1. JLARC Study of Alternative Learning Experience Programs Preliminary Report September 14, 2005 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee Robert Krell, JLARC Staff

2. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report2 Introduction  K-12 programs primarily distinguished by off-campus instruction 272 programs statewide – 19,400 FTE students Different program sub-types Online/digital programs – focus of Interim Report Parent/Partner programs – focus of this Report  Study mandate from 2004 Supp. Budget  Major focus: adequacy of program rules  Regulatory landscape has changed  New legislation... and new program rules  Joint effort with State Auditor’s Office

3. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report3 Summary of Main Points  Old rules were inadequate – new rules are a significant improvement Still some areas of concern  Lack of centralized oversight has been a problem – additional changes are warranted  Religion-based instructional materials likely being used in some programs Inconsistent with state constitutional provisions Existing policy addresses, but not being publicized  Unclear if full-funding warranted – but more information is needed

4. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report4 ALE Programs – An Overview  Creation of administrative rule – not statute Fiscal rules – part of broader series of rules on how to apportion Basic Ed funding Establish conditions that districts must meet to receive funding for students not present in classroom – thus, off-campus instruction Intended to provide districts flexibility to serve diverse student population  272 programs – 19,400 FTE students Just under $80 million in Basic Ed funding Report pp. 2-3

5. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report5 Alternative Learning Experience Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Students by Program Type Parent/Partner 46% Other 45% Digital/ Online 9% Report p. 3 19,407 Total FTE Students

6. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report6 What Are Parent/Partner Programs?  Provide varying types & levels of services to those who wish to provide some of their children’s education in the home Most instruction takes place in the home Parents provide major portion of instruction School personnel often responsible for developing learning plan, monitoring progress and assessing performance  But retain ultimate responsibility for entire instruction program – this is what distinguishes these programs from home-schooling  101 programs – 9,016 FTE students Just under $37 million in Basic Ed funding Report p. 4

7. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report7 Location and Size of Parent/Partner Programs in Washington Report p. 9 Student FTEs Legend

8. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report8 Parent/Partner Programs – cont.  Questions/concerns first raised by representatives of home-school organizations – initially directed to SAO Related to program quality, funding & spending  Washington unusual in providing this type of programming - only two states offer programs that are at all similar  No standard program type – lots of variation Report pp. 5-6, 11-12

9. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report9 Six Issue Areas  General Regulatory Framework  Quality Assurance Requirements  Program Oversight and Accountability  Use of Religious Materials/Curriculum  Program Funding and Spending  Issues of Concern to Home-Schooling Interests

10. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report10 General Regulatory Framework  Programs not statutory – limits direct legislative control & oversight  OSPI doesn’t view their proper role as extending to active oversight  Establishing programs in statute would allow for more legislative input  Recommendation 1 Legislature should consider establishing ALE programs in statute Report p. 17

11. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report11 Quality Assurance Requirements  Old rules were lacking - new rules are a significant improvement  Biggest change: much more involvement on the part of certificated staff Student progress now to be “supervised, monitored, assessed and evaluated” by certificated staff Also will have “primary responsibility and accountability” for a student’s learning plan  Other changes relate to curriculum and strengthening student assessment requirements Report pp. 19-22

12. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report12 Quality Assurance - Two Concerns  Student/teacher contact requirements Weekly contact still required, but minimum time requirements eliminated  Recommendation 2 The Legislature should consider whether minimum contact time requirements should be re-imposed  Curriculum not required to address state or district learning goals  Recommendation 3 The Legislature should consider whether curriculum provided through ALE programs should be required to address state/district learning goals Report pp. 19-22

13. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report13 Program Oversight & Accountability  Little centralized control or oversight  New rules will help substantially – districts will have to: Adopt and annually review policies for each program Designate a specific official responsible for approving and monitoring programs, and reporting annually to local board Evaluate programs  By themselves, new rules may not be enough SAO found significant level of non-compliance Report pp. 23-25

14. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report14 Oversight & Accountability – cont.  Additional requirements warranted  Recommendation 4: OSPI should amend its rules to require districts that claim funding to submit an annual assurance that they are in compliance with all ALE rules  To be based on self-assessment instrument developed by OSPI  Recommendation 5: OSPI should develop program implementation guidelines  Should include templates for recording and reporting key program information Report pp. 26-27

15. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report15 Religious Curriculum & Materials  Some programs allow religion-based instructional materials to support learning plan activities Inconsistent with state constitutional provisions  1998 OSPI memorandum addressed issue Districts must assume responsibility for instructional content of off-campus learning activities in order to claim funding Materials used don’t have to be designed for public classroom use, but must not be of a nature that would preclude their use in a public school classroom Report pp. 29-32

16. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report16 Religious Materials – cont.  Policy outlined in memorandum satisfactorily addresses issue – but has not been well-publicized Many programs are unaware of it  Recommendation 6 OSPI should incorporate its existing policy on instructional materials into its new program implementation guidelines – and remind districts of their obligations Report pp. 31-32

17. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report17 Program Funding and Spending  Funding – what should the appropriate funding level be? No solid rationale for funding at full Basic Education level  Based on old contact time requirements Other states fund at different levels  Alaska: 80 percent  California: 70 to 100 percent Insufficient data on what programs cost  Recommendation 7 OSPI should require districts to report ALE program spending information for 2 years Report pp. 33-37

18. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report18 Program Funding & Spending – cont.  Spending Issues Minimum spending requirement eliminated SAO found program funds had been spent on such items as:  Private horse riding lessons  Gym memberships  Ski lift tickets, rentals, lessons  Private music lessons (N ot necessarily inappropriate, but presumably not widely available to all district students) Use of “parent accounts” for expenses (average of $475 per student per year, up to $1600) Report pp. 34-36

19. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report19 Program Funding & Spending – cont.  At least one other state (Alaska) has imposed spending restrictions  Recommendation 8 Legislature should consider whether spending requirements or restrictions should be placed on ALE programs, including:  Overall minimum program spending requirements  Maximum limits on parent accounts  Restrictions on types of expenditures  Limits on amount of funds that can be used on non-core academic areas Report pp. 36-37

20. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report20 Issues of Concern to Home- Schooling Organizations  Two main issues Permitting part-time enrollment Requiring programs to provide accurate information on legal status of enrolled students  Both issues appear to have been satisfactorily addressed in OSPI’s rule revisions Report pp. 39-41

21. 9/14/05ALE Programs Preliminary Report21  JLAR Staff Contact: Robert Krell, JLARC Staff krell.robert@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5182