Published: Thursday, August 25, 2011
Alternative learning programs take a hit
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Weekly Herald/CHRIS GOODENOW
Parent Jean Busig (right), of Edmonds, talks to Edmonds Heights K-12 Principal Danny Rock as her kids Caitlyn (from left), 3, Myles, 7, and Sydney, 1, play in the background, Monday, August 8, 2011 at Edmonds Heights K-12.
EDMONDS -- It's back-to-school season for Jean Busig's family.
But there's no trip to Target.
Instead of spiffy binders or the latest fall fashions, the Bothell mom is busy choosing materials, such as a frog dissection kit, that 9-year-old Avery and 7-year-old Myles will use as part of their studies with her at home, as well as choosing what classes they'll take at Edmonds Heights K-12 to fill in the gaps, such as musical theater and math.
“This month is the month to gear up -- and not to gear up by going school shopping,” Busig said.
It's something Busig has a lot of experience in by this point, having skipped traditional schooling for her children from the beginning. She plans to do the same with her two toddlers.
But this year, back-to-school time has a different flavor.
The state this year has taken aim at alternative programs like Edmonds Heights, which Busig and hundreds of other families rely on for guidance and extra support even as they take the primary role in educating their children.
For the first time, lawmakers set down in writing what constitutes an “alternative learning experience,” or ALE, as they are known in educational parlance. A host of rule changes followed.
At the same time, lawmakers also handed down special budget cuts -- which come on top of the basic education funding reductions that already trickled down to the programs.
“That's the double-whammy that's really been tough for us,” said Danny Rock, principal at Edmonds Heights.
Just what is an ALE?
Edmonds Heights, which enrolled 500 students this past spring, is a parent partnership program -- one of a few programs that fall under the umbrella of alternative learning experiences.
The Edmonds School District's eLearning program, which offers online courses to high-schoolers, also is an ALE.
Until this year, the alternative Scriber Lake High School also was defined as an ALE because it didn't meet traditional classroom seat-time requirements.
The programs look different from school district to school district. And not all districts offer them. So they are a popular draw in Edmonds, which enrolls a considerable number of families from outside its boundaries, including Busig's children.
Even though these types of programs have been around for more than a decade, however, they still cause some confusion.
“There are even some groups that are hostile to ALEs,” Rock said. “That's now finally made it up to the legislative level.”
Until now, alternative programs were left largely to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which sets the rules for how they operate. Those rules have shifted over the years. But as the programs expanded, particularly online, so did questions about their quality.
“Where it was a local program dealing with local students in your resident district, there was not a sense that there needed to be a statewide control put in place,” said Lile Holland, executive director of the nonprofit Washington Association of Learning Alternatives (WALA). “You have students enrolling now in choice programs that are 300 miles away from where they live and no common standards -- I think that's where the state came in and said we need to regulate this more and more.”
What's changing
The new state law takes away some flexibility as well as funding.
In the case of Edmonds Heights, the new rules affect several areas:
Purchases. Parents can no longer get reimbursed for educational purchases but instead must go through school staff. Families will have to make one mass order per semester, limit the retailers they use to those approved under district guidelines and pay out of their own pockets if they want to go elsewhere or buy something other than approved books, DVDs or art supplies.
Classes. Some workshop classes will be cut or changed -- no more elementary foreign language and group music lessons instead of individual instruction, as some examples. Parents determine what workshops are offered. The elective-style courses are taught by contractors who are specialists in their field, such as a pair of Mount Vernon artist sisters.
Seat time. Students must meet with a certificated teacher face-to-face at least one hour a week. Not all families come to campus that regularly, and those who do don't always meet with a certificated teacher. Workshops, for example, would not meet the requirement. As a result, the school is adding a “Study Lab” class for those who wouldn't otherwise enroll in a teacher-led course.
Funding. State funding to the school, based on enrollment, will be cut 10 percent. The district will cover some of that loss. Another chunk will come from the discretionary funds parents have access to for educational expenses, a family stipend that's going down to $400 from $500. Teachers and support staff who are on leave will not be replaced.
Most families put the bulk of their stipend into salaries for workshop instructors.
Families who typically used all of their stipend for supplies may not return since they tended to be the same ones who didn't come to campus much, Rock said.
That's exactly what state lawmakers are banking on.
A ‘hybrid' approach
Holland, the WALA director, said he's been in frequent meetings and fielding several phone calls a day on the changes, highlighting the confusion that persists. Some smaller programs elsewhere in the state are contemplating shutting down, he said.
“It seems we're spending more time on paperwork than we are educating students,” Holland said.
Programs like Edmonds Heights meet the needs of students, from at-risk to accelerated learners, who aren't getting what they need in a more traditional school environment, Rock said.
“For our lawmakers to underappreciate that value, it puts many of our most at-risk students more at risk. It is the thing that is most concerning about these moves,” he said. “To me, it's a situation where … there's kids misbehaving in the back of the class and the whole class is being punished.”
Members of the parent-led Leadership Council at Edmonds Heights kept in contact with lawmakers since last fall and were successful in keeping programs intact.
But the process reflects a lack of understanding of “hybrid” programs like Edmonds Heights, according to Diane Streicher, chair of the Leadership Council.
“We're not rogue homeschoolers who have found a way to rifle the state's pockets,” she said.
The struggle to explain what they do is one reason folks like Streicher now avoid the word “homeschool” altogether and changed the name of the school program last year, from Edmonds Homeschool Resource Center.
That said, Edmonds Heights families are rolling with the changes, Streicher said. Local school administrators are very supportive, she added.
“We're all trying to achieve the same goal. … There's still very much a spirit of camaraderie. It's a really great vibe even in these uncertain times,” she said.
What it looks like
Like other families, Streicher and her four children were attracted to Edmonds Heights in part for the social aspect.
“We were never the kitchen table-type homeschoolers who stayed at home and did our school work,” said Streicher, of Mukilteo. “So it was a nice combination.”
Edmonds Heights is carved out of bits and pieces of the old Woodway High School campus. Scriber Lake High School and other district programs also call the campus home.
The school reflects its self-made roots.
A trophy case is filled with awards for a popular theater program.
The library includes books for students of all ages, as well as shelves of curriculum materials for parents to check out.
A preschool room has toys for younger siblings who come along for the ride.
An extensive computer lab is unique to the district in that it also includes Macintosh desktops.
Each classroom has seating set aside for parents to observe while the teacher leads group lessons.
It's a comfortable and eclectic atmosphere that Busig, the Bothell mom, appreciates -- both for the school-like social life it provides her oldest daughter and the resources it offers her.
There have been changes to parent partnership programs over the years.
“This year is the biggest change that we've had yet,” said Busig, as she watched her kids play at the campus during a recent visit. “There have been little things but nothing that's been highly impacting. … It's the uncertainty of everything.”
Busig fears there will be more restrictions on what she will be able to obtain for her children's education, such as educational games and science kits.
After meeting with Rock, she felt better about things. But she will be more choosy about what she requests.
“I am dedicated to my kids learning, so I will still buy (something) even if the school doesn't reimburse if I feel like it will benefit their learning,” she said. “I enjoy watching my kids discover new things. … It's so much fun.”
Other ALE programs
The Edmonds School District's eLearning program, which caters to high school students, also was affected by the new law.
The online program will see state funding cut 20 percent and lose the equivalent of a half-time teacher, said Marla Miller, the district's executive director of business and operations.
Until this year, Scriber Lake High School also was considered an alternative learning experience. To avoid added cuts, district leaders this month approved shifting the alternative high school to the regular education category.
The school already was close to the required number of traditional classroom hours to qualify, Miller said.
Students shouldn't notice the change, she added. The program will still operate as a school of choice, with a focus on small class sizes and hands-on styles of learning.
But there's no trip to Target.
Instead of spiffy binders or the latest fall fashions, the Bothell mom is busy choosing materials, such as a frog dissection kit, that 9-year-old Avery and 7-year-old Myles will use as part of their studies with her at home, as well as choosing what classes they'll take at Edmonds Heights K-12 to fill in the gaps, such as musical theater and math.
“This month is the month to gear up -- and not to gear up by going school shopping,” Busig said.
It's something Busig has a lot of experience in by this point, having skipped traditional schooling for her children from the beginning. She plans to do the same with her two toddlers.
But this year, back-to-school time has a different flavor.
The state this year has taken aim at alternative programs like Edmonds Heights, which Busig and hundreds of other families rely on for guidance and extra support even as they take the primary role in educating their children.
For the first time, lawmakers set down in writing what constitutes an “alternative learning experience,” or ALE, as they are known in educational parlance. A host of rule changes followed.
At the same time, lawmakers also handed down special budget cuts -- which come on top of the basic education funding reductions that already trickled down to the programs.
“That's the double-whammy that's really been tough for us,” said Danny Rock, principal at Edmonds Heights.
Just what is an ALE?
Edmonds Heights, which enrolled 500 students this past spring, is a parent partnership program -- one of a few programs that fall under the umbrella of alternative learning experiences.
The Edmonds School District's eLearning program, which offers online courses to high-schoolers, also is an ALE.
Until this year, the alternative Scriber Lake High School also was defined as an ALE because it didn't meet traditional classroom seat-time requirements.
The programs look different from school district to school district. And not all districts offer them. So they are a popular draw in Edmonds, which enrolls a considerable number of families from outside its boundaries, including Busig's children.
Even though these types of programs have been around for more than a decade, however, they still cause some confusion.
“There are even some groups that are hostile to ALEs,” Rock said. “That's now finally made it up to the legislative level.”
Until now, alternative programs were left largely to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which sets the rules for how they operate. Those rules have shifted over the years. But as the programs expanded, particularly online, so did questions about their quality.
“Where it was a local program dealing with local students in your resident district, there was not a sense that there needed to be a statewide control put in place,” said Lile Holland, executive director of the nonprofit Washington Association of Learning Alternatives (WALA). “You have students enrolling now in choice programs that are 300 miles away from where they live and no common standards -- I think that's where the state came in and said we need to regulate this more and more.”
What's changing
The new state law takes away some flexibility as well as funding.
In the case of Edmonds Heights, the new rules affect several areas:
Purchases. Parents can no longer get reimbursed for educational purchases but instead must go through school staff. Families will have to make one mass order per semester, limit the retailers they use to those approved under district guidelines and pay out of their own pockets if they want to go elsewhere or buy something other than approved books, DVDs or art supplies.
Classes. Some workshop classes will be cut or changed -- no more elementary foreign language and group music lessons instead of individual instruction, as some examples. Parents determine what workshops are offered. The elective-style courses are taught by contractors who are specialists in their field, such as a pair of Mount Vernon artist sisters.
Seat time. Students must meet with a certificated teacher face-to-face at least one hour a week. Not all families come to campus that regularly, and those who do don't always meet with a certificated teacher. Workshops, for example, would not meet the requirement. As a result, the school is adding a “Study Lab” class for those who wouldn't otherwise enroll in a teacher-led course.
Funding. State funding to the school, based on enrollment, will be cut 10 percent. The district will cover some of that loss. Another chunk will come from the discretionary funds parents have access to for educational expenses, a family stipend that's going down to $400 from $500. Teachers and support staff who are on leave will not be replaced.
Most families put the bulk of their stipend into salaries for workshop instructors.
Families who typically used all of their stipend for supplies may not return since they tended to be the same ones who didn't come to campus much, Rock said.
That's exactly what state lawmakers are banking on.
A ‘hybrid' approach
Holland, the WALA director, said he's been in frequent meetings and fielding several phone calls a day on the changes, highlighting the confusion that persists. Some smaller programs elsewhere in the state are contemplating shutting down, he said.
“It seems we're spending more time on paperwork than we are educating students,” Holland said.
Programs like Edmonds Heights meet the needs of students, from at-risk to accelerated learners, who aren't getting what they need in a more traditional school environment, Rock said.
“For our lawmakers to underappreciate that value, it puts many of our most at-risk students more at risk. It is the thing that is most concerning about these moves,” he said. “To me, it's a situation where … there's kids misbehaving in the back of the class and the whole class is being punished.”
Members of the parent-led Leadership Council at Edmonds Heights kept in contact with lawmakers since last fall and were successful in keeping programs intact.
But the process reflects a lack of understanding of “hybrid” programs like Edmonds Heights, according to Diane Streicher, chair of the Leadership Council.
“We're not rogue homeschoolers who have found a way to rifle the state's pockets,” she said.
The struggle to explain what they do is one reason folks like Streicher now avoid the word “homeschool” altogether and changed the name of the school program last year, from Edmonds Homeschool Resource Center.
That said, Edmonds Heights families are rolling with the changes, Streicher said. Local school administrators are very supportive, she added.
“We're all trying to achieve the same goal. … There's still very much a spirit of camaraderie. It's a really great vibe even in these uncertain times,” she said.
What it looks like
Like other families, Streicher and her four children were attracted to Edmonds Heights in part for the social aspect.
“We were never the kitchen table-type homeschoolers who stayed at home and did our school work,” said Streicher, of Mukilteo. “So it was a nice combination.”
Edmonds Heights is carved out of bits and pieces of the old Woodway High School campus. Scriber Lake High School and other district programs also call the campus home.
The school reflects its self-made roots.
A trophy case is filled with awards for a popular theater program.
The library includes books for students of all ages, as well as shelves of curriculum materials for parents to check out.
A preschool room has toys for younger siblings who come along for the ride.
An extensive computer lab is unique to the district in that it also includes Macintosh desktops.
Each classroom has seating set aside for parents to observe while the teacher leads group lessons.
It's a comfortable and eclectic atmosphere that Busig, the Bothell mom, appreciates -- both for the school-like social life it provides her oldest daughter and the resources it offers her.
There have been changes to parent partnership programs over the years.
“This year is the biggest change that we've had yet,” said Busig, as she watched her kids play at the campus during a recent visit. “There have been little things but nothing that's been highly impacting. … It's the uncertainty of everything.”
Busig fears there will be more restrictions on what she will be able to obtain for her children's education, such as educational games and science kits.
After meeting with Rock, she felt better about things. But she will be more choosy about what she requests.
“I am dedicated to my kids learning, so I will still buy (something) even if the school doesn't reimburse if I feel like it will benefit their learning,” she said. “I enjoy watching my kids discover new things. … It's so much fun.”
Other ALE programs
The Edmonds School District's eLearning program, which caters to high school students, also was affected by the new law.
The online program will see state funding cut 20 percent and lose the equivalent of a half-time teacher, said Marla Miller, the district's executive director of business and operations.
Until this year, Scriber Lake High School also was considered an alternative learning experience. To avoid added cuts, district leaders this month approved shifting the alternative high school to the regular education category.
The school already was close to the required number of traditional classroom hours to qualify, Miller said.
Students shouldn't notice the change, she added. The program will still operate as a school of choice, with a focus on small class sizes and hands-on styles of learning.