Policy

6:020-AP Administrative Procedure-Remote and/or Blended Remote Learning Day Plan(s)

Use this procedure in conjunction with the subhead Suspension of In-Person Instruction; Remote and/or Blended Remote Learning Day Plan(s) in policy 4:180, Pandemic Preparedness; Management; and Recovery.

When the District must implement a Remote and/or Blended Remote Learning Day Plan (Plan) that designates remote learning days (RLDs) and/or blended remote learning days (BRLDs) for instruction in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, the Superintendent must approve a Plan, present the Plan to the Board for adoption prior to its implementation, implement the Plan after Board approval, and post it on the District’s website.

The Superintendent will begin the process of developing a Plan in one of the two following ways:

  1. Adapting the District’s e-learning program (adopted by the Board pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56) into a Plan and ensuring that it is posted on the District’s website and communicated to the community in accordance with this procedure. See E-learning Program; Days, in the Definitions subhead below for more information about an e-learning program.
  2. Using this procedure if the District has not implemented an e-learning program.

Definitions

Blended Remote Learning Days (BRLDs) – School attendance days during which the District provides hybrid days of in-person and remote instruction to students. Once the State Superintendent of Education declares that the District must use remote learning days or blended remote learning days, the Superintendent implements these days in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. These days are counted as days of attendance and are pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under 105 ILCS 5/10-19, amended by P.A. 101-643, and 5/10-19.05, added by P.A. 101-12 and amended by P.A. 101-643. If the District has implemented an e-learning program, these school attendance days may be met through it. See 105 ILCS 5/10-30, added by P.A. 101-643.

E-learning Program; Days – E-learning is short for electronic learning. As an optional instructional tool for school districts, e-learning days are part of an implemented e-learning program in the District that:

  1. Uses the Internet, telephones, texts, chat rooms, or other similar means of electronic communication for instruction and interaction between teachers and students that meet the needs of all learners; and
  2. Addresses a district’s responsibility to ensure that all teachers and staff who may be involved in the provision of e-learning have access to any and all hardware and software that may be required for the program.

An e-learning program is implemented after a school board:

  1. Adopts a resolution to implement research-based program(s) for district-wide e-learning days that permit student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present in lieu of the district’s scheduled emergency days as required by 105 ILCS 5/10-19 (105 ILCS 5/10-20.56(b), amended by P.A. 101-12);
  2. Conducts a public hearing on the District’s initial e-learning program proposal or renewal with at least 10 days’ advanced notice (Id. at 5/10-20.56(c), amended by P.A. 101-12); and
  3. On or before September 1st annually, to ensure access for all students, receives verifications by the regional office of education (ROE) or intermediate service center (ISC) that the board’s proposal for an e-learning program has: (a) met the requirements specified in 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56, amended by P.A.s 101-12, 101-643, 102-584, and 102-697; (b) the components designed to reasonably and practicably accomplish the requirements outlined in the enabling statute; and (c) not exceeded the minimum number of emergency days in a district’s approved school calendar. In its verification process, the ROE/ISC ensures that the specific needs of all students are met, including special education students and English Learners, and that all mandates are still met using the proposed research-based program. See 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56(b), amended by P.A.s 101-12 and 102-584.

While the ROE/ISC must annually verify a district’s e-learning program, the Board’s approval of an e-learning program is for a term of three years. 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56(d)(10), amended by P.A. 101-12.

Plan – The District’s formal implementation of remote instruction that includes RLDs and BRLDs. If the District already has an e-learning program in place, it should adapt the program into a Plan by ensuring that the requirements for communicating the Plan, e.g., website posting, etc. are met. When finalized, it is provided to students and faculty, posted on the District’s website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted, and listed in 2:250-E2, Immediately Available District Public Records and Web-Posted Reports and Records. Plans should be periodically reviewed and amended to ensure the needs of all students continue to be met throughout the suspension of in-person learning. If a plan is amended, post the amended plan to the District website.

Remote Learning Days (RLDs) – Remote learning is learning that happens outside of the traditional classroom because the student and teacher are separated by distance and/or time. Remote learning can be real-time or flexibility-timed, and it may or may not involve technology. School attendance days are days that the District provides remote instruction to students. Once the State Superintendent of Education declares that the District must use remote learning days or blended remote learning days, the Superintendent implements these days in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 on days of attendance. These days are counted as pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of the District’s official calendar under 105 ILCS 5/10-19, amended by P.A. 101-643, and 5/10-19.05, added by P.A. 101-643. If a district has implemented an e-learning program, these school attendance days may be met through it. Five RLDs, taken consecutively or in separate increments, may be used to develop, review, or amend the District’s Plan or provide professional development to staff about remote education; i.e., Remote Learning Planning Days. See 105 ILCS 5/10-30, added by P.A. 101-643.

Remote Learning Planning Days – Up to five consecutive or separate increment days that a district may use to develop, review, or amend its Plan or to provide professional development to staff about remote education. These days are counted as days of attendance and are pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under 105 ILCS 5/10-19, amended by P.A. 101-643, and 5/10-19.05, added by P.A. 101-643. See 105 ILCS 5/10-30, added by P.A. 101-643.

Plan Development and Implementation

Use this Plan before, during, and after implementing 105 ILCS 5/10-30, added by P.A. 101-643. Note: The legislative history and purpose of 105 ILCS 5/10-30, added by P.A. 101-643 was to ensure school districts could reopen in time for the start of the 2020-2021 school year, even if that required remote learning.

Consult the Board Attorney for guidance on this procedure.

Actor Action
Board If permitted by local resources and conditions, implement an e-learning program pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56, amended by P.A.s 101-12, 101-643, 102-584, and 102-697.

If the Board decides not to implement an e-learning program in the District, provides the Superintendent with the resources necessary to implement a Remote and/or Blended Remote Learning Day Plan (Plan) that meets the needs of all students. 105 ILCS 5/10-30, added by P.A. 101-643.

Directs, through policy, the Superintendent to recommend any suspensions or amendments to policies to reduce any Board-required graduation or other instructional requirements in addition to the minimum requirements specified in School Code that the District was not able to complete due to a pandemic. 105 ILCS 5/10-16.7.

Monitors Board policies 2:20, Powers and Duties of the School Board; Indemnification, 4:180, Pandemic Preparedness; Management; and Recovery, and 6:20, School Year Calendar and Day, 6:60, Curriculum Content, and 6:300, Graduation Requirements (if applicable), and makes changes recommended by the Superintendent. See policy 2:240, Board Policy Development.

Considers all policy changes recommended by the Superintendent pursuant to policy 2:240, Board Policy Development, and included as a topic for discussion in the annual report required by Board policy 6:10, Educational Philosophy and Objectives.

Adopts the Superintendent-approved Plan for District-wide implementation.

Provides appropriate, additional resources requested by the Superintendent to successfully implement the Plan.
Board and Superintendent Identify, discuss, modify, and monitor relevant policies that remote learning may possibly affect, including but not limited to:

4:130, Free and Reduced-Price Food Services

4:180, Pandemic Preparedness; Management; and Recovery

5:35, Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act

5:40, Communicable and Chronic Infectious Disease

5:180, Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity

5:185, Family and Medical Leave

5:200, Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal

5:270, Employment At-will, Compensation, and Assignment

5:300, Schedules and Employment Year

5:330, Sick Days, Vacation, Holidays and Leaves

6:10, Educational Philosophy and Objectives

6:15, School Accountability

6:20, School Year Calendar and Day

6:30, Organization of Instruction

6:60, Curriculum Content

6:120, Education of Children with Disabilities

6:150, Home and Hospital Instruction

6:190, Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Activities

6:300, Graduation Requirements

7:70, Attendance and Truancy

7:280, Communicable and Chronic Infectious Disease

8:30, Visitors to and Conduct on School Property

8:100, Relations with Other Organizations and Agencies
Superintendent or Designee When the District is required by the State Superintendent of Education to implement RLDs and/or BRLDs:

1.       If an e-learning program is in place:

a.       Adapts it into a Plan by ensuring that the requirements for communicating the Plan, e.g., website posting, etc. are met;

b.       Approves the Plan; and

c.       Presents the Plan to the Board for adoption.

2.       If an e-learning program is not in place:

a.       Establishes a District-wide Remote Learning Committee to design a Plan for implementation of RLDs and BRLDs. Committee members should include:

District-level administrators

Building Principals (Building Principals are mandatory for successful implementation of the Plan)

Pandemic Planning Team member(s)

District Safety Coordinator (see 4:170-AP1, Comprehensive Safety and Security Plan, Part C, District Safety Coordinator and Safety Team; Responsibilities)

District 504 Coordinator (see 6:120, Education of Children with Disabilities, and 6:120, AP1, E1 Notice to Parents/Guardians Regarding Section 504 Rights)

Staff members

Parents/Guardians

Students

b.       Chairs and convenes Committee meetings. Manages virtual attendance by some or all Committee members when necessary.

3.       Designates RLDs and/or BRLDs in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.

4.       Approves the Plan and presents it to the Board for adoption.

5.       Implements the Plan.

6.       Ensures that the Plan is provided to students and faculty, posted on the District’s website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted, and listed in 2:250-E2, Immediately Available District Public Records and Web-Posted Reports and Records.

7.       Provides periodic reports to the Board about the Committee’s progress and needs, along with any amendments to the Plan for the purposes of ensuring that it meets the needs of all students by adding information items to the Board’s agendas as needed.
Remote Learning Committee Designs a Plan for the Superintendent’s approval and Board’s adoption to implement remote instruction through the District in a manner that:

1.       Explores what may work best for the school community using any  remote learning guidance issued by the Ill. State Board of Education (ISBE), at: www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx.

2.       Potentially uses Remote Learning Planning Days consecutively or in separate increments to develop, review, or amend this Plan or provide professional development to staff about remote education;

If the District does not have an e-learning program, includes design in the Plan for implementation of remote instruction that also provides:

1.       Accessibility of remote instruction to all students enrolled in the District;

2.       Hybrid RLDs and BRLDs, as directed or allowed by the ISBE;

3.       Activities for both RLDs and BRLDs that align with State learning standards and policies 6:10, Educational Philosophy and Objectives, 6:15, School Accountability, 6:30, Organization of Instruction, 6:60, Curriculum Content, and 6:300, Graduation Requirements, if applicable;

4.       Communication between students and teacher(s), as necessary to align with the requirements of policy 7:340, Student Records;

5.       Methods to address the unique needs of students in special populations, including, but not limited to, students eligible for special education under 105 ILCS 5/14-1.01 et seq., students who are English learners as defined in 105 ILCS 5/14C-2, and students experiencing homelessness under the Education for Homeless Children Act (105 ILCS 45/), or vulnerable student populations;

6.       Guidance for how the District will take attendance and monitor and verify each student’s remote participation; and

7.       Resources for transitions from remote learning to in-person instruction when the State Superintendent declares that RLDs and/or BRLDs are no longer deemed necessary.

Delivers the Plan to the Superintendent for approval in a format that is easily posted on the District’s website.

Periodically reviews and amends the Plan, with the Superintendent as needed, to ensure it meets the needs of all students. 105 ILCS 5/10-30(5), added by P.A. 101-643.

Recommends to the Board, through the Superintendent, any policy changes for consideration. See policy 2:240, Board Policy Development.

Reports reviews and amendments to the Plan to the Superintendent or designee.
All Staff Implements the Plan.

Cross References: 2:20, Powers and Duties of the School Board; Indemnification; 2:240, Board Policy Development;  2:250-E2, Immediately Available District Public Records and Web-Posted Reports and Records; 4:130, Free and Reduced-Price Food Services; 4:170-AP1, Comprehensive Safety and Security Plan, Part C; 4:180, Pandemic Preparedness; Management; and Recovery; 5:35, Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act; 5:40, Communicable and Chronic Infectious Disease; 5:180, Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity; 5:185, Family and Medical Leave; 5:200, Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal; 5:270, Employment At-will, Compensation, and Assignment; 5:300, Schedules and Employment Year; 5:330, Sick Days, Vacation, Holidays and Leaves; 6:10, Educational Philosophy and Objectives; 6:15, School Accountability; 6:20, School Year Calendar and Day; 6:30, Organization of Instruction; 6:60, Curriculum Content; 6:120, Education of Children with Disabilities; 6:120, AP1, E1 Notice to Parents/Guardians Regarding Section 504 Rights; 6:150, Home and Hospital Instruction; 6:190, Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Activities; 6:300, Graduation Requirements; 7:70, Attendance and Truancy; 7:280, Communicable and Chronic Infectious Disease; 7:340, Student Records; 8:30, Visitors to and Conduct on School Property; 8:100, Relations with Other Organizations and Agencies

Legal References:  105 ILCS 5/14-1.01 et seq, 105 ILCS 5/14C-2, 105 ILCS 5/10-16.7, 105 ILCS 5/10-19, 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05, 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56, 105 ILCS 5/10-30(5), 105 ILCS 45/, P.A. 101-12, P.A. 101-643, P.A. 102-584, P.A. 102-697

Date Adopted:  October 25, 2022