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Independence School is the independent study school for Lodi Unified School District. LUSD encompasses 350 square miles and serves the cities of Lodi, North Stockton, and the communities of Acampo, Clements, Lockeford, Victor, and Woodbridge. The district is located in the central valley of Northern California. Any student who resides in the LUSD attendance areas and meets the requirements is eligible to attend Independence School. Independence School is fully accredited by ACS WASC (Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges).

Independence School provides an alternative instructional strategy, not an alternative curriculum, wherein students work independently according to a written agreement and under the supervision of a credentialed teacher or teachers. While the school serves students from kindergarten through 12^th grade, the majority of the students are high school. Students attend Independence for many reasons.  These include, but are not limited to, credit deficiency, health concerns, needing a small learning environment, bullying at their last school site, opportunity to graduate early, religious beliefs and mental health concerns. Unlike traditional schools, Independence School provides students an opportunity to be successful by analyzing the needs of the individual student and creating an Individualized Learning Plan, or ILP.  Although students have the opportunity to return to the schools of residence, many choose to graduate from Independence School.

Independence grades K-6 follows the modified traditional calendar similar to other elementary schools in Lodi Unified School District. Independence students, along with the parent/ guardian meet digitally or in person, either every one or two weeks depending on the needs of the student with the credentialed teacher. The teacher assigns work to be completed when the student returns for the next meeting. The parent/guardian may contact the teacher via email or phone if/when questions and concerns arise. Independence curriculum for core subjects align with the adopted District academic standards and are listed on the student’s course agreement. Upon the student’s return, the teacher evaluates the completed work and assigns ADA for the prior two weeks.

Independence grades 7-8 follows the modified traditional calendar similar to other middle schools in Lodi Unified School District. Weekly, Independence students meet with the credentialed teacher either 1:1 or small group for all core subjects excluding Math--CMP 7 or CMP 8. For Math--CMP 7 and CMP 8, students are expected to attend their grade level Math one hour class meeting twice per week.  For the first day, the class meeting’s focus is direct instruction from the teacher and on the second day for one hour as a support or elective math class. Independence curriculum for core subjects align with the adopted District academic standards and are listed on the student’s course agreement. The parent/guardian may contact the teacher via email or phone if/when questions and concerns arise. Upon the student’s return, the teacher evaluates the completed work and assigns ADA for the prior week. Independence School offers study hall digitally and in person.

The Independence master schedule for grades 9-12 is based on a block system. Independence offers different options for the delivery of instruction— digital or in person, small class, online learning, 1:1, or a combination of all depending on the needs of the student. For those students enrolled in small classes and online learning, students meet digitally or in person with the teacher for 70 minutes per week. Depending on the specific academic and in some cases, socio- emotional needs of the student, each student is enrolled in 3 to 4 year-long classes per term.  Fall term runs from August through December and spring term runs from January the first week of June. The block schedule offers students the opportunity to either make up credits if they are deficient or accelerate the acquisition of credits if they want to graduate early. It is the belief that students have the potential to more academically successful if they only concentrate on three to four classes versus the six classes that they would be expected to take if attending a large comprehensive high school. Students may petition to enroll in more than four courses during a term.

For Independence students who are struggling in their classes, all Independence teachers have an “open door policy”. All students may access teachers via phone/ emails/google meets or attend study halls. If a student has failed at least one class during the last grading period or is currently failing at least one class, the principal notifies the student and parent that the student has been placed on academic probation and is required to attend at least one hour of study hall per week.

The master schedule supports a five period school daily. Depending on the individual needs of the student, each receives instruction in person or digitally via, small group, 1;1, online instruction, or a combination of the three. At the end of each class meeting, each student must initial his/her course agreement which lists the assignments that need to be completed upon the students return to class the next week. Upon the students return, the teacher of record evaluates the student’s work and assigns ADA for the course for prior week. The teacher of record notifies the student’s supervisory teacher as to how much ADA the student has earned for the class for that week and the supervisory teacher records the overall ADA earned in Aeries, the student information data system.