Skip to main content

Independent Study

Staff Overview

FAMILY INFORMATION ABOUT I.S. CAN BE FOUND AT 

Independent Study Information for Families

(b v u s d . o r g / i n d e p e n d e n t s t u d y

The sections below include additional information for staff.

    • It is our intent to facilitate requests to the best of our ability.

    • With the new single day minimum, we have an opportunity to recoup ADA and learning opportunities more easily. 

    • We are trying to balance our interest in maximizing the use of Independent Study with the burden we understand it can cause for teachers. 

    • Independent Study can be provided for 1-15 days now (previously 3-14)

    • The 15-day cap is cumulative, and needs to be tracked by the classroom teacher to avoid entering an agreement that will be voided.  

    • ADA is not generated, and teacher timesheets cannot be honored for any agreement beyond the 15-day limit.

  • At this time, we are not offering long-term Independent Study any more (except in cases of extreme illness).

     

  • REQUESTS TIMELINE

    • There is no (and there has not been since COVID) any required period of time required for family requests. 

    • We do request 2-week notice when possible, however for emergencies and illness, prior notice is not generally possible. 

    REQUEST PROCESS

    • Families are encouraged to initiate any request with teachers; teachers are encouraged to accommodate the request when they are feasible.

    • Principals are available for support. If a teacher receives a request and is  unable to put work together, please refer families to principals. Principals will provide work and prepare the Learning Agreements. 

Required Learning Agreements

NEW (2024)

 

✔ Learning Agreements should be completed prior to the start of Independent Study (when possible)

✔ New law allows them to be completed anytime during the school year - however completing them as soon as possible is helpful (so families understand the terms and the office can update attendance)

✔ Page 5 must be completed by the teacher when student returns.

✔ Learning Agreements must be provided to the District Office as soon as possible (to verify completion and update attendance records).

✔ Be sure to use the most current agreement (with revision data 9/1/24 in upper right hand corder of 1st page)

Read-to-Go I.S. Plans

While some teachers want to provide something that approximates what is being covered in class (and of course, that remains an option), the reality is that most are not completing the work anyway.

Teachers may always opt to create a more customized set of lessons for their students (or use these lessons in conjunction with customized assignments). These lessons are perfect "solutions," but hopefully they lighten the load.

FAQs

  • Our attendance rates remain low. Independent Study is not a great substitute for classroom learning, but to the extent we can offer something (without extraordinary burden) and encourage students to complete the work for attendance credit, we should. 

    In cases of extended health-related absences, we are REQUIRED to honor any requests for independent study. In instances of optional absences (e.g., family vacations), we are not obligated to offer anything, but it is in everyone's best interest if we can encourage students to complete work thereby maintaining some academic engagement and ADA for the district.

  • While some teachers want to provide something that approximates what is being covered in class (and of course, that remains an option), the reality is that most are not completing the work anyway. 

    Creating work that approximates the classroom experience is unrealistic - and doubly disappointing when the work isn't completed. 

    To minimize the burden consider one of the following options:

    (1) Put together a "generic" template that can be filled in pretty quickly for a 5-day absence (see rough sample here) - If you want to use the structure, make a copy of the document and enter your own content. ​​​​​​​

         -or-

    (2) Use these ready-to-go Independent Study lessons - also linked in the button above (there are 7 weeks of lessons for every grade)

         -or-

    (3) A hybrid of #1 and #2 (create a template, and use activities from the lessons linked in #2)

    Please note that teachers can always opt to create a more customized set of lessons for their students. These suggested "solutions" aren't great, but the intention is to lighten the load for something that isn't yielding a huge return. 

  • Incomplete/late work does not earn attendance credit. 

    Incomplete/late work may prohibit student from participating in future opportunities for  Independent Study. 

  • We are no longer offering payment because that model proved to be a double hit for the district financially, because student work completion wasn't great (so we lost ADA funding in addition to paying teachers). 

  • Complete the Work / Attendance Worksheet on page 4 of the Learning Agreement to track completed work. 

    Incomplete/late work does not earn attendance credit. 

    Incomplete/late work may prohibit student from participating in future opportunities for  Independent Study. 

    image of work tracking document