What Is the Online Learning Program?

Peoria Public Schools District 150 offers an Online Learning Program (formally known as the Remote Educational Program) for students in grades 6–12 who would benefit from completing their coursework outside of a traditional school building.

This is not virtual school for everyone. It's a specific, individualized option for students whose particular learning needs are best supported through a remote learning arrangement. Students who participate remain enrolled at their home school, continue to count as students of that school, and are expected to meet the same academic standards as their in-person peers.

A few key things to know up front:

• Instruction is delivered through the District's designated online learning platform.

• Every student in the Program is assigned a licensed District teacher who monitors progress, communicates regularly with the family, and provides academic support and oversight.

• Students remain enrolled at their home attendance center and must come in person for required state and District assessments.

• The Program runs during the regular school year. It is not a year-round, anytime option.

• Participation is approved for the current school year and must be renewed. It does not automatically continue from year to year.

Is the Online Learning Program Right for My Student?

The Program works best for students who are ready to learn independently, with a family member available to provide day-to-day support and structure (not teaching, but supervision and encouragement). Families should think honestly about whether their student can stay organized, motivated, and on pace without a teacher physically present every day.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply, a student must currently be enrolled in and attending a Peoria Public Schools attendance center. Students who are not yet enrolled in the District must complete registration and begin attending in person before they can apply for the Online Learning Program.

From there, a student must meet all three of the following at the time of application:

• Academic performance: a current overall GPA of 2.5 or higher

• Attendance: a current school-year attendance rate of 90% or higher

• Discipline: no out-of-school suspensions during the current school year

If your student has an IEP or 504 Plan: these three requirements don't automatically rule a student out. If a student's performance on any of these measures may be related to their disability, that will be reviewed individually by the student's IEP or 504 team rather than applied as a flat cutoff.

Meeting these three requirements doesn't guarantee a spot in the Program. The District also looks at the bigger picture for each student, including:

• The student's demonstrated ability to organize, start, and finish assignments without a teacher physically present each day

• Whether the home includes a reliable device, internet access, a quiet workspace, and a responsible adult who can provide daily supervision (not instruction)

• For students with an IEP or 504 Plan, whether their required services and accommodations can realistically be delivered remotely

• Any documented medical, safety, or other individual circumstances that support remote learning as the right fit

When an Application Will Be Denied or Put on Hold

So families know what to expect, here is how applications are screened:

• Denied: if a student doesn't meet one or more of the three threshold requirements above (unless the disability-related exception applies), or if the application is based mainly on school avoidance, school refusal, or anxiety about attending school and there is neither a clinical diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional nor documented evidence of prior school-based interventions and their outcomes.

• Held until later: if the student is currently involved in active disciplinary proceedings, a pending expulsion hearing, or a pending manifestation determination review. In these cases, the application is paused and reviewed once that process concludes.

Documentation You May Need

Depending on the reason for the request, an application must be submitted with supporting documentation before it can be reviewed:

• Medical reason: a written statement from a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse explaining the condition and why remote instruction is appropriate. (Note: if a medical condition will keep a student out of school for 10 or more days, that falls under the District's separate Home/Hospital Instruction program rather than this one — ask your principal which option fits.)

• Safety reason: documentation from a school administrator, licensed counselor, law enforcement, or DCFS describing the specific safety concern.

• School avoidance or anxiety: either a clinical diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional, or documented evidence of the school-based interventions already tried and how the student responded to them.

• IEP or 504 Plan: written approval from the student's IEP team or 504 team (see below).

• In every case, the student's principal will also complete a recommendation form documenting the interventions already tried at school and their outcomes.

A Note for Families of Students with an IEP or 504 Plan

Special education and Section 504 protections do not disappear in the Online Learning Program.

• A student with an IEP cannot be enrolled in the Program without prior approval from that student's IEP team. The IEP team decides whether remote instruction is appropriate, and which services can and cannot be delivered remotely.

• A student with a 504 Plan goes through the same kind of review with their 504 team before enrollment.

• If a required service or accommodation can't realistically be delivered remotely, the team will determine whether in-person instruction is needed to make sure the student continues to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE always takes priority over remote placement.

Applying isn't a simple online form; it starts with a conversation. Here's how the process works:

Step 1: Talk to your child's principal. Families who are interested in the Online Learning Program should start by contacting their child's building principal (or the principal's designee) to express interest. The principal will talk with you about the Program's purpose and requirements, take a first look at whether your student appears to meet the eligibility requirements above, and talk through your student's readiness for independent learning and your family's ability to provide supervision at home.

If it doesn't look like a good fit at this stage, the principal will let you know and can point you toward other school-based supports instead.

Step 2: Get and complete the formal application. If the principal believes your student may be eligible, they'll provide you with the Parent/Guardian Application (or direct you to the District's Online Learning Program Coordinator to get it). The application will ask for:

• Student and family information

• The reason you're requesting remote learning, along with the required supporting documentation (see above)

• Why you believe remote learning is the right fit for your student's individual needs

• Information about your home technology, supervision plan, and your student's readiness for independent learning

• Whether your student has an IEP, 504 Plan, or receives other support services

• Your acknowledgment of Program requirements, including that your student may be required to return to in-person instruction if those requirements aren't met

Your student's principal will also complete an independent recommendation form as part of this step.

Step 3: Review and decision. Once your application packet is complete, the Online Learning Program Coordinator reviews it. If anything is missing, you'll be notified within 5 school days so you can complete it. Once your packet is complete, you can expect a written decision within 20 school days.

• If approved, you'll receive next steps for enrolling your student and finalizing a Remote Educational Plan (see below).

• If denied, you'll receive the specific reason and, where applicable, information about other supports available to your student.

• If you disagree with a denial, you may request reconsideration within 10 school days by submitting new information that wasn't available at the time of the original decision.

Application Deadlines

Because the District's online learning platform requires a minimum of 16 weeks to complete a course, applications cannot be considered if fewer than 16 weeks remain in the school year. Plan accordingly if you're considering a mid-year start.

The Remote Educational Plan

Before a student begins the Program, the family and the District jointly complete and sign a Remote Educational Plan. Think of this as the roadmap for how the Program will work for your specific student. It covers things like:

• Academic goals tied to Illinois Learning Standards

• Which assessments are required and which must be taken in person

• How and how often you'll receive progress updates

• The schedule and expectations for communication between your student, you, and the assigned teacher

• Who's responsible for what — technology, internet, materials, and workspace

• For students with an IEP or 504 Plan, exactly which services will be delivered remotely and which require an in-person visit

• How your student can still take part in extracurricular activities

• The name of the District administrator you can contact with questions or concerns

• The length of the agreement (up to 12 months) and what renewal looks like

• Where your student will be doing their coursework, and District approval of that location if it isn't your student's home

This Plan can be updated if needed, but any change requires written agreement from both the family and the District.

What to Expect Once Your Student Is Enrolled

Support structure. Your student's instruction is delivered through the District's online learning platform, and a licensed District teacher is assigned to monitor their progress, stay in touch with your family, and provide academic support. That said, families should understand that the remote setting has a different — and more limited — support structure than in-person school:

• The Program does not provide regular in-person access to school counselors, social workers, or psychologists. If your student needs ongoing counseling or therapeutic support, that needs to come through a community or clinical provider; the Program is not a substitute for mental health support.

• Families take on a substantially larger role in their student's daily structure, pacing, and accountability than they would with in-person schooling.

• The District does not provide a device or internet access for students in the Program — families are responsible for ensuring reliable access to both.

Staying on track. Your student's progress is monitored regularly, and you'll receive a written progress report on the District's standard schedule (typically monthly). At the end of each month, the Program Coordinator formally reviews every student's pacing, academic performance, and attendance. If there's a concern — falling behind, academic struggles, unexcused absences — you'll be notified in writing within 5 school days, and your student will have until the end of the following month to get back on track. That one-month window is the same for every student and isn't extended.

Assessments. Even though coursework happens remotely, your student is still required to take all required state and District assessments in person.

Extracurriculars. Students in the Program have the same right to participate in extracurricular activities at their home school as students attending in person.

Returning to in-person instruction. A student may be asked to return to in-person learning if they fall behind on pacing or coursework, miss required in-person assessments, if the family isn't able to meet the responsibilities laid out in the Plan, if home technology or supervision is no longer sufficient, or if it's determined that the Program is no longer the best fit for the student's needs. Outside of safety or legal situations requiring immediate action, you'll receive written notice and a reasonable chance to fix the issue before your student is removed. You can also choose to withdraw your student from the Program at any time simply by giving written notice to the Program Coordinator.

Renewal. Participation doesn't automatically roll over. Each year, returning to the Program requires a new application, a performance review, and an updated Plan. The District will reach out to begin this process before your student's current term ends. If a student is removed from the Program for not meeting requirements, they aren't eligible to re-enroll for the rest of that school year, and a second removal makes a student permanently ineligible for the Program going forward.

Can any student apply to the Online Learning Program? Eligibility is limited to students in grades 6–12 who are currently enrolled in and attending a Peoria Public Schools attendance center, and who meet the academic, attendance, and discipline requirements described above (or qualify under the disability-related exception). The Program is also subject to available capacity each year.

Is this the same as homeschooling? No. Your student remains enrolled at their District school, follows District curriculum delivered through the District's online platform, works with a licensed District teacher, and is included in District and state assessments and accountability reporting.

Will my student still be a student at their home school? Yes. Students in the Program stay enrolled at their assigned attendance center for all purposes, including state assessments and extracurricular eligibility.

Does the District provide a laptop or internet access? No. Families are responsible for providing a reliable device and internet access, along with a quiet space for your student to work. This is one of the factors considered during the application review.

My student is struggling with anxiety about going to school — does that qualify? It may, but the District requires either a clinical diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional or documented evidence of school-based interventions that have already been tried, along with their outcomes. An application based on school avoidance alone, without one of those, will not be approved. Start by talking with your principal about what's already been tried and what documentation would be needed.

My student has an IEP or 504 Plan. Can they still apply? Yes. The threshold GPA, attendance, and discipline requirements may not apply the same way if related to your student's disability — that determination is made individually by the IEP or 504 team. Beyond that, the team will also need to confirm that your student's required services and accommodations can be feasibly delivered in the remote setting before enrollment is approved.

How long does a student stay in the Program? For the current school year. Continuing beyond that requires a renewal, which includes a progress review and an updated Plan.

Can my student switch back to in-person learning if it's not working out? Yes. You can withdraw your student at any time with written notice to the Program Coordinator, and your student will return to in-person instruction at their home school as quickly as possible.

Can I apply in the middle of the school year? Possibly, but only if there are at least 16 weeks left in the school year, since that's the minimum time the platform requires to complete a course.

What if my application is denied? You'll receive the specific reason for the denial. If you have new information that wasn't available when the decision was made, you can request reconsideration within 10 school days.

Contact & Support

We are here to help your student succeed. To ensure we can assist you as efficiently as possible, please follow these steps.

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lindsay.bohm@psd150.org

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