The State of California requires that the reporting for Independent Study MUST be separate from regular attendance. Certain procedures must be set up within Aeries in order to accomplish this requirement.
Documentation is available at the following link: Independent Study Documentation
Students on long-term or short-term independent study contracts should NOT be recorded as having ‘excused’ or ‘unexcused’ absences. A student in an independent study agreement is participating in an educational alternative that does NOT recognize the concept of ‘present’ or ‘absent’, but instead is based upon the evaluation of the quality of work completed. For example, what is recognized as ‘home schooling’, is actually a long-term independent study contract.
Two absence codes must be set up in the Absence Code Table. One must indicate that the Independent Study work assignments are incomplete and the other must indicate that the work assignments have been completed.
From Attendance Accounting > Configurations, click Update Absence Codes. Click Add, enter the settings below, and click Save. New codes default to Excused absence - verified, so be sure to change the Type of Attendance. The two absence codes should be added with the following settings:
- Independent Study – Incomplete:
- Count for ADA – unchecked
- Independent Study: I (Incomplete Independent Study)
- Type of Attendance – Verified NOT ABSENT. Examples are school activity, independent study, home study, etc.
- Independent Study –Complete:
- Count for ADA – checked
- Independent Study: C (Complete Independent Study)
- Type of Attendance – Verified NOT ABSENT. Examples are school activity, independent study, home study, etc.
