Alternative Education: HB 2520 Brought A New Way to Count Students and Audit Programs

By Kathy Dunn, CCOSA Director of Professional Development for State and Federal Programs

Since the passage of HB 2520 in the 2020 legislative session, funding for Alternative Education programs is based on the Average Daily Membership (ADM) of students served by an Alternative Education program and reported through the Annual Statistical Report (ASR) in the prior school year. The per-student funding amount shall be based on the funding allocated by the legislature for the program each fiscal year divided by the state Alternative Education student count reported through ADM in the previous school year.

Districts should make sure that each student who is being served in the district’s Alternative Education program, as defined in the Alternative Education Implementation Plan, is coded as “Alternative Education” in the Student Information System (SIS) for their daily attendance to be counted for the Alternative Education funding. The chart below gives examples of how to navigate three widely used Student Information Systems to “flag” the Alternative Education status to capture their daily attendance from their first day of enrollment in the program.

POWERSCHOOL

Student Selection

Name (student)

Information (down the left side)

State/Province - OK

Special Program

Alternative Education*

WENGAGE

Student Selection

Name (student)

Federal (tab on the left)

Click New (on the far right)

Federal Code

Drop Down Box

Alternative Education *

Save

INFINITE CAMPUS

Student Selection

Index on the left

Student information – on the left

General

Enrollment – on the top

Most current line of enrollment (important for WAVE to pick up)

State reporting field

Alternative Education Academy

Save

Prompt enrollment and daily attendance records can be checked in the WAVE Portal Reporting site to ensure accurate records will lead to optimal funding for the Alternative Education program. Locating the Alt Ed status in the WAVE is explained in this link: https://sde.ok.gov/ documents/2021-04-01/checking-alt-ed-status-wave.

Beginning FY23, the Alternative Education Department will make changes to the evaluation and audit process of programs. The new process is fully compliant with HB 2520, the current legislation involving Alternative Education.

The new Audit/Evaluation process for Alternative Education programs will include:

Each year, all districts will submit evidence of adherence to the 16 criteria in the Alternative Education Implementation Plan in digital folders.

■ Districts must email their field specialist to request access to their digital folders.

■ Completion of the digital folders is due Sept. 1 each year.

During even years, programs in even regions will have an on-site audit by an Alternative Education field specialist. During this visit an Alternative Education support rubric will be completed. This rubric will help determine the criteria areas in which the school is highly effective, effective, or in need of improvement.

During odd years, programs in odd regions will have an on-site audit by an Alternative Education field specialist. During this visit an Alternative Education support rubric will be completed. This rubric will help determine the criteria areas in which the school is highly effective, effective, or in need of improvement.

Support will be provided to programs in the areas needing improvement. Programs can also reach out to their Alternative Education field specialist to request specific assistance.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Alternative Education field specialist:

■ Missy Corn (Regions 1, 2, and 3) missy.corn@sde.ok.gov

■ Leslie Frazier (Regions 5, 6, and 7) leslie.frazier@sde.ok.gov

■ Michelle Butler (Regions 4, 8, 9, and 10) michelle.butler@sde.ok.gov