedule and process

Assessed at least annually, using, for full-time students, the state
assessment for the student's grade level and using any other annual
assessments required by the school district.

Part-time students shall also be assessed at least annually. However,
part-time students who are either receiving home-based instruction
under chapter 28A.200 RCW or who are enrolled in an approved
private school under chapter 28A.195 RCW are not required to
participate in the assessments required under chapter 28A.655 RCW.

Students enrolled full-time in nonresident ALE schools, programs, or
courses shall have the opportunity to participate in any required
annual state assessments at the district of residence.

It is the responsibility of the enrolling district to facilitate all necessary
coordination with the district of residence.

Assessment results for students assessed according to these provisions
shall be included in the enrolling district's accountability
measurements.
Section 7: Program evaluation

Engage in periodic self-evaluation of these
learning experiences in a manner
designed to objectively measure their
effectiveness.
Section 8: Annual reporting
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Types of programs and course offerings
Student headcount and full-time equivalent
enrollment claimed for basic education
funding.
Ratio of certificated instructional staff to fulltime equivalent students enrolled in
alternative learning experience courses or
programs.
Identify alternative learning experience
enrollment of students provided under
contract
Section 9: Documentation
Board policy
 Annual board reports
 Written student learning plans
 Documentation of contact (weekly,
monthly, evaluations, assessments)
 Enrollment substantiation
 Signed guardian enrollment
documentation.

ALE Goals
Provide a high quality public education
 Fiscal and academic accountability
 Good stewards of public funds

Workgroup areas of concern

Using the provided stickers weight the
areas of concern of most interest to the
organization you are representing.
◦ You can use your stickers in anyway you choose,
spread across different issues, all to one issue, etc.
Small Group
Group 1: State Assessment (participation
and logistics)
 Group 2: Stipends/reimbursement
 Group 3: Clarity (documentation, contact
requirements, student progress)
 Group 4: Role of Teacher
 Group 5: Wildcard- something surprising
may come out of the group, can also focus
on choice, district oversight, reporting
requirements

Small Group Work
Select a recorder
 Select a reporter
 Brainstorm probing questions
 Brainstorm solutions that address the
probing questions
 Prepare a brief report to the group using
the large sticky note and markers
provided

ALE Goals
Provide a high quality public education
 Fiscal and academic accountability
 Good stewards of public funds

Questions
Next Meeting