Section 3c: Written student learning plan
Rule Text
(c) "Written student learning plan" means a written plan for learning that is developed and approved by a certificated teacher and defines the requirements of an individual student's alternative learning experience. The written student learning plan must include at least the following elements:
(i) A beginning and ending date for the student's alternative learning experience;
(ii) An estimate by a certificated teacher of the average number of hours per school week the student will engage in learning activities to meet the requirements of the written student learning plan. This estimate must consider only the time the student will engage in learning activities necessary to accomplish the learning goals and performance objectives specified in the written student learning plan;
(iii) A description of how weekly direct personal contact requirements will be fulfilled;
(iv) A description of each alternative learning experience course included as part of the learning plan, including specific learning goals, performance objectives, and learning activities for each course, written in a manner that facilitates monthly evaluation of student progress. This requirement may be met through the use of individual course syllabi or other similarly detailed descriptions of learning requirements. The description must clearly identify the requirements a student must meet to successfully complete the course or program. Courses must be identified using course names, codes, and designators specified in the most recent Comprehensive Education Data and Research System data manual published by the office of superintendent of public instruction;
(v) Identification of the certificated teacher responsible for each course included as part of the plan;
(vi) Identification of all instructional materials that will be used to complete the learning plan; and
(vii) A description of the timelines and methods for evaluating student progress toward the learning goals and performance objectives specified in the learning plan;
(viii) Identification of whether each alternative learning experience course meets one or more of the state essential academic learning requirements or grade-level expectations and any other academic goals, objectives, and learning requirements defined by the school district. For each high school alternative learning experience course, the written student learning plan must specify whether the course meets state and district graduation requirements.
Comments
The written student learning plan (WSLP) is the key document in an ALE program, and as such is the first of the three core requirements of ALE identified in subsection 4. The WSLP identifies the course or set of courses that make up the ALE. It should include all information necessary to guide student learning and should be designed to meet the student's individual education needs. The plan must be developed, approved, supervised, monitored, and evaluated by a certificated teacher.
Note: This section was revised prior to the 2012-13 school year. See the revisions.
Common Questions
Q. What are the eight components of a WSLP?
The eight components are listed in items i through viii in the definition of a written student learning plan.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
A. While parents or others may play an active role in determining the content of the plan, the certificated teacher is ultimately responsible for its development and is accountable for its content.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
Q. What constitutes teacher approval and what is the expectation for documenting this requirement?
A. Teacher approval is a method of documenting that a certificated teacher approved a specific student's individualized WSLP on a specified date. This can be accomplished using different mechanisms, such as a dated teacher signature on the WSLP or an electronic system that would log final approval. The importance of this requirement is to ensure the individualized WSLP was approved by a certificated teacher prior to the monthly count date for enrollment reporting.
Last updated: 8/15/2012
Q. How can a syllabus be used as a component of the WSLP?
A. A good course syllabus can be an ideal component of a WSLP. However, all eight components of the WSLP must be included. If the WSLP references a syllabus that is documented in the plan, then the syllabus should be available to the student. The specific version of the syllabus should then be retained as per the district retention schedule.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
A. State course codes can be found on the CEDARS data manual page.
Last updated: 10/11/2012
Q. Can the district course codes be used on the WSLP instead of the CEDARS code?
A. Required items for the WSLP can be referenced, but any reference items would need to be readily available to a student for the duration of the WSLP and would need to be archived for the purpose of state monitoring and audit for the full records retention cycle of the item in question. For course codes, a district code could be included on the WSLP as long as the alignment between the CEDARS and district codes is easily available to all impacted parties, such as the student, their parent, OSPI, or an auditor. ALE programs are still required to report using the CEDARS codes, not district codes.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
A. The purpose of identifying all instructional materials is to ensure both the teacher and the student clearly understand what instructional materials are required to complete the course. In this context, "all" means any materials the student will use to complete the plan. The materials should be identified specifically enough so that a third party, such as a substitute teacher or the student’s parent, will know what is required. Instructional materials include textbooks, curricula, workbooks, manipulatives (except in unique situations, it is not necessary to specify each individual item), and essential equipment (like a calculator for a math course). Instructional materials do not include supplies and other types of consumable non-instructional items.
For example, if a goal for a math course was: Sam will develop an understanding of the following math concepts by the end of the month.
- Understand place value in whole numbers.
- Understand sequential relationships among whole numbers.
- Understand the meaning of addition and subtraction and how they relate to one another.
- Understand how to recognize and create equivalent mathematical models and representations in familiar situations.
A listing of the instructional materials might be: Bridging Mathematics, Houghton Mifflin; Saxon Math Workbook, Level 3; manipulative. Sam may end up using additional instructional materials during the month to supplement and enrich his learning—watching a related math show on television, using an instructional video given to him by a friend, practicing with flash cards that he created himself. The list for the WSLP consists of the essential materials needed to accomplish the goals.
The statement "a variety of textbooks and workbooks" would not meet the requirement of identification of instructional materials.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
Q. What constitutes a learning activity? What are examples of learning activities?
A. A learning activity is a specific, assignment level activity the student must complete. These rules are asking you to outline the full course for the duration of the WSLP. It can be updated as needed to meet the needs of the student, but the course needs to be up front and clear as to what specific activities the student will need to complete. This information may be present on a course syllabus. For an outcome based model, consider any scaffolding activities that a student would complete on their way to progressing towards their learning goals. Type of learning activities could include problem sets, required readings, exams, or any other type of assignment that helps a student meet the outlined performance objectives.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
Q. How do I estimate the average number of hours per week?
A. The estimate will depend on the number of courses identified in the WSLP, and the duration of the plan. A good starting point for a learning plan that includes typical semester courses is one hour per day per course. Programs with other schedules should adjust as appropriate. ALE programs should strongly consider establishing program procedures teachers can follow to ensure consistent, accurate estimates for all students.
Last updated: 8/12/2011
A. No. Only include ALE courses on the WSLP.
Last updated: 9/16/2011
Q. Do we have to use the WSLP templates provided by OSPI?
A. No. The sample forms are intended to be examples that districts can use as is, modify as needed, or create something completely different. The ALE rules don’t proscribe a specific format. What is most important is that the plan address all eight required elements.
Last updated: 9/16/2011
Q. Does the WSLP need to be signed by the student and/or parent?
A. There is no signature requirement in the rules, but programs may use signatures as a part of their documentation procedures.
Last updated: 9/16/2011
Relevant Forms or Samples
Note: These sample forms were developed by a working group that included representation from WALA, the State Auditor's Office, OSPI, and several ALE programs. They are intended to be used as samples, and use of the sample forms provided is not required.
- WSLP Alignment Self Assessment Tool (Word .doc) - The checklist can be used to see how a WSLP aligns with all 8 components required by WAC 392-121-182(3)(c).
- K-5 Outcome-based Written Student Learning Plan
- Completed Sample WSLP (PDF): This file contains a sample WSLP with all eight components of the WSLP included.
- Compliance checklist (PDF): This file shows how the completed sample WSLP and related sections of the rule are met by the sample using the WSLP Alignment Self Assessment Tool. You will be able to see specifically how the content of the WSLP addresses each of the 8 required components outlined in WAC 392-121-182(3)(c). The tool will demonstrate how those components are broken down into sub-components, how related sections of the rules are linked to the WSLP requirements, and will provide any comments or notes about items related to, but not required to be directly contained on the WSLP, are handled by the sample district.
- Blank Template (Word .doc): This can be used as a starting point for a local WSLP.
- High School American Studies Outcome-based Written Student Learning Plan
- Completed Sample WSLP (PDF): This file contains a sample WSLP with all eight components of the WSLP included.
- Compliance checklist (PDF): This file shows how the completed sample WSLP and related sections of the rule are met by the sample using the WSLP Alignment Self Assessment Tool. You will be able to see specifically how the content of the WSLP addresses each of the 8 required components outlined in WAC 392-121-182(3)(c). The tool will demonstrate how those components are broken down into sub-components, how related sections of the rules are linked to the WSLP requirements, and will provide any comments or notes about items related to, but not required to be directly contained on the WSLP, are handled by the sample district.
- Blank Template (Word .doc): This can be used as a starting point for a local WSLP.
- High School Algebra Outcome-based Written Student Learning Plan
- Completed Sample WSLP (PDF): This file contains a sample WSLP with all eight components of the WSLP included.
- Compliance checklist (PDF): This file shows how the completed sample WSLP and related sections of the rule are met by the sample using the WSLP Alignment Self Assessment Tool. You will be able to see specifically how the content of the WSLP addresses each of the 8 required components outlined in WAC 392-121-182(3)(c). The tool will demonstrate how those components are broken down into sub-components, how related sections of the rules are linked to the WSLP requirements, and will provide any comments or notes about items related to, but not required to be directly contained on the WSLP, are handled by the sample district.
- Blank Template (Word .doc): This can be used as a starting point for a local WSLP.