Legislators discussed important changes in the state education system Wednesday.
One proposed mandate is to tighten up the independent study system in public schools, so that it can’t be used as a substitute for in-person learning.
The independent study program lets kids work where they can, and have their homework graded by their teacher when they get back.
One element would be mandating a meeting with school administrators to discuss setbacks to independent study before any such program starts.
“We also put more definitions so that there would have to be regular options between teachers and students so there could be a synchronous education,” said San Francisco Assemblymember Phil Ting.
Ting said lawmakers want to ensure that as many kids as possible get back in class when everything is fully reopened in the fall.
“This is really an option for few families who really feel they have extenuating circumstances,” said Ting. He said that unlike in the past, they want to make sure that for this type of program, there are proper guidelines as well as credentialed teachers.
