QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ON KLEIN ISD ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION CLASSES
Q. What is KISD’s definition of alternative education classes?
A. Alternative education classes are those to which students are assigned who committed serious infractions of the student disciplinary code of conduct as noted in student handbooks. These classes are highly structured and permit the student a minimum amount of movement on campus. Students who commit less serious offenses are assigned to an on-campus alternative education program known as in-school suspension. More serious offenders are assigned to the Alternative Classes housed at the K E Kaufman Alternative Education Center, 7302 Kleingreen Lane, Klein, Texas 77379.
Q. Are special education students assigned to alternative education classes?
A. Students are identified through the special education department as having specific learning/emotional disabilities. An individual education plan (I.E.P.) is developed for each of these students. As stated above, an alternative education program is one to which students are assigned who have committed serious offenses. They are generally regular education students, although a special education student may be assigned to the program if an ARD committee finds there is no relationship between the student’s disability and behavior in an incident. In addition, the special education student’s I.E.P. must call for the use of regular disciplinary measures.
Q. Why are alternative classes needed?
A. Alternative classes are needed when a student commits an offense as noted in Sec. 37.006 of the Texas Education Code, or when all other discipline interventions to help the student to be productive in the regular school setting have failed, yet it is important that the student has an effective and well-planned instructional program. The alternative education plan provides a substitute in-school suspension when discipline measures are necessary. Alternative education classes give the district and the students with discipline problems a wider range of choices for appropriate discipline techniques.
Q. Who decides on the placement of students in KISD Alternative Classes?
A. Placement of student in KISD Alternative Classes housed at the Klein ISD Annex is decided by the campus principal in accordance with the provisions in Senate Bill 1, Section 37.006. Students who commit the following offenses would be considered for assignment to these classes:
- violation of the district’s drug policy
- assault of student(s)
- assault of educational personnel
- serious persistent misconduct
- terrorist threat
- charged with an off-campus felony
- other serious offenses that violate the Student Code of Conduct
Q. Why does the district try to serve as many students on their home campus as possible?
A. Many curricular and extracurricular opportunities exist on the home campus that cannot be offered in an alternative education program. Because students who are at risk need the positive role models and the activities provided by those programs, it is helpful to keep at risk students within the regular system on the home campus if possible. In addition, state and federal guidelines regarding inclusion of students call for students to be placed in the least restrictive environment.
Q. Is the array of courses that students need offered?
A. KISD Alternative Classes provides the basic subject areas as delineated by TEA for STAAR. Having a math, science, social studies, and English Language Arts teacher to teach essential elements is of vital importance. Business technology courses, secondary art, speech communication applications, Spanish foreign language courses, health, physical education, and high school continuing credit and credit recovery courses are offered. However, not all classes and instructional levels are offered. Questions concerning courses can be directed to the Director of the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program or the home campus principal.
Q. What grade levels are included in Klein ISD Alternative Classes?
A. Grades K-12 are included in Alternative Classes.
Q. Are students in Klein ISD Alternative Classes expected to abide by the guidelines established in the Student Handbook?
A. Yes, all students in KISD must abide by guidelines established in the Student Handbook for their campus (elementary, intermediate, high school) level.
Q. Do students come from across KISD?
A. Yes.
Q. What is the shortest assignment to Alternative Classes?
A. Twenty (20) days, with some exceptions for special circumstances.
Q. Are the students separated by grade level?
A. Students are grouped for instruction due to varying academic and grade placements. However, essentially all students in a given grade and/or subject area may be placed in the same classroom either regularly or periodically.
Q. Do students take physical education?
A. Yes. The exception is a high school student who has met physical education requirements and is enrolled in another elective course.
Q. Do the sending school’s teachers have any responsibility for lesson plans, etc.?
A. Generally, no, except in the case of elementary student assignment. Sending school’s teachers for an elementary student may be asked to provide assignments and the scope and sequence for each course. In addition, on the secondary level, lessons for electives offered online are the responsibility of the home campus teacher.
Q. Are there any courses for which a student could lose credit due to placement in Alternative Classes?
A. Yes. Depending on the date of assignment to Alternative Classes, it may not be possible to continue instruction in some courses. Every effort is made to provide students with the opportunity to earn credit in specific courses not offered at the Alternative Classes via applications such as Schoology and Edgenuity.
Q. How would one best describe the students who are assigned to Alternative Classes?
A. Only students who commit serious infractions of the Student Code of Conduct are assigned to Alternative Classes.
Q. Why does the district want to have these classes?
A. We want to help every child achieve his/her potential. In addition, we will not permit serious or persistent misbehaving students to disrupt classrooms for other students who want to learn and do not disrupt the instructional environment.
Q. Do students assigned to Alternative Classes have the same food options in the cafeteria as other students at their grade levels?
A. Free breakfast and lunch will continue to all students in Klein ISD due to COVID considerations. Parents can provide cash or check (to Klein ISD Food Service) to set up an account for a la carte items. Food service accounts set up at home campuses will transfer to Alternative Classes, although transfer of the balance of funds may take 2-3 days.
Q. Does each teacher have a planning (conference) period per day?
A. Yes
Q. What is the longest assignment to Alternative Classes?
A. Most infractions will have a 20-day assignment for grades 6-12. *The exception is a student who is sent to Alternative Classes multiples times in a school year. In this case, the student will be assigned to Alternative Classes for the 5 additional days (25, 30, etc) for each time he/she is enrolled at the AEC. If the second offense occurs in the final grading period of the school year, the Alternative Classes assignment may include the first quarter of the next school year.
Q. Will students still be expelled from KISD?
A. Yes. Each student is considered on a case-by-case basis from among those involved in serious drug offenses, the assault of staff members or other students, continued serious misbehavior, and the possession of weapons.
Q. Is transportation provided for students assigned to Alternative Classes?
A. Yes. Students are picked up and returned within two to three blocks of their residence in the district by a KISD school bus. Violation of any bus transportation procedures could result in school discipline including isolated instruction, out of school suspension, removal from bus, and even expulsion from KISD.
Q. Are students assigned to Alternative Classes permitted to drive vehicles to school?
A. No. Students are expected to ride the KISD school bus or to be transported and accompanied into the main office and signed in by a parent or guardian.
Q. Do all students assigned to Alternative Classes follow the same school hours?
A. Yes. Alternative Classes follows a high school bell schedule with 8 class periods, including a class period for Parliament. At the Alternative Classes, students de-board buses at 6:50 a.m. 1st period class begins at 7:15 a.m. and 8th period class ends at 2:25 p.m. Students board buses for return home after 2:25 p.m.
Q. What disciplinary alternatives are available for a student who causes serious infractions of the student disciplinary code of conduct while assigned to Alternative Classes?
A. On a case-by-case basis, a hearing will be scheduled to determine if the student will be returned to Alternative Classes for additional time or expelled from the district.
Q. Who will be involved in these hearings?
A. The appropriate staff members assigned to Alternative Classes and executive directors for campus safety and support.
Q. How many teachers does Alternative Classes have?
A. Alternative Classes presently has 32 teachers.
Q. What other staff are assigned to Alternative Classes?
A. Two full-time counselors, a special programs interventionist, a school nurse and clinic aide, and services from a special education educational diagnostician, licensed school psychologist (LSSP), part-time community youth services counselor, special education services support staff, educational assistants, and secretaries.
Q. Is a principal or other administrator in charge?
A. Yes. Brian Marr is the Director of Alternative Programs and Colleth Punch and Cheryle Thompson are Assistant Directors.
Q. Do students in these classes get a full school day?
A. Yes. Students follow an eight-period schedule within a high school bell schedule (7:15 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.); class periods are approximately 48 minutes and a 30-minute Parliament class period.
Q. Are Alternative Classes included in the drug and alcohol detection searches by the human/canine teams that occur on all the district’s secondary campuses?
A. Yes, Alternative Classes are included in unannounced, random searches by human/canine teams, random use of metal detector wands, and daily use of walk thru metal detectors.