Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

ACLS Policy Memo #03-2020: Distance Education

To: Program Directors and SABES Directors
From: Wyvonne Stevens-Carter, Adult Education State Director
Date: September 11, 2020

The following changes in distance education policy for Community Adult Learning Centers (CALCs) due to increased demand for remote learning due to the coronavirus and other factors will be in effect starting September 1, 2020.

1. Guidance for Reporting Attendance

For all enrolled students, programs will capture Instruction (In Person), Instruction — Distance Learning (Virtual F2F), and Instruction — Distance Learning (Proxy Hours) in the LACES attendance screen in accordance with all ACLS Attendance Reporting Policies.

Programs may capture intake, orientation, and assessment in LACES.

2. Recording Attendance in LACES

Beginning on September 1, the LACES Attendance screen will include the following three instruction types:

  • Instruction — (In Person)
  • Instruction — Distance Learning (Virtual F2F)
  • Instruction — Distance Learning (Proxy Hours)

Instruction Types
TypeDefinitionExampleData Entry Policy
Instruction — (In Person) Students and instructors are together in person at program. Instruction takes place in classroom, computer lab, other designated instructional space at program site or program satellite location. Enter attendance at the daily level. That is, attendance must be recorded for each day that a student attends.

Enter attendance within one week and ACLS recommends the best practice of entering attendance every day during class.
Instruction — Instruction (Virtual F2F) Students and instructors are present at the same time and able to see one another in real time but are not present at the same location. Direct instruction using ZOOM, SKYPE, cellphone or any other platform which includes video for the instructor and students. Enter attendance at the daily level. That is, attendance must be recorded for each day that a student attends.

Enter attendance within one week and ACLS recommends the best practice of entering attendance every day during class.
Instruction — Proxy Hours The time a student spends working asynchronously, independent of direct instruction, using any of the three models below. Time spent using an online product which tracks seat time or working on assigned learning activities. Proxy Seat time should be captured a minimum of two times per month.

The first entry should be on the 16th of the month capturing all hours from the 1st to the 15th of the month, and the second on the last day of the month capturing hours from the 16th of the month through the last day of the month.

Data entry for these capture dates should be entered in LACES within one week of the capture dates (16th of the month and last day of the month).

Proxy Hours Further Defined
TypeDefinitionExampleData Entry Policy
Clock Time/Time on Task Time reported based on time a student is engaged with an online product that tracks actual time on task. The amount of time that the student spends working in an on-line product (e.g., AZTEC, VOXY, KET, USA Learns) as tracked by that product. See Proxy Hour Data Policy above.
Learner Mastery Assigns a fixed number of proxy hours based on learner mastery of instructional content. Student completes a unit which is assigned a number of proxy hours granted upon verified mastery of the material; usually determined by a summative assessment of the material completed. See Proxy Hour Data Policy above.
Teacher Verification Model:

Student Engagement with specific Learning Activities assigned by instructor		 Prior to distribution of educational material, teacher assigns the amount of time (proxy hours) awarded to students upon completion of material and verification of learning.

Pre-determined proxy hours include all activity (student work and student-teacher engagement).		 Packets of Learning Activities are given to students, students complete work and return packets to instructor who reviews and assesses mastery of content.

Assigned proxy hours include but are not limited to student work, phone follow up with teacher, exchange between student and teacher via texts or email.		 See Proxy Hour Data Policy above.

Last Updated: September 17, 2020