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Virtual Learning Time for Public Schools

Ensuring Equitable Outcomes for All

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The state administrative rule that governs school district standards (PI 8)  was modified to recognize new and emerging methods of delivering instructional programming. PI 8 spurs innovative ways to engage students and teachers outside of the traditional day and place through virtual options for learning. Times may be used on a day when school is canceled, as a planned day, or as a makeup day when a day of school was missed. There are a variety of reasons a school would use Virtual Learning Time. These include, but are not limited to, snow or other inclement weather, professional development, widespread illness, and flooding. It is up to individual school districts to determine how many days they can effectively deliver instruction via Virtual Learning Time, including how many consecutive days.

Specifically, PI 8  now recognizes innovative instructional design. This is defined as an instructional program aligned to the school district standards and used to improve student achievement through instruction offered outside of the normal school day, virtually, or in an alternative setting. The rule was further modified so that hours may also include the hours of instructional programming offered through innovative instructional designs that apply to the entire school or grade level.

The department does not approve or disapprove innovative instructional designs implemented by school districts, including virtual instruction programs meant to count as instructional time when a school building is closed due to inclement weather; nor is there an application or approval process for instructional design. We recommend districts consider consulting with their attorney before developing such a program to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and address any practical matters that may arise.


Planning Considerations for Virtual Learning Time

 

#1 Internet and Device Access: Provide access to digital tools for students and teachers away from buildings.

  • Survey caregivers to determine what percentage of students have connectivity and a device at home for each school-aged student PRIOR to Virtual Learning Time.

  • Work with community partners to provide internet access and/or device for learning.

  • Ensure student checkout of any devices or internet hotspots to identified students PRIOR to the Virtual Learning Time.

#2 Online Learning Experience: Ensure all students are engaged with high-quality instruction by providing access to and experience with online platforms and digital learning tools for all teachers, caregivers, and students.

  • Engage teachers, students, and caregivers with continuous online learning opportunities in all curricular areas, so they have the agency to apply these skills and understandings to engage with the following:
    • learning targets,
    • collaboration,
    • providing / receiving feedback, and
    • demonstrating/evaluating evidence of mastery in all curricular areas.
  • Ensure all teachers, students, and caregivers have year-long use of a learning management system and digital tools.
  • Provide language supports for students with limited English proficiency.
  • Provide extensions for students with gifts and talents.
  • Plan for offline access to learning materials and flexible access time for online activities in case of connectivity issues. For example, teachers have options to “flip” learning with pre-recorded instructional activities for students to access from home via device or offline download.

​​​#3 Staff Access: Ensure all staff is directly reachable by students and caregivers to facilitate and support instruction.

  • Ensure instruction is planned and delivered by students’ licensed teachers.
  • Plan for communication between students and teachers that can happen in many ways, e.g., learning management system, chat/messaging, email, Google Voice, phone, video, conferencing, etc.
  • Communicate the times when students can access teachers prior to the Virtual Learning Day, and offer multiple opportunities for connecting. Office hours and helplines are great examples.
  • Ensure students and caregivers have contact information (best way to reach and times) for additional staff: ELL, special education, gifted and talented, librarians, speech and language, etc.
  • Translate information for caregivers if the home language is different than English
  • Identify a technology point of contact to support teachers, students, and caregivers with technology issues.

#4 Communication of Expectations of Learning: Inform all students and caregivers of the learning targets and expectations of engagement for the Virtual Learning Time as early as possible.

  • Release all learning targets, resources, and expectations prior to the day to allow students access to download content before going home for planned days.
  • Teachers have options to “flip” learning with pre-recorded instructional activities for students to access from home via device or offline download.
  • Ensure that all students are aware of the expectations for learning prior to the work being assigned, just like any instructional day.
  • Students in personalized learning environments continue to work on learning targets aligned with their Individualized Learning Plan (ILP).

#5 Work Continuity: Ensure student work covers content that would have been addressed if the school were in session in a brick-and-mortar setting.

  • Ensure online learning follows the scope and sequence of the coursework. Students in personalized learning environments continue to work on the annual goals in their Individualized Learning Plan (ILP).
  • Ensure that there are multiple ways for students to engage with online learning.
  • Ensure that students have regular opportunities to receive feedback from teachers.
  • Ensure that teachers use formative assessments to monitor and/or measure student learning.

#6 Accommodation Support: All students who have accommodations for instruction will be provided with or have access to those accommodations.

  • Plan ahead to ensure student IEP teams have met to consider whether any accommodations are required for the student to continue to access Virtual Learning and if so, they are documented in the student’s IEP. IEP teams need to consider if it is appropriate for services to be administered online. See Wis. Stat. § 115.76(15).
  • Work with students and caregivers ahead of the Virtual Learning Time to clarify expectations for learning and how support will be offered prior to and on the day.
  • Open buildings and provide services, when possible on planned days, for any students needing an alternative to online learning.
  • Reschedule special education services that cannot be provided virtually within a reasonable amount of time.

#7 Instructional Time: Determine your virtual instructional hours and minutes the same way you would determine your brick-and-mortar instructional hours and minutes.

  • Estimate virtual instructional time based on time for face-to-face instruction.
  • Provide flexible completion dates to accommodate student access needs or additional support of instructors to meet learning targets.
  • Provide student virtual check-in through the learning management system, a Google doc, or other collaborative apps.

Disclaimer: The DPI will not endorse the use of any specific virtual instruction platform, tool, or product. The DPI facilitates discussions between school districts on successes and challenges in providing virtual instruction to help each district identify and utilize tools that fit the district’s specific needs. Each district should work with its own legal counsel to ensure the use of a particular product complies with state and federal law, including student privacy requirements, as well as local school board policies.


Resources for More Information and Learning 

 


Free Virtual Learning Resources for Educators and School Districts

 

Disclaimer: The DPI does not endorse the use of any specific virtual instructional platforms, tools, or products.

Khan Academy  Offers free, interactive practice exercises, quizzes, and instructional videos for core academic subjects like math, science, arts, and humanities. 

Duolingo   Helps students of all ages learn new languages through lessons, stories, and podcast episodes. 

Great Minds  Offers free, recorded daily lessons for grades K-12 of Eureka Math, K-8 of Wit and Wisdom, and 3-5 of PhD Science.

Chrome Music Lab  A free interactive learning tool for educators to use to help teach students about several subjects through the use of music. Students can easily create songs and share them with the graphical Song Maker tool, adding piano, strings, synthesizer, woodwind, percussion, and other instruments. They may also record vocals to make their own unique scores. This site is always free and doesn't require an account to use it.

Tinkercad Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use app for 3D design, electronics, and coding.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
For questions about this information, contact Amanda Albrecht (608) 267-1071