Independent Study Program Summary

Purpose

The legislation authorizing independent study was originally designed to serve child actors, aspiring Olympic athletes, and other students whose schedules precluded regular classroom attendance. Over the years, independent study has evolved to serve a wide range of students and meet the unique needs of students and families.

Independent study (California Education Code [EC] sections 51744–51749.6 ) is provided as an alternative instructional strategy. Independent study students work independently, according to a written agreement and under the general supervision of a credentialed teacher or teachers. While independent study students follow the district-adopted curriculum and meet the district graduation requirements, independent study offers flexibility to meet individual student's needs, interests, and styles of learning.

Program/Services

• Local educational agencies (LEAs) are not required to offer an independent study option. EC Section 51745(a)
  
  
• In LEAs where independent study is offered, it shall be a voluntary option chosen by students and parents; students cannot be assigned to independent study.
  
  
• LEAs are encouraged to tailor instruction to students by offering a range of quality educational options that include classroom-based, hybrid, and nonclassroom-based programs. LEAs are encouraged, to offer more than one independent study model (EC Section 51744 ).
  
  
• There are two Independent Study Modalities that a LEA may choose to offer:

1. Traditional independent study. Under the general supervision of a certificated employee of the LEA. Attendance is earned based on the time value of assignments as determined by the certificated teacher employed by the LEA, or the combined time value of student work product and student participation in synchronous instruction. EC Section 51747.5
   
   
2. Course-based independent study. Courses are taught under the general supervision of certificated employees who hold the appropriate subject matter credential. The supervising teachers shall be employees of the LEA of enrollment, or by a LEA that has a memorandum of understanding to provide the instruction. Attendance credit is earned based on enrollment and satisfactory educational progress in annually certified courses. EC Section 51749.5

• For a–g approved coursework, students should have at least weekly access to a teacher who is a subject expert teacher in that subject area. For more information, refer to the Non-classroom Based/Independent Study Schools section on the University of California, A-G Policy Resource Guide’s Register Your Institution: Schools web page.
  
  
• Independent study can be used on a short-term or long-term basis.

1. Short-term shall be consistent with EC Section 51747(i) , which provides that some independent study requirements shall not apply to students who participate in independent study for fewer than 16 cumulative instructional days in a school year. Once the student has participated in independent study for 16 days in a school year, it is no longer short-term.
   
   
2. Long-term shall refer to a student’s participation in independent study for 16 or more cumulative school days in a school year. Students may participate in independent study on a full-time basis or in conjunction with courses taken in a classroom setting. Classroom-based students may take some classes using independent study—often to solve scheduling conflicts.

• The instruction students receive though independent study shall be aligned to grade level standards that are substantially equivalent to in-person instruction. EC sections 51747(c) and 51749.5(a)(4)(A)
  
  
• The ratio of average daily attendance (ADA) to school district full time equivalent independent study teachers shall not exceed the equivalent ratio of ADA to full-time equivalent teachers providing instruction in other educational programs operated by the school district, unless another ratio is negotiated in accordance with EC Section 51745.6 .
  
  
• For questions regarding independent study ratios, visit the Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page, or send an email to attendanceaccounting@cde.ca.gov.

Students Served

Districts, county offices of education, and charter schools reported over 277,000 students in grades transitional kindergarten through grade twelve were receiving 50 percent or more of their instruction through independent study in 2023–24.

An additional number of students use independent study on a short-term basis, or on a part-time basis in conjunction with classroom-based instruction.

Because students in independent study work closely with their teachers, in one-on-one meetings or small group instruction, independent study can be a highly personalized form of instruction. Independent study also offers a high degree of flexibility and individualization, so it can serve a wide range of students including:

• Highly gifted students who are not challenged in their regular classrooms and wish to accelerate.
  
  
• Students who face particular challenges—such as health issues or the need to work—that make classroom attendance difficult.
  
  
• Students who, for a variety of reasons, have fallen behind in their studies and need an individualized approach to fill in gaps in their learning or make up credits.
  
  
• Students who want an individualized approach that allows them to delve more deeply into areas of special interest.
  
  
• Students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Some districts use independent study as a dropout prevention or recovery mechanism.
  
  
• Students who lack strong connections at school. Often isolated students experience an increase in student engagement with participation in independent study. This can happen when students develop close relationships with teachers and peers in one-on-one and small group settings, and when they are able to take charge of their own learning through an individualized approach.

Independent study is not for all students as it requires basic academic skills, as well as a level of commitment, motivation, organizational skills, and self-direction to make the satisfactory educational progress as required per EC sections 51747(g)(4) and 51749.5(a)(8)(A) .