Section 1.422 Electronic Learning (E-Learning) Days Program

TITLE 23: EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

SUBTITLE A: EDUCATION

CHAPTER I: STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

SUBCHAPTER a: PUBLIC SCHOOL RECOGNITION

PART 1 PUBLIC SCHOOLS EVALUATION, RECOGNITION AND SUPERVISION

SECTION 1.422 ELECTRONIC LEARNING (E-LEARNING) DAYS PROGRAM

Section 1.422  Electronic

Learning (E-Learning) Days Program

Section 10-20.56

of the Code authorizes a program for the use of e-learning days by school

districts to provide instruction while the students are not in attendance at

the school to which they have been assigned. An e-learning day may be used only

in lieu of using one or more emergency days required under Section 10-19 of the

Code, when used during remote learning days and blended remote learning days

under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66 of the Code, or

because a school was

selected to be a polling place under Section 11-4.1 of the Election Code

(Section 10-20.56 of the School Code). This Section sets forth the process to

apply for approval to participate in the E-Learning Days Program (hereinafter,

referred to as the "e-learning program") and the terms and conditions

for the use of e-learning days by participating districts.

a)         An

"approvable e-learning day":

1)         is a day of instruction

provided for students who are not physically present at the school and that is

accessible to all students, including students with disabilities and English

learners;

2)         consists of a minimum of

five clock hours of instruction; and

3)         is provided through

electronic means, such as the

Internet, telephones, text messages, chat

rooms,

or other similar means of electronic communication for

instruction and interaction between teachers and students that meets the needs

of all learners

. (Section 10-20.56(b) of the Code)

b)         "All

mandates", as used in Section 10-20.56(b) of the Code, means mandates

specific to academic goals and learning objectives, content areas of

instruction, and instructional and other school support services

imilar means of electronic communication for

instruction and interaction between teachers and students that meets the needs

of all learners

. (Section 10-20.56(b) of the Code)

b)         "All

mandates", as used in Section 10-20.56(b) of the Code, means mandates

specific to academic goals and learning objectives, content areas of

instruction, and instructional and other school support services. "All

mandates" does not include the provision of transportation, school lunch

and breakfast, after-school care or other services not directly related to the

provision of instruction.

c)         Once an e-learning day

is used, a school district approved under this Section shall electronically

submit a request to its regional office of education or intermediate service

center to amend its calendar not later than 30 days from the date on which an

e-learning day was taken. The request shall include a signed assurance that the

district complied with each of the requirements of Section 10-20.56 of the Code

and Section 1.420(f)(5)(D) of this Part.

d)         If a school district

used the e-learning day pursuant to Section 18-12 of the Code, the district

also shall submit the information required under Section 1.420(f)(4) of this

Part.

e)         A school district

wishing to participate in the E-Learning Days Program shall submit an

application to the State Board of Education that addresses each of the

components listed in Section 10-20.56 of the School Code and subsection (f) of

this Section.

1)         Each application for the

e-learning program shall be submitted in a format specified by the State

Superintendent by September 1 annually.

2)         Each application shall

include a cover page that is signed by the school district superintendent; each

of the district's exclusive collective bargaining representatives; and, as

applicable, the district's regional superintendent of education or chief

administrative officer of the district's intermediate service center

t specified by the State

Superintendent by September 1 annually.

2)         Each application shall

include a cover page that is signed by the school district superintendent; each

of the district's exclusive collective bargaining representatives; and, as

applicable, the district's regional superintendent of education or chief

administrative officer of the district's intermediate service center.

3)         Each application shall

include a description of the public hearing held by the school board to take

testimony from the public, including from school district employees and

parents, about the request.

4)         Each application shall

include a dated copy of the notice of the public hearing that was published in

a newspaper of general circulation and a dated copy of the written or

electronic notifications about the public hearing that meet the requirements of

Section 10-20.56(c) of the Code.

f)         In addition to

addressing each of the components in Section 10-20.56(d) of the Code, each

applicant shall:

1)         describe the process to

be used to verify that five clock-hours of "instruction" under the

direct supervision of educator licensed teachers will be provided;

2)         present a plan for

addressing technology problems and providing other technical support, as

applicable to its e-learning delivery system;

3)         detail how instruction

and other services and programs provided by the e-learning program will:

A)        address all the

instructional mandates contained in Article 27 of the Code (i.e., language

arts, mathematics, the biological, physical and social sciences, the fine arts,

and physical development and health) and this Part, as applicable;

B)        comply with Article 14 of

the Code, 23 Ill. Adm. Code 226 (Special Education), and the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (also referred to as IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) and its

implementing regulations (34 CFR 300, as amended by 71 Fed. Reg. 46540 (August

14, 2006) and 73 Fed. Reg

iences, the fine arts,

and physical development and health) and this Part, as applicable;

B)        comply with Article 14 of

the Code, 23 Ill. Adm. Code 226 (Special Education), and the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (also referred to as IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) and its

implementing regulations (34 CFR 300, as amended by 71 Fed. Reg. 46540 (August

14, 2006) and 73 Fed. Reg. 73027 (December 1, 2008), no later amendments or

editions included), and section

504

of the Rehabilitation Act

of

1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.),

regarding the provision of services for

students with disabilities;

C)        comply with Article 14C

of the Code and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 228 (Transitional Bilingual Education),

regarding services for English learners;

D)        address the varying learning

needs of students enrolled in general education coursework to include, as

applicable, how the district will meet the instructional needs of students

participating in, or receiving services from, programs under the Elementary and

Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) or McKinney-Vento Homeless

Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.);

E)        align to the district's

curriculum and address the specific learning objectives of the course of

instruction being provided; and

F)         meet the requirements of

Section 27-6 of the Code, regarding the provision of physical education,

subject to any waiver of the requirement approved pursuant to Section 2-3.25g

of the Code;

4)         describe the process it

will use to monitor Internet access or other electronic participation of

individual students on an e-learning day (also see Section 1.420(f)(5)(D)); the

description shall provide sufficient evidence of how students will actively

participate in the program and any contingencies to be considered for students

who are unable to access instruction due to computer problems, power outages or

other circumstances beyond a student's control; and

5)         describe how

expectations for e-learning coursework

ng day (also see Section 1.420(f)(5)(D)); the

description shall provide sufficient evidence of how students will actively

participate in the program and any contingencies to be considered for students

who are unable to access instruction due to computer problems, power outages or

other circumstances beyond a student's control; and

5)         describe how

expectations for e-learning coursework and other activities will be

communicated to students and parents in advance of the school district's use of

an e-learning day, as well as how feedback will be gathered from staff,

students and parents about the successes and challenges of the e-learning

program.

g)         Each application for an e-learning

program that meets the requirements of Section 10-20.56 of the Code and this

Section shall be evaluated according to the criteria set forth in this

subsection (g). The three highest ranked applications will be approved.

1)         Delivery System (up to

25 points)

A robust system has been proposed to manage the

e-learning system, ensuring accurate identification of students, reliable

management of student attendance and provision of effective remedies for

technical issues that may arise during the e-learning day that limit or block a

student's or staff member's access to online participation.

2)         Instructional Program

(up to 25 points)

The proposed program:

A)        is built upon research

about effective distance learning approaches;

B)        includes a curriculum

with high-quality learning experiences aligned to the learning objectives of

the course or grade (including addressing the applicable instructional mandates

identified in Article 27 of the Code); organized lesson plans or other

documentation of the instruction to be provided; and sequence and pacing to

allow students to be successful; and

C)        contains no penalties for

students who encounter technical difficulties, providing a process for students

to submit school work for credit that they were unable to complete during t

tructional mandates

identified in Article 27 of the Code); organized lesson plans or other

documentation of the instruction to be provided; and sequence and pacing to

allow students to be successful; and

C)        contains no penalties for

students who encounter technical difficulties, providing a process for students

to submit school work for credit that they were unable to complete during the

e-learning day.

3)         Special Populations (up

to 25 points)

Provisions for providing services for students with

disabilities and English learners are appropriate and comply with State and

federal laws and regulations. The program also is likely to meet the varying

learning needs of the students enrolled in general education coursework by

adequately considering ability, grade level, at-risk status and/or demographic

diversity.

4)         Notification and

Training (up to 25 points)

The proposed process for both involving staff, students

and parents in the program design and for notifying and orienting them about

the e-learning program to be implemented will sufficiently prepare staff,

students and parents to fully participate in and navigate the e-learning system

effectively and efficiently. A detailed plan is included for collecting

feedback from staff, students and parents after an e-learning day is used.

5)         Priority Consideration

Priority consideration may be given to proposals with

specific areas of emphasis, such as to ensure geographic distribution or the

participation of school districts with varying demographic characteristics, as

identified by the State Superintendent of Education in a particular Request for

Applications.

h)         The State Superintendent

will notify school districts approved for participation in the e-learning

program no later than 45 days following the close of the application period

nsure geographic distribution or the

participation of school districts with varying demographic characteristics, as

identified by the State Superintendent of Education in a particular Request for

Applications.

h)         The State Superintendent

will notify school districts approved for participation in the e-learning

program no later than 45 days following the close of the application period.

i)          Approval to participate

in the e-learning program will be for three years (see Section 10-20.56(d) of

the Code), except that approval in the second and third years shall be based on

a review of the continuation application required under this subsection (i).

1)         By September 1 of each

year following initial approval, each participating school district shall

submit a continuation application to the State Superintendent that:

A)        provides a summary of how

the applicant will meet each of the program components listed in Section 10-20.56

of the Code and this Section;

B)        describes any changes in

the program delivery model to be implemented for the school year;

C)        identifies any problems

encountered in the previous school year related to the provision or monitoring

of the program; and

D)        proposes remedies to be

implemented during the next school year to resolve the problems identified.

2)         The continuation

application shall be submitted electronically through the Illinois Web-based

Application Security (IWAS) System (see https://sec1.isbe.net/iwas/asp/login.asp?js=true)

according to the timelines established by the State Superintendent.

3)         Approval during any

continuation period shall be contingent upon sufficient evidence that the

e-learning program to be implemented in the continuation period meets each of

the requirements of Section 10-20.56 of the Code and the application approved

under this Section and that any deficiencies identified have been resolved

ng to the timelines established by the State Superintendent.

3)         Approval during any

continuation period shall be contingent upon sufficient evidence that the

e-learning program to be implemented in the continuation period meets each of

the requirements of Section 10-20.56 of the Code and the application approved

under this Section and that any deficiencies identified have been resolved.

j)          Terms

and Conditions of Approval

1)         A school district that

receives approval to participate in the e-learning program shall notify all

educator licensed personnel and other employees, students and parents that it

will be implementing an e-learning program no later than 10 school days after receiving

notification of approval from the State Board of Education.

2)         An e-learning day shall

be implemented on a districtwide basis, except as otherwise authorized under

Section 18-12 of the Code.

3)         A school district that

is approved to use e-learning days may choose to use an emergency day instead

of an e-learning day; that is, the school district's participation in the

e-learning program does not compel it to use only e-learning days. Further, the

school district is not required to exhaust all of its emergency days before

using an e-learning day.

4)         A school district using

an e-learning day shall use only educator licensed personnel under contract

with the school district to deliver instruction, except that a person holding a

substitute teaching license issued under Section 21B-20 of the Code may be used

in cases of illness or leaves of absence.

5)         The school district

shall assign one or more school administrators to monitor the program, to

include, but not be limited to, verifying attendance, providing instruction

should a teacher be unavailable, and overseeing student participation and the

technical aspects of the e-learning program

ssued under Section 21B-20 of the Code may be used

in cases of illness or leaves of absence.

5)         The school district

shall assign one or more school administrators to monitor the program, to

include, but not be limited to, verifying attendance, providing instruction

should a teacher be unavailable, and overseeing student participation and the

technical aspects of the e-learning program.

6)         The State Superintendent

may withdraw approval of the e-learning program when evidence is presented that

the school district violated the requirements, terms and conditions set forth

in Section 10-20.56 of the Code, or the application approved under this

Section.

7)         A student unable to

participate in an e-learning day due to computer problems, power outages or other

circumstances beyond the student's control shall not be penalized (e.g.,

unexcused absences, lowering of grades) for the student's inability to

participate in the e-learning instruction if the student later completes and

submits the required school work within a timeframe specified by the district. A

school district, however, shall not count the student as being in attendance on

the e-learning day for purposes of determining average daily attendance when

computing General State Aid.

8)         A school district shall

compute General State Aid in accordance with the requirements of Section

18-8.05(F) of the Code and Section 1.420(f) of this Part.