We get a lot of questions about ALE. Hopefully by the end of this post, you’ll know more about ALE at MSE and how it might work for your student.
The official definition given by the WA State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is ALE is public education where some or all of the instruction is delivered outside of a regular classroom schedule. It is available to all public school districts and public charter schools in Washington state. The intent of ALE is to ensure that students have educational opportunities designed to meet their individualized needs. ALE follows all public education requirements as well as Chapter 392-550 WAC.
But what does that mean in practice?
MSE contracts with 2 districts in Washington State, Republic SD and Curlew SD, to facilitate ALE programs. Students and families are usually referred to us or call us when in-person schooling isn’t working well for various reasons. We start with an online intake meeting to meet the family, answer questions, and outline program expecations. If it’s determined to be a good fit for a student, enrollment paperwork is filled out, which includes a choice transfer request. A choice transfer request means a student is requesting to transfer from their home district to one of the two districts we contract with. Once approved, they become a student of that district. Once all paperwork is in place, we get the student started in their classes. Students can join ALE anytime during the school year. ALE follows the public school year from September to June.
An ALE student with MSE works entirely online with asynchronous (no live class time) curriculum. It is expected that the student works 27.75 hours a week in their classes and maintains progress, just as they would in a classroom. An MSE student is also expected to meet with a certificated teacher once a week, called a Teacher Advocate. The TA monitors progress, answers questions, and is a support for the student. The student is also expected to attend a weekly online homeroom, and online study labs during the week. So while the schoolwork is done online, there are still points of contact with teachers and other students online through the week. https://marketsquare.education/alternative-learning-experience-overview/
ALE is a fantastic program for students that need more flexibility than a brick and mortar school can provide. Whether it’s because a student has medical issues, suffers from anxiety, is being bullied, or simply works better online, ALE is a great solution. We’ve had students come to us for a semester, and students that have completed all 4 years of high school with us. Contact us today to find out if ALE is right for your family!