Section 451.280   Additional Requirements for Home Study and Home Study/In Residence School

a)         The Superintendent shall approve home study courses of instruction only after determining that they meet the requirements stated in this Section.  The home study school shall provide the Superintendent with a description of each course indicating all materials supplied to the student.  The Superintendent may request such materials for any of the courses, and the school shall supply the materials it sends to its students for that course.

b)         The home study course of instruction shall be:  

1)         suitable for a student to learn by self-direction with assistance that will be provided by the school;

2)         consistent with the educational background, reading ability, and interests of the school's students;

3)         organized sequentially in units from rudimentary to advanced, with transitional materials to guide students through the course of instruction;

4)         designed to be current, and to meet actual job requirements for the school's graduates;

5)         developed with the content necessary to ensure students will master the necessary skills and knowledge required for employment in the occupation for which they are being trained;

6)         designed to permit the student to measure his/her progress and to apply knowledge learned (e.g., student checklist, examinations, sample problems and exercises).

c)         Except for material especially included to give instructions and to assist and encourage the student to complete his/her studies successfully, the home study course of instruction shall be limited to subject matter, pictures, and graphics that are relevant to the course's specific occupational objectives.

d)         Home study examinations shall:  

1)         measure the extent of the student's mastery of each lesson and of the total course of instruction;

2)         correspond with course objectives and the requirements for employment in the field.

e)         The home study school shall maintain a progress evaluation record.

f)          Prior to the approval of any course of instruction, the home study school shall provide the Superintendent with:  

1)         names of the authors and/or contributing subject matter specialists for all lessons and instructional materials, including a statement of their qualifications in the instructional field;

2)         minimum passing scores for its tests and examinations.

g)         A home study/in-residence school shall not use the home study portion as the principal basis for the in-residence phase of instruction.

1)         The school may use home study materials for a short review at the beginning of the in-residence phase.

2)         The school shall not allow a student who has not successfully completed all home study examinations with passing grades to enter the in-residence phase of instruction.

h)         Unless otherwise specified, all requirements in this Part for in-residence schools shall apply to the in-residence phase of a home study/in-residence course of instruction.

(Source:  Amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 7229, effective May 1, 2000)