Community Classroom

The community classroom instructional methodology utilizes unpaid on-the-job training experiences at business, industry, and public agency sites to expand the learning experience for our students. The community classroom experience correlates concurrent classroom instruction with regularly scheduled, supervised and planned work-based learning. This type of experience, unique to ROPs, assists students in developing and refining occupational competencies (attitudes, skills and knowledge). Components of a community classroom are listed below:

Teacher Observation

The ROP teacher must observe students at their community classroom worksites a minimum of once every three weeks.

Classroom Hours

In an approved community classroom program:

• The classroom hours must average out to three class periods per week for the duration of the class and
• The actual classroom instruction should occur for at least one class period per week.

Selecting a Site

When selecting business/industry affiliate sites for community classrooms, please consider the following:

• Solicit businesses that have adequate facilities, equipment, and high ethical, business, and safety standards.
• Ensure the business understands the purpose of the training partnership and can provide students with the experiences as identified on the Individualized Training Plan (ITP), as well as proper supervision.
• Ensure no other district or ROP is using the site. However, it may be worth contacting the district that established the original agreement to see if the site can be shared.

Individualized Training Plan (ITP)

For every student in a course utilizing the community classroom methodology, an Individualized Training Plan (ITP) must exist. A copy of the plan should be with the teacher and a copy provided to the community classroom site supervisor so that both teacher and supervisor can track progress.

Email us for more information regarding community classrooms.