Pasadena Unified to Offer Virtual Independent Study Option for At-Risk Students

The Pasadena Unified School District on Thursday informed parents that some students could be eligible for virtual independent study.

“We are required to offer an independent study option to students and families to be made available to students whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by the parent or guardian,” according to the unsigned letter.

The Transitional Kindergarten (TK)-12 Independent Study Program will be held virtually through the Center for Independent Study (CIS). 

Parents will have several options to choose from, including:

• Synchronous instructional time, classroom-style instruction or designated small group or one-on-one instruction delivered in person, or in the form of internet or telephonic communications and involving live, two-way communication between the teacher and student.
• Live interaction between the student and school classified or certificated staff. Program could be telephonic or online.
• Asynchronous instructional time that does not occur in the same place or at the same time. The term is most commonly applied to various forms of digital and online learning in which students learn from instruction — such as prerecorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own — that are not being delivered in person or in real time. 

As part of the process, parents can request a parent-teacher conference.

Once a parent determines the program is the right course of action, they can begin the enrollment process starting Monday, Aug. 2.

“The goal of our Independent Study program is to provide an alternative to in-person instruction to students whose health may be put at risk by attending class face-to-face,” according to the letter. “As such, Independent Study is an educational program that provides instruction based on the state-adopted content standards by certificated teachers.”

The program contains specific requirements for instructional time that may include both synchronous and asynchronous work. These expectations will also be outlined in the students’ written master learning agreement, which must be signed prior to enrollment.