Instruction
Administrative Regulation No. 6158
Regulation revised: Sept. 19, 2025
INDEPENDENT STUDY/SHORT-TERM
Definitions
Student-parent-educator conference means a meeting involving, at a minimum, all parties who signed the student's written independent study agreement pursuant to Education Code 51747 or the written learning agreement pursuant to Education Code 51749.6. (Education Code 51745.5)
Educational Opportunities
Opportunities offered through short-term independent study may include, but are not limited to: (Education Code 51745)
1. Continuing study during travel
2. Short term independent study for a student whose health, as determined by the student's parent/guardian, would be put at risk by in-person instruction or for a student who is unable to attend in-person instruction due to a quarantine due to exposure to, or infection with contagious disease , pursuant to local or state public health guidance
3. In addition, when requested by a parent/guardian due to an emergency or illness, short-term independent study may be used to ensure that the student is able to maintain academic progress in the student's regular classes.
Eligibility for Short-Term Independent Study
To participate in short-term independent study, a student shall be enrolled in a district school. (Education Code 51748)
The Superintendent or designee may approve the participation of a student whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction. A student whose academic performance is not at grade level may participate in short-term independent study only if the program is able to provide appropriate support, such as counseling, ongoing diagnostic assessments, and/or differentiated materials, to enable the student to be successful. For an elementary student, the Superintendent or designee may consider the parent/guardian's level of commitment to assist the student.
A student with disabilities, as defined in Education Code 56026, may participate in a short term independent study if the student's individualized education program (IEP) specifically provides for such participation. If a parent/guardian of a student with disabilities requests a short-term independent study because the student's health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, the student's IEP team shall make an individualized determination as to whether the student can receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). A student's inability to work independently, need for adult support, or need for special education or related services shall not preclude the IEP team from determining that the student can receive FAPE in a short-term independent study. (Education Code 51745)
A temporarily disabled student shall not receive individual instruction pursuant to Education Code 48206.3 through short-term independent study. (Education Code 51745)
Except for students participating in short-term independent study due to an emergency as described in Education Code 41422 and 46392 and pregnant and parenting students who are the primary caregiver for their child(ren), no more than 10 percent of the students in a school can be on short term independent study. (Education Code 51745)
Monitoring Student Completion
The short-term independent study administrator and/or supervising teacher shall directly address any failure by the student to meet the terms of the student's written agreement. Failure to comply with the short-term independent study agreement will result in no attendance credit being assigned for the duration of the short term independent study.
A successive short term independent study may be denied if a student has failed, on a previous short term independent study, to complete the number of assignments specified in the written agreement.
A written record of the findings of any such evaluation shall be treated as a mandatory interim student record which shall be maintained for three years from the date of the evaluation, and if the student transfers to another public school in California, the record shall be forwarded to that school. (Education Code 51747, 51749.5)
Responsibilities of Short-Term Independent Study Administrator
The responsibilities of the short-term independent study administrator include, but are not limited to:
1. Approving or denying the participation of students requesting short-term independent study
2. Facilitating the completion of written short-term independent study agreements
3. Ensuring a smooth transition for students into and out of the short-term independent study
4. Approving all attendance credits earned through short-term independent study
5. Completing or coordinating the preparation of all records and reports required by law, Board policy, or administrative regulation