(a)Commencing with the 1990–91 school year, a local educational agency may offer independent study to meet the educational needs of pupils in accordance with the requirements of this article. For the 2021–22 school year only, the governing board of a school district or a county office of education shall offer independent study to meet the educational needs of pupils. Educational opportunities offered through independent study may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(1)Special assignments extending the content of regular courses of instruction.
(2)Individualized study in a particular area of interest or in a subject not currently available in the regular school curriculum.
(3)Continuing and special study during travel.
(4)Volunteer community service activities and lead
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(a)
Commencing with the 1990–91 school year, a local educational agency may offer independent study to meet the educational needs of pupils in accordance with the requirements of this article. For the 2021–22 school year only, the governing board of a school district or a county office of education shall offer independent study to meet the educational needs of pupils. Educational opportunities offered through independent study may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(1)
Special assignments extending the content of regular courses of instruction.
(2)
Individualized study in a particular area of interest or in a subject not currently available in the regular school curriculum.
(3)
Continuing and special study during travel.
(4)
Volunteer community service activities and leadership opportunities that support and strengthen pupil achievement.
(5)
Individualized study for a pupil whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by the parent or guardian of the pupil, or a pupil who is unable to attend in-person instruction due to a quarantine due to exposure to, or infection with, COVID-19, pursuant to local or state public health guidance.
(b)
Beginning July 1, 2021, with the exception of pupils participating in independent study programs due to an emergency, as described in Sections 41422 and 46392, not more than 10 percent of the pupils participating in an opportunity school or program, or a continuation high school, calculated as specified by the department, shall be eligible for apportionment credit for independent study pursuant to this article. A
pupil who is pregnant or is a parent who is the primary caregiver for one or more of their children shall not be counted within the 10 percent cap.
(c)
An individual with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 56026, may participate in independent study, if the pupil’s individualized education program developed pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 56340) of Chapter 4 of Part 30 specifically provides for that participation. If a parent or guardian of an
individual with exceptional needs requests independent study pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a), the pupil’s individualized education program team shall make an individualized determination as to whether the pupil can receive a free appropriate public education in an independent study placement. A pupil’s inability to work independently, the pupil’s need for adult support, or the pupil’s need for special education or related services shall not preclude the individualized education program team from determining that the pupil can receive a free appropriate education in an independent study placement.
(d)
A temporarily disabled pupil shall not receive individual instruction pursuant to Section 48206.3 through independent study.
(e)
No course included among the courses required for high school graduation under Section 51225.3 shall be offered
exclusively through independent study.
(f)
The governing board of a school district or county office of education may meet the requirement to offer independent study for the 2021–22 school year described in subdivision (a) by contracting with a county office of education or by entering into an interdistrict transfer agreement with another school district pursuant to Section 46600.
(g)
The requirement to offer independent study for the 2021–22 school year described in subdivision (a) may be waived for school districts by the county superintendent of schools in the county in which the school district is located and waived for county offices of education and school districts in single-district counties by the Superintendent if the school district or county office of education, as applicable, demonstrates both of the following:
(1)
Offering independent study would create an unreasonable fiscal burden on the school district or county office of education due to low numbers of pupils participating or other extenuating circumstances.
(2)
The governing board of the school district or county office of education does not have the option to enter into an interdistrict transfer agreement with another school district or to contract with a county office of education to provide an independent study option, as described in subdivision (f).