ccsd homework policy 2022

CCSD makes big changes to homework policy

The Clark County School District has released new policies and regulations for students' homework.

The school board approved the new rules March 31 that affect all K-12 schools in the district. Meetings were held with teachers, principals and parents ahead of the changes.

According to CCSD , homework assignments must be tailored to each student. Routine work on skills that have already been mastered should be avoided. CCSD said homework assignments will be aimed to what students learned in class.

Homework assignments on holidays or weekends should be limited to ongoing projects, CCSD reported. The new rules also require that students have fair and equal access to completing projects.

Elementary students' homework should be limited to 10 minutes per grade level. A time element was not given for secondary students but CCSD said teachers should consider the time their students spend in outside activities when making homework assignments.

Chief Student Achievement Officer Mike Barton said some students who are taking advanced classes will also have more homework due to the rigor of the courses.

Barton said the regulations hadn't been changed or touched since 1981.

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CCSD evaluates new grading policy

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Some parents and teachers are not happy about CCSD’s new grading policy. They expressed those concerns Thursday evening at the CCSD Board of Trustees meeting. The new grading regulations took effect in August 2021. No action was taken to change the policy at the meeting, it was a status check to find out how is the new system working.

“Next year, students will have 90 percent of their grade on summative. That means tests and quizzes: 90 percent. Teenagers tell me that there is no reason for this classwork because they are not rewarded for it,” contended teacher MaryAnn Powley.

CCSD said in a presentation, the goal of its new grading policy is to be equal, remove behavior from the grading process, and give students the chance for reassessment. However, teachers like Powley came before the Trustees to tell them the new grading policy isn’t working as intended.

“The scenario goes like this: student don’t do their classwork, so they don’t understand the material, consequently they are not ready for the test. They bomb the test and then they go to the teacher for a retake. The teacher is frustrated because the students didn’t do the classwork and now, they are requiring more time out of their busy lives to find another test. The student is frustrated because two weeks have gone by, they don’t understand the previous information they are taught and are now required to the makeup work to retake the test and now they are behind in class. It goes on and on,” Powley explained.

Trustee Linda Cavazos said parents also brought those concerns to her, students no longer being penalized for late work.

“Their kids are not doing the homework because it is not really required, it is just something that they choose to do. It is not going to be counted,” Cavazos relayed.

Rebecca Meyer CCSD’s Director of Assessment addressed that saying, “When we are approached about some of the misconceptions about the work that we are doing, we provide the research and the pathway, we do understand that this is a multiyear plan and it truly is shifting mindsets because we had a very traditional grading system, and we are moving toward a system that honors the purpose of assessment.”

Meyer explained the grading reform initiative will allow students to learn from mistakes and demonstrate mastery of the content throughout the school year.

“It does take some students longer to learn the same content,” Meyer asserted.

Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara also defended the major change.

“When you read articles, or you read out in the public that we are lowering the standards, that couldn’t be furthest thing from the truth. It is really supporting our students in scaffolding the information so that they can master the curriculum,” Jara contended.

The reassessment policy allowing students to turn in work late and retake tests was implemented for all students this school year.

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Attendance Policy

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School Achievement Begins With Regular Attendance

Parents/guardians have the responsibility to ensure that all school-age children in their care are in school and on time every day.

Students have the responsibility to be on time and attend all classes. Students are expected to attend school 180 days.

Lawful absences (excused) shall include but are not limited to

• absences caused by a student’s own illness and whose attendance in school would endanger his or her health and the health of others
• absences due to an illness or death in the student’s immediate family; the principal shall require a physician’s certificate from the parent/legal guardian of a student reported continuously absent for illness.
• absences due to a recognized religious holiday of the student’s faith
• absences due to activities that are approved in advance by the principal

Approved activities include the following:

– state and national competitions

– ceremonies honoring outstanding students

• work approved or sponsored by the school, the school district or the state department of education, accepted by the associate superintendent or school principal or designee as reason for excusing the student

– out of school suspension

– in school suspension

–field trips approved by the principal or designee

Unlawful absences include but are not limited to:

• absences of a student without the knowledge of his or her parents
• absences of a student without acceptable cause with the knowledge of his or her parents
• family vacations

Chronic Absenteeism

As defined by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), chronically absent students are those absent 10 percent or more school days during the school year. According to the OCR, an absent student is one who misses 50 percent of the instructional day for any reason and regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. In other words, students who are absent for any reason – including suspension, illness, and death in the family – AND miss 10 percent or more of the school year will be considered chronically absent.

Documentation of Absences

All absences require a written explanation from the parent/guardian within three (3) school days of return from the absence. Written explanation of absences must include the student’s name, parent/guardian’s full name, date(s) of absence(s), and documentation of the reason for absence. Text messages and emails are not acceptable documentation for student absences. All documentation required by the school is subject to review and must be approved by the principal. Absences in excess of ten days per year will not be considered excused with a parent/guardian note unless they are accompanied by official medical or legal documentation.

Make‐Up Work

Students who are absent will be required to make up work missed in each class within one week’s time.  Only in extreme cases of a prolonged absence will students be given more than one week to complete  work.  A day’s absence does not excuse a student from responsibility for all classwork/homework (to be  made upon the student’s return). Failure to turn in work may lead to failing classes.  It is the student's responsibility to obtain all make‐up work from his/her teachers immediately upon return  to school. Failure to obtain make-up work is no excuse for not completing missed work. All teachers have  an email account to communicate directly with parents as needed.

If a student is going to be absent 2 or fewer days, they may get assignments from teachers upon returning to school.  If a student is going to be absent for more than 2 days, parents (or students) may call the school guidance office, to provide assistance in getting assignments.

A student who is tardy is defined as one who arrives after the start time of the instructional day or class period as based on the CCSD bell schedule. Parents of students ages 3-17 must come into the school to sign their children in if they are late to school.

LAWFUL TARDIES: In order for a tardy to be excused, written documentation must be provided.

• Doctor or Dentist appointment
• Late bus arrival
• Teacher, guidance or administrator conference
• Observance of a religious holiday
• Court appearance or court ordered activity

UNLAWFUL TARDIES:

• Illness on part of the student without a written excuse
• Oversleeping
• Traffic / Car trouble
• Personal reasons
• Missed bus / Carpool trouble

Check-in/Early Sign-Outs

Students who are late to school must sign in with the Main Office and receive a tardy slip (excused or unexcused). Students will then proceed to check-in and once checked in will then proceed directly to their assigned class. When students are signed out early on an ongoing basis, their academic performance may be negatively impacted. The school system strongly encourages parents to ensure their student is in school for the full school day every day. Students shall not be released within the final 30 minutes of the school day unless the principal or designee determines that it is an emergency, the student has a medical/dental appointment that cannot be reasonably scheduled at another time, or the teacher is notified in advance.

Late Pick-Ups

Students are required to leave campus at dismissal. Students who are consistently picked up late (30 minutes after dismissal) will be addressed on a case by case basis.  All unlawful absences, tardies, and sign-outs will result in school-based and district level interventions.

South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law

South Carolina Code of Laws Section 59-65-10 (as amended) reads:

All parents or guardians shall cause their children or wards to attend regularly a public or private school – of this State – from the school year in which the child or ward is five years of age before September 1st until the child or ward attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school. All children are required to attend a public or private kindergarten beginning at age five. If parents choose not to send their children to kindergarten, they must sign a waiver, which may be obtained at the local school.

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 59-65-20

Any parent or guardian who neglects to enroll his child or ward or refuses to make such child or ward attend school shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than fifty dollars or be imprisoned not more than thirty days; each day’s absence shall constitute a separate offense; provided, the court may in its discretion suspend the sentence of anyone convicted of the provisions of this article.

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 59-65-70

If the court determines that the reported absence occurred without the knowledge, consent, or connivance of the responsible parent or guardian or that a bona fide attempt has been made to control and keep the child in school, the court may declare such a child to be delinquent and subject the provisions of the law in such cases.

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 16-17-510

It is unlawful for a person to encourage, entice, or conspire to encourage or entice a child enrolled in any public or private elementary or secondary school of this State from attendance in the school or school program or transport or provide transportation in aid to encourage or entice a child from attendance in any public or private elementary or secondary school or school program. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

Truancy (Three Levels)

A child, at least 6 but not yet 17 years old, who has accumulated three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of five unlawful absences

Habitual Truant:

A child, at least 12 but not yet 17 years old, who (1) fails to comply with the intervention plan developed by the school, the child, and the parents or guardians, and (2) accumulates two or more additional unlawful absences

Chronic Truant:

A child, at least 12 but not yet 17 years old, who (1) has been through the school intervention process; (2) has reached the level of a habitual truant and has been referred to family court and placed under an order to attend school; and (3) continues to accumulate unlawful absences

Truancy Intervention Procedures  

• The School Level Truancy Intervention Team must communicate positive attendance challenges to the parent/guardian beginning with the first unlawful absence. The school will notify the parent by telephone or mail.
• When a student accumulates three (3) consecutive or a total of five (5) unlawful absences the principal or designee will complete a truancy investigation.
• A conference is required with student and parent or guardian to develop a truancy intervention plan designed to improve student attendance and eliminate unlawful absences.
• A written truancy intervention and attendance contract should be signed by all participants with a copy provided to the parent and student.
• When a student accumulates 2 or more additional unlawful absences, the school will update the truancy intervention plan, indicate why the plan was unsuccessful, and make amendments as needed.
• If the student continues to accumulate unlawful absences and after exhaustive interventions, a referral will be made to the Department of Alternative Programs and Services.
• In the event that unlawful absences continue following the district level conference, the case will be reviewed for additional interventions and/or further action. The case may be referred to the Department of Social Services, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office for participation in Family Court, or other interventions.

Note: Suspensions are not counted as unlawful for truancy purposes. A deadline will be imposed for the work to be made-up and the responsibility for getting and completing assignments will be on the student.

Attendance Requirement for Promotion and/or Credit

All students previously enrolled in the District and those residing in the state who are entering for the first time shall be counted unlawfully absent for each day missed due to late enrollment.  All absences are defined as lawful or unlawful. Students having a lawful absence shall be permitted to make

up work missed during the absence. Absences determined as unlawful will not entitle a student to make up  work missed during the time of the absence. Principals may use discretion in permitting students to make up  work.  High school students will be counted absent for a full period if they miss more than half of the class period.  The principal may determine the lawful or unlawful nature of the absences. Students in grades nine through  twelve must attend:  

• Quarter Course 42 out of 45 Days
• Semester or 4 x 4 Course 85 out of 90 Days
• Year Long Course 170 out of 180 Days

Appeal Process for Denial of Credit

Consistent with state regulations, parents/legal guardians have the right to appeal attendance violation decisions and/or question the school records regarding attendance. The appeal should be made in writing to the school principal or designee. The decision of the principal or designee may be appealed to the associate superintendent or designee. The decision of the associate superintendent or designee may be appealed to the superintendent or designee by written request for appeal within 10 days of receipt of the decision of the associate superintendent or designee. The decision of the superintendent or designee is final.

Homebound Instruction

South Carolina’s mandates regarding medical homebound instruction appear in the State Board of Education  Regulation 43-241, Regulation 43-241 says that students who cannot attend public school because of illness,  accident or pregnancy, even with the aid of transportation, are eligible for medical homebound or  hospitalized instruction.  A physician must certify that the student is unable to attend school but may profit  from instruction given in the home, another location, or hospital. The district superintendent or his/ her  designee may approve or deny any student requesting homebound instruction. A school or district  representative may contact the parent and doctor to request additional information and discuss strategies  to maintain the student in the school environment.

The parent has the right to appeal the homebound decision made by the superintendent or designee and  school team. The appeal must be made in writing to the Department of Alternative Programs and Services  within 10 days of receipt of the homebound denial letter from the school.

Homebound service is appropriate for short term intervention and should not be viewed as a long term  placement for regular school attendance. Homebound instruction is designed so the student does not fall  significantly behind during the period of confinement. The district’s attendance (and truancy) policy does  apply to homebound students. Students receiving homebound instruction should return to school-based  instruction as soon as possible. Homebound services are approved for 45 instructional days at a time. If it is  necessary for homebound instruction to continue beyond the approved period of time, a Medical  Homebound Instruction Form will be required. The school or district representative may ask for additional  information regarding the student’s individual health/treatment plan, progress towards treatment goals,  and specific plans to transition the student back to the school setting in order to justify the need for  extended services.

Tardiness to school

All students are expected to be on time every day. If however, circumstances force a student to arrive to  class after 9:20 AM, he or she must check in through the main office. A student may be excused for being  tardy a maximum of three times with a note from a parent or a guardian. Habitual tardiness may result in  disciplinary action.

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• >> Local
• >> Education

CCSD retirees allowed to fill ‘critical’ teaching jobs

The Clark County School District is looking to make it easier to hire retired employees to fill “critical” vacant teaching, other jobs.

The challenge to find applicants to fill “critical” teaching jobs has the Clark County School District moving to make it easier to hire retired employees to resume their education careers.

School Board trustees voted unanimously Thursday to seek to offer vacant jobs to qualified retirees if the district can provide proof, under a state law, that it has exhausted attempts to recruit nonretirees, according to board documents.

The effort involves categorizing each difficult-to-fill district position as a “critical labor shortage area” starting from July 1 and running through June 30 of next year.

The vacant positions listed by the district fall into a broad range of classifications. They include elementary and high school P.E., business, gifted and talented, social studies, pre-K, kindergarten and grades 1-5 teachers; high school math, science and English teachers; substitute teachers; school bus drivers; secondary career and technical education instructors; and special education teachers.

The impact of a nationwide teacher shortage on school districts has compelled CCSD to look toward “creative recruitment strategies to recruit, hire, and retain qualified candidates to fill vacancies,” district officials said in a statement.

“As utilized in previous years, the critical labor shortage waiver allows recently retired personnel to return to the classroom to begin serving in those positions without delay,” the statement said. “These efforts eliminate hiring barriers for qualified educators looking to return to the profession after retiring,” the statement read. “Potential candidates will undergo the traditional hiring process including background checks.”

The district has been there before. The same thing occurred in 2019, 2021, 2022 and last year, when the board reported that while 94 percent of its classrooms were filled, 247 critical labor shortage positions were vacant, plus 40 unfilled bus driver jobs.

To comply with the Nevada law to hire retirees, the district will have to compile a written report showing that it has tried and failed to hire nonretired educator candidates to fill the positions.

The requirements mean that the district report will have to detail “the history of the rate of turnover for the position; the number of openings for the position and the number of qualified candidates for those openings after all other efforts of recruitment have been exhausted; the length of time the position has been vacant; the difficulty in filling the position due to special circumstances, including, without limitation, special educational or experience requirements for the position; and the history and success of the efforts to recruit for the position, including, without limitation, advertising, recruitment outside of this State, and all other efforts made.”

The rules the district must follow are in NRS 286.523, which became law in 2022 and requires the “designating authority” — in this case the CCSD board — to prepare the report arguing for the hiring of retirees for critical positions.

“It is the policy of this State to ensure that the reemployment of a retired public employee pursuant to this section is limited to positions of extreme need,” the statute reads.“The retired employee forfeits all retirement allowances for the duration of that employment.”

Contact Jeff Burbank at [email protected] or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on X.

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