Board adopts updated independent‑study policy under new state law allowing 1–15 day short-term options

Oak Grove trustees voted Feb. 13 to update Board Policy 6158 to align with Senate Bill 153, which expands short-term independent‑study options.

Assistant Superintendent Anna told the board that SB 153 reduces the minimum period for short-term independent study from several days down to a single day and permits short-term independent study for up to 15 consecutive school days. The change is intended to prevent loss of average daily attendance (ADA) for one-off absences such as brief family travel, not to encourage chronic absence, Anna said.

The board discussed implementation details: whether same-day requests for independent study should be accepted when a student wakes up sick; how teachers will be supported to correct and grade packets of make-up work; and whether limits should be imposed if families request repeated short-term independent-study periods. Public Information Officer Shidel Singh explained that while SB 153 places no numerical cap on the number of short-term requests a family may make, each request must be approved by a site administrator and the district will establish local procedures to minimize misuse and to protect teacher workload.

Trustees adopted the revised policy (roll-call vote) and directed staff to collaborate with bargaining units and site administrators to create clear procedures: notification timelines, site approval processes, expectations for student work completion, and communication templates for families and front-office staff. Staff emphasized the need for training and a robust communication plan prior to broad implementation.

Board members asked staff to return with proposed operational rules (e.g., advanced notice guidelines, teacher supports, and how health-exemption scenarios will be handled) before routine use of the policy is rolled out.