Academics

All students at Independence High School have access to and are enrolled in core curriculum aligned with the California State Frameworks, standards and transitioning to the Common Core State Standards.

Students access to the core curriculum is dependent upon the program in which a student is placed. Upon placement each student is given an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) as part of their master agreement that outlines the pathway to return to their school of residence or high school graduation. Students may be placed in: “Face-to-Face” a traditional Independent Study program; “GradPoint” an online curriculum, “Blended” made up of both curriculums and programs and; “On Track” where students attend their home school for part of the day, and take online courses for the remainder of their school day.

Special Education students are also enrolled in core curriculum and may be placed in “Face-to-Face”, “GradPoint” or “Blended” along with a modified curriculum and/or augmented instruction based on the student’s IEP and their personal academic needs.

GradPoint teachers are able to examine their student’s work and monitor the implementation of the school-wide learner outcomes during their weekly LIVE class. This also occurs

while monitoring Module Mastery scores. Currently, the school has not yet implemented quantitative measurements for student mastery of the learning outcomes.

Teachers of “Face-to-Face” are also able to examine their student’s work and monitor the implementation of the school-wide learner outcomes during their weekly students meeting where they can assess student work on a one-to-one basis.

It is important that all students know the standards that they will be taught and what is expected of them. Due to the transient nature of the school’s population, timelines, spacing guides aid with student accountability, and are critical so help the students understand when course work is to be completed. Along with these tools, the “Face-to-Face” teachers provide each student with a weekly assignment sheet and a review unit organizer for their core areas of study.