Pupil instruction: independent study.

(1) 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. This bill would, notwithstanding any other law, commencing with the 2015–16 school year and ending on June 30, 2022, authorize a school district or county office of education to offer independent study courses in accordance with prescribed conditions, including, among others, that the courses be taught under the general supervision of certificated employees who hold the appropriate subject matter credential, that the courses are annually certified, by school district or county office of education governing board resolution, to be of the same rigor and educational quality as equivalent classroom-based courses, and that certificated employees assess whether each pupil is making satisfactory educational progress and conduct teacher-pupil meetings in person at least twice per calendar month. The bill would provide that statewide testing results for pupils enrolled in these courses shall be reported and assigned to the school in which a pupil is enrolled for classroom-based courses and to any school district or county office of education within which that school's testing results are aggregated. The bill also would provide that a signed learning agreement, as specified, shall be completed and on file, and would specify the computation of average daily attendance for these courses. The bill would prohibit pupils from being required to enroll in the courses. (2) 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 would revise the pupil-to-teacher ratios by grade span, as specified.