MJUSD plans to reopen Abraham Lincoln Home School

Ruby Larson, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·3 min read

Mar. 13—The Marysville Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees approved reopening the Abraham Lincoln Home School during a recent meeting.

Rocco Greco, executive director of student engagement for the district, said the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a need for more flexibility in learning options at school districts and that while many students have struggled with distance learning, about 20 percent of families have consistently chosen to keep their students on distance learning in the district.

"(This could be) for the students who are doing better in this environment, we predict there are some students who don't want to return," Greco said.

According to a staff report, Abraham Lincoln Home School was closed and converted to a "district program" utilizing part-time, after-hour certified MJUSD teachers and allowed limited independent study options.

In order to be an equitable school that would allow high school students to be able to meet all A-G accreditation requirements, the school has to be accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges but cannot accredit a district program — Greco said students who go through the program not accredited by WASC are not able to go straight to a four-year university but could go to a junior college first.

Greco said they are working on the logistics to reopen the school and gain accreditation — such as working on the paperwork for the California Department of Education and they have a WASC inspection tentatively scheduled for April 30.

The school is planned to be staffed to support independent study students as well as those who choose to remain on distance learning as the COVID-19 pandemic slows, according to a staff report.

Greco said they predict, initially, they will need eight secondary teachers and four primary teachers. He said there would be two curricular pathways that would be available for families depending on technology and educational needs.

There are technology-based platforms that could be utilized — such as Edmentum — along with an option for paper-based materials.

There is a physical center for the school, Greco said, that will be used as the main hub but there are also opportunities to have the teachers placed at other school sites in the district for students who may not be able to easily access the main center.

Greco said students who go through the independent study program will have to see a teacher physically once per week, however, if they need additional assistance, they could do so either virtually or in person.

"It's time for districts to learn from (the COVID-19 pandemic)," Greco said. "...It allows us to continue to look into avenues and look into different solutions so we don't just jump back into the same rut."

The goal is to open the school for the 2021-2022 school year.

"The teachers who are working on the independent studies are great," Greco said. "This honors the work they're doing already by providing additional resources and providing different avenues."