WSSDA Hot Topics and General Discussion

Increasing course options using technology

Susan Goding — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:21:43 GMT

Here are some ideas that school districts around the country are doing with technology to increase course options:

1) The sychronously teach one class at more than one school. In several Delaware school districts, http://www.delawarefirst.org/20279-red-clay-distance-learning-delaware, one teacher teaches two or three classes at the same time. The students watch her on large flat screen tvs via a system similar to skype. The classes can see each other and email address are exchanged. The teacher switches the school she is physically at from time to time so each class experiences remote teaching and plans to have field trips where they all go together.

"When only six students sign up for a class—which is what happened with Advanced Placement Statistics at Conrad this year— it’s hard for a public school to justify assigning a faculty member to teach it. However, add those six Conrad students to the dozen who signed up at A.I. du Pont and you’ve got a right-sized AP class. The distance learning labs facilitated the solution: the Conrad students are taking the course that’s being taught from A.I. du Pont (high school). Similar considerations figured into the other distance learning classes: sociology (a college level class), Advanced Placement U.S. history and Advanced Placement comparative government are being taught from Conrad; accounting and two one-semester social studies classes, legal process and military history, are also being taught from A.I. du Pont."

2) In East Grand Rapid, MI, http://www.mlive.com/east-grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/11/post_21.html, students take 3 language in one class taught by a teacher who teaches none of them.
"In an attempt to offer more world languages, the district created a hybrid language class offering multiple courses during one class period. This year the class, taught by Kim Ibara, has one student taking first-year Japanese, two second-year Japanese, five first-year Chinese, three second-year Chinese, six first-year Arabic and three second-year Arabic. “It has been much more successful than I would have imagined,” said Ibara." I have been advocating a learning to learn any language class in Highline since I was elected. Foreign language, more than most other subjects, similarly to music, require more of the student than the teacher. A foreign language teacher can teach students the skills and help them find the resources and a mentor to learn any language.

3) Teach math in a learning lab, using the emporium math method developed by the National Center for Academic Transformation. Students learn on line with help on demand. Math teachers who know the subject can help a student who is learning geometry at one computer and an algebra student at another and a statistics student at another. This method has been successful at the community college level and some high schools in LA are experimenting with this model of instruction. WA school districts should too. http://susangoding.blogspot.com/2011/02/ncat-model-in-high-schools-that.html

4) And there are fully on line asynchronous courses.http://www.education2020.com/, All AP classes, and most colleges and universitys have online courses. A learning lab is a great place for students to take those classes during the school day, with help available from volunteers. A lot of the problems students have with online courses are technical. They need help with their computer, are the internet, or logging on, things that do not require course expertise, but can be solved by IT savvy people in a learning lab. Also, taking online courses during school hours keeps students with their peers and with adults who can encourage them. Win Win. Highline, and probably other school districts, offer these classes for credit recovery, why not give any student access?

SBE Adopts New Credit Requirements

David Brine — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:05:58 GMT

The State Board of Education recently voted 9-3 to rearrange the state's 20-credit requirements for high school graduation. (See the report from WSSDA Governmental Relations Director Marie Sullivan at http://bit.ly/vrxMsq). What's your take on the State Board's action?

new form

larry bridenback — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:12:49 GMT

anyone even looking?

Excused/Unexcused Absences -- Draft Definition from OSPI

David Brine — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:50:10 GMT

Draft Statewide Definition of Excused and Unexcused Daily Absences

FYI The following information was recently provided by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction regarding its working on drafting a definition of excused and unexcused daily absences --

Excused Daily Absences

The following are valid excuses for absences from school:

A. Participation in a district or school approved activity or instructional program;

B. Illness, health condition or medical appointment (including but not limited to medical, counseling, dental or optometry);

C. Family emergency, including but not limited to a death or illness in the family;

D. Religious or cultural purpose including observance of a religious or cultural holiday or participation in religious or cultural instruction;

E. Court, judicial proceeding or serving on a jury;

F. Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview;

G. State-recognized search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 28A.225.055;

H. Absence directly related to the student’s homeless status;

I. Absence resulting from a disciplinary/corrective action. (e.g., short-term or long-term suspension, emergency expulsion); and

J. Principal (or designee) and parent, guardian, or emancipated youth mutually agreed upon approved activity.

The school principal (or designee) has the authority to determine if an absence meets the above criteria for an excused absence.

Unexcused Daily Absences

Any absence from school for the majority of hours or periods in an average school day is unexcused unless it meets one of the criteria above for an excused absence.

The definition is being forwarded to the Legislature as required by the 2011-13 Biennial Operating Budget (House Bill 2897 (Section 501 (v)). The draft definition was developed by OSPI based on the existing model policy developed by the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA), a review of definitions from districts and states across the country, and work already underway in OSPI. During its September 2010 meeting, the Data Governance Group prioritized a more robust collection of student absence data and a sub-group has been working on recommendations for an enhanced collection of absence data in the CEDARS system.

The draft definition was shared with a variety of organizations including: the Association of Washington School Principals, the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), WSSDA, the Becca Task Force, the Data Governance Group, the Small Schools Committee of WASA, and others. During a three- week period, the SPI office received nearly 100 comments from school district personal and interested individuals. Many of the comments and suggestions were incorporated into the draft definition.

As required in the PASS Act (E2SHB 1599) that was adopted in the 2011 session, OSPI will begin a process of formally adopting a definition of an unexcused absence in rule. The process will be timed to allow the Legislature time to provide feedback on the draft definition during the 2012 legislative session and in time for districts to implement the definition and new data collection for the 2012-2013 school year as required in the PASS Act.

Please contact Randy Dorn or Robert Butts (360) 725-0420 or bob.butts@k12.wa.us if you have any concerns with the definitions.

McCleary Hearing

David Brine — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:20:29 GMT

Did you have a chance to watch the state Supreme Court's hearing on the McCleary school funding case? (It's available on http://www.tvw.org). What is your opinion of the arguments? Any predictions on the outcome?