Learning Coach Expectations
A learning coach is an adult who works actively with students in their environment and at their academic level to ensure success with distance education. Learning coaches are designated at the time of enrolling a student and must meet the following criteria unless NDCDE administration grants an exception.
Students enrolled in a school; enrollment paid by the school:
Learning coaches must be approved by the student’s school of record. Learning coaches should be employed by the school or be an adult outside of the student's immediate family approved by the school to serve as a learning coach. The school may appoint a parent to serve as a learning coach when it deems this to be necessary.
Homeschooled students and students enrolled in a school; enrollment paid by parent:
For these students, the parent shall designate a learning coach outside of the student's household unless the student is an elementary student or has extenuating circumstances such as living in a remote area that would prevent access to such a learning coach. NDCDE may inquire about the reason for appointing a household member as a learning coach and may require a learning coach change when an applicable policy is violated by a student or learning coach.
Additional qualifications and scope of responsibilities
Learning coaches must be willing and able to provide the following services to students:
- Provide a secure, supervised, distraction-free environment
- Provide assistance to the student at his or her academic level
- Act as a communication point between the student and the NDCDE instructor(s) and faculty
- Monitor and support the student's pacing and activity in the course
- Encourage the student to seek support from the NDCDE teacher
- Communicate with the NDCDE teacher as needed
- Assist with student work submission and troubleshoot technology issues with NDCDE tech support as needed
- Confirm arrival of printed course materials and secure supplies as required for the course
- Ensure academic integrity in coursework and exams
- Manually enter the test password; passwords are never to be given to students
- Remain with the student during the entire testing period
- Monitor and confirm that password-protected assessments are completed in one sitting, as they are time-sensitive
- Ensure that there is no use of any resource on exams/tests unless specified by the NDCDE instructor and maintain a direct visual on the students' device for the duration of the exam
- Elementary only: Typically required at weekly meetings between the student and NDCDE teacher
Right to reassign a learning coach
NDCDE reserves the right to request a new learning coach if the above requirements aren't fulfilled. A student's enrollment will be placed on hold while the new learning coach assignment is taking place.