Mountain Grove R-III School District

Curriculum Development Plan

Commitment To Excellence
Revised June, 2011

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this manual is to guide the development, implementation, and revision of curriculum in the Mountain Grove R-III School district. In order to insure that all students have access to quality curriculum which articulates learning activities to provide continuous and sequential learning experiences, it is essential that the district implement a well planned, quality curriculum. In addition, it is essential that the curriculum be revised on a systematic basis to insure that learning experiences continue to meet the needs of the learners. Curriculum planning also helps to insure that resources, personnel, and time are utilized efficiently to produce a quality product. It is through the effective delivery of a quality curriculum that our students may best be prepared for the future. In order to accomplish these purposes, this manual will: 1. Establish a district Curriculum Model which will provide a conceptual base for curriculum development. CSIP 1, 2, 3, 4 2. Establish a procedure by which curriculum work, regardless of content area, can be conducted. CSIP 1, 2, 3, 4 3. Establish a curriculum review cycle by which the district can assure that all curricular areas will be routinely reviewed and updated to meet the changing needs of students, the district, and society. CSIP 1, 2, 3, 4 4. Establish short and long range curriculum plans for the district, and a procedure to revise these plans. CSIP 1, 2, 3, 4 5. Establish an evaluation plan to assess the effectiveness of the districts curriculum development efforts. CSIP 1, 2, 3, 4

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PHILOSOPHY OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Curriculum development in the Mountain Grove R-III School District is viewed as a continuous, ongoing, and dynamic process. The quality of the learning experiences provided to the students in the district is directly tied to the results of the quality of the curriculum which the district develops and implements. Curriculum development is viewed as a three phase cycle of activity. The first, or planning phase, involves an analysis of existing conditions and an assessment of need. Included in this phase is the formulation of a plan to address identified needs. The planning phase is the thinking and design phase. The implementation phase is the translation of plans into action. The final phase, evaluation, assesses the results of curriculum implementation by determining successes of both the program and the learners. Curriculum development is considered a comprehensive process because its development impacts not only what is learned, but how it is learned and how learning is assessed. Good curriculum work provides focus for staff development, resource allocation, as well as teaching and learning efforts. It is also considered comprehensive because it derives its strength and purpose from the overall mission of the district. It is an important tool in transforming the vision of the district into educational opportunity for its students. Perhaps no other task in the district is as vital to meeting its mission as curriculum development.

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OVERVIEW OF THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The following components are interrelated and provide an overview of the curriculum process: Curriculum Committees - Curriculum committees are appointed by the building administrators along with the curriculum director and are actively involved in all phases of curriculum development. The functions of the various curriculum committees are outlined below. Curriculum Development Model - The district curriculum development model not only provides a conceptual framework for curriculum development, but also provides a planning model for curriculum study and revision. Implementation of the curriculum development model results in the systematic review and evaluation of all district curriculum. Planning Goals - Planning goals represent the districts long and short range plans for curriculum development. Through the statement of planning goals, the district defines its vision for curriculum development through one complete revision cycle. Planning goals establish the priorities utilized by curriculum committees during the review process. Evaluation Plan - The evaluation plan provides the basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the districts curriculum development efforts. The evaluation plan includes the criteria by which curriculum development efforts will be evaluated, as well as the source of assessment information.

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CURRICULUM COMMITTEES DESCRIPTIONS

Implementation of the districts curriculum development model requires the active participation of district staff, students, parents, and members of the community. In order to coordinate this work in a systematic way, the district utilizes curriculum committees which are described below. Work of the committees is coordinated by the Curriculum Director. Partnership Committee -The committee is composed of representatives of a broad spectrum of the school and community, including teachers, students, parents, and the business community. The functions of this committee are to review district curriculum, review building plans and provide input and suggestions to the Curriculum Council and to assist in the development and evaluation of short and long range curriculum plans based upon the criteria specified in this manual and in the districts CSIP. Members are appointed to the Partnership Committee for four years, with one-third of the membership appointed annually. Curriculum Council -The Curriculum Council consists of those staff members who serve as team-leaders/department heads. Therefore, the council is representative of all subject areas and all grade levels. The purposes of the council are to evaluate the districts curriculum and offer suggestions for improvement to the Partnership Committee, Administration, and board of Education, and to develop, implement, and evaluate the districts short and long range curriculum plans. The membership is reviewed annually by the administration. K-12 Curriculum Committees - K 12 Committees are established for all areas of the curriculum. The leaders of these committees compose the Curriculum Council. The K-12 Curriculum Committees function is to develop, revise, articulate, implement, and evaluate the districts curriculum for their respective subject area as specified by the districts curriculum revision schedule and to suggest improvements regarding their specific curriculum to the

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Curriculum Council, Administration, and Partnership Committee. The membership of these committees is reviewed annually by the administration, with updates recommended as needed. (See Appendix A Curriculum Committees Model)

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT MODEL

The Mountain Grove R-III School Districts Curriculum Development Model provides a systematic plan for curriculum review, revision, and implementation. The plan incorporates the three phases of curriculum development referred to in this manual i.e. planning, implementation, and evaluation. The description of each component of the curriculum development model is listed below. A copy of the curriculum model is located in Appendix B of the manual. District Mission - This component is located at the center of the model to emphasize its central position in the curriculum development process. Identification of Need - Curriculum needs would typically be identified as a result of the evaluation component. In addition, the curriculum revision schedule will be one indicator of the need for review of a specific subject area curriculum. Curriculum Planning Goals - Providing both short and long range vision of the district in terms of curriculum, planning goals are identified to establish priorities for the curriculum development/review process. Curriculum planning goals are reviewed every five years with the curriculum review cycle. These goals may be reviewed more frequently if the Curriculum Council perceives the need based upon changes in educational research, local needs, etc. Curriculum Research and Staff Development - Curriculum research typically consists of a review of state performance standards and curriculum frameworks, a review of pertinent

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national standards, as well as a review of the districts current curriculum and other exemplary curriculum materials. Staff development shall be two types. The first type shall provide training to subject area specialists regarding areas of emphasis specified by the districts planning goals. The second type of staff development provides staff training regarding curriculum writing and revision process. Subject Area Rationales - Rationales define the purpose for the inclusion of that subject area in the districts curriculum, and should be aligned with the overall district philosophy. They provide a description of the content of the subject area and explain how the subject area supports the district mission statement. K-12 Learner Objectives - Learner objectives are general statements describing expectations at a specified grade level. Learner objectives provide a written statement of the continuum of skills acquired by the learner in grades K-12 in the respective subject area. Learner objectives may also be considered unit or course goals. They define expectations for student learning required in order for the student to be successful at the completion of that particular unit of instruction. These objectives provide direction for teachers in making classroom decisions and establishing daily instructional objectives. Articulation meetings involving curriculum writers from multiple grade levels are conducted. Identify Resources and Constraints - This normally involves the development of a budget recommendation to provide the necessary resources, textbooks, supplementary materials, etc., to support the implementation of the revised curriculum. Selection of Textbooks/Supplementary Materials -The K-12 committee selects textbooks and appropriate supplementary materials required for the implementation of the curriculum.

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Instructional Objectives -These are developed by those teachers implementing the curriculum and form the basis for their lesson plans. These objectives are formulated by the instructor with attention to the course goals, level of expected mastery, student performance standards, individual student needs and mode of assessment. The attainment of one learner objective may require a number of instructional objectives and several days or even weeks of instruction. Methodology - Methodologies are at the discretion of the teacher as long as they constitute effective teaching and achieve the desired learner outcomes. Evaluation of Curriculum -The effectiveness of the curriculum must be evaluated. Effective schools monitor and assess regularly and use data to improve and modify curriculum. K-12 Curriculum Committees are responsible for implementing the evaluation plan for their specific subject area. Evaluation of Instruction - Administrators are responsible for the evaluation of the quality of instruction. This is accomplished through the implementation of the districts performance based teacher evaluation program.

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CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT ROTATION

YEAR MATH P.E. HEALTH
Curriculum Implementation

SCIENCE

FINE ARTS

COMMUNICATION ARTS

SOCIAL STUDIES

PRACTICAL ARTS

L.M.C., AT RISK GUIDANCE, HEALTH SERVICES

Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

2011-12

Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise Research Revise

2012-13

Research Revise

Research Revise

2013-14

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise Research Revise Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise

2014-15

Research Revise Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise Research Revise Research Revise

Research Revise Research Revise Research Revise

Research Revise Research Revise Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

2015-16

Research Revise Research Revise

2016-17

2017-18

Research Revise

Research Revise

Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum Revision Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise

2018-19

Research Revise Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Curriculum Revision

Research Revise

2019-20

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Curriculum Implementation

Research Revise

2020-21

Research Revise

Curriculum Revision

Curriculum Revision

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

Research Revise

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SHORT AND LONG RANGE CURRICULUM PLANNING GOALS

As one component of the district curriculum model, short and long range curriculum planning goals provide the vision of the school district in terms of the curriculum. They are identified to establish district priorities for the curriculum development/review process. Short Range Goals-The following goals provide an outline of district curriculum plans for 20112012 school year: 1. Revise K-12 Math curriculum to ensure proper internal and external alignment. Evaluation criteria: Documentation of board adoption of written K-12 Math curricula along with complete curriculum guides in the E.A.T. online format. 2. Revise K-12 Fine Arts curriculum to ensure proper internal and external alignment. Evaluation criteria: Documentation of board adoption of written K-12 Fine Arts curriculum along with complete curriculum guides in the E.A.T. online format.

Long Range Goals-The following goals shall guide curriculum revision throughout the five year revision cycle: 1. All subject area curricula will incorporate objectives and activities designed to enable learners to speak and listen well, especially in structured situations. 2. All subject area curricula will incorporate objectives and activities designed to enable learners to read with understanding and critical judgment and to write clearly and effectively, and use writing as a way to learn. 3. All subject area curricula will incorporate objectives and activities designed to enable learners to work cooperatively with others, and to value diversity and treat others with respect, regardless of age, gender, class, or ethnic origin. 4. All subject area curricula will incorporate objectives and activities designed to enable learners to reason logically and think critically. 5. All subject area curricula will incorporate objectives and activities designed to enable learners to study effectively. 6. All subject area curricula will incorporate objectives and activities designed to foster the use of technology as a research tool, an information processor, and a composition tool. Page | 10

7. All subject area curricula will include those components indicated as optional by the Missouri School Improvement Program curriculum standards. 8. 100% of the districts curriculum will be written in an online format utilizing the Educational Alignment Tool (EAT) which is provided through an annual subscription from Instructional Materials Laboratories. Evaluative criteria: Upon the completion of a five year curriculum review cycle, a review of all district curricula will indicate that components or objectives and activities as specified in Long Range Planning Goals above will be readily identifiable in all areas of the curriculum.

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CURRICULUM REVIEW/DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY SCHEDULE

The curriculum review cycle delineates those curriculum activities which the district shall undertake annually. The activity schedule provides a timetable of activities to guide the K-12 Curriculum Committees through the revision/development process, as well as listing other annual curriculum activities. AUGUST New Staff members are given user name and password for EAT online along with training in viewing and printing their curriculum from the EAT online program. Curriculum committee memberships are updated. Staff development activities required for implementation of revised curriculum are conducted.

SEPTEMBER The curriculum council establishes curriculum goals for the school year and schedule subject areas for review and development based upon the district curriulum revision schedule and a review of assessment data.

OCTOBER K-12 curriculum committees for those subject areas scheduled for review and development begin curriculum research and plan staff development activities.

NOVEMBER K-12 curriculum committees continue curriculum research. K-12 curriculum committees complete subject area evaluation reports. Staff development activities may be conducted.

DECEMBER Curriculum research activities and staff development are (may) be completed.

JANUARY K-12 curriculum committees for those subject areas undergoing review and development. revise rationale components of curriculum guide.

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FEBRUARY K-12 curriculum committees revise K-12 learner objectives by grade and subject. Board of Education may review subject area program evaluation report.

MARCH K-12 curriculum committees complete revision of K-12 learner objectives. Articulation meetings are conducted to insure vertical articulation between grade levels.

APRIL K-12 curriculum committees review and select textbooks and appropriate supplementary material required for curriculum implementation.

MAY Committee recommendations regarding textbooks and materials are finalized. Recommendations are made to the districts professional development committee regarding activities related to the implementation of the revised curriculum.

JUNE Recommendation of revised curriculum made to Board of Education for adoption.

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CURRICULUM EVALUATION PLAN

The evaluation phase assesses the results of curriculum implementation by determining successes of both the program and the learners. Curriculum evaluation is viewed as a continuous and on-going process. Individual classroom teachers continuously evaluate not only the effectiveness of instructional objectives but also the delivery of instruction based upon the daily success of the learner, and modify their lesson plans or delivery accordingly. Through this ongoing activity of development, delivery, and assessment of results teachers fine-tune the district curriculum to maximize the learning of their students. Formal evaluations of the various components of the district curriculum shall be conducted in accordance with this plan. See Appendix C Curriculum Evaluation Plan Model Annually the curriculum committee shall evaluate progress toward achieving the districts stated short and long range curriculum planning goals. In addition, the curriculum review cycle will be assessed to insure that this schedule of curriculum activity addresses the priority learning needs of the students of the district. Subject area curriculum evaluation criteria: Criteria 1: Do curriculum guides developed the preceding year reflect the planning goals of the school district? Criteria 2: Does the annual plan for curriculum review/development, implementation, and evaluation accurately reflect the learning needs of the students? The results of this evaluation will be presented to the Partnership Committee and Board of Education in the fall.

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CURRICULUM GUIDE QUALITY Is the guide easy to use and teacher friendly? Does the content of the guide reflect sound research in that field and the recommendations of experts? Does the guide emphasize depth of profound knowledge, the acquisition of useful skills, and the application of that knowledge and those skills in solving meaningful problems? Does the focus on meaningful objectives that enable all students to succeed in higher education or develop the requisite job skills? Does the guide develop in students an appreciation of diversity, a valuing of our common heritage, and a concern for equality? Are the grade-level objectives developmentally appropriate? Are the grade-level objectives articulated from grade to grade a meaningful sequence and coordination of learning? Does the guide clearly indicate the goals for that particular subject? Have teachers been provided with adequate staff development to implement the curriculum guides?

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APPENDICES

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Appendix A CURRICULUM COMMITTEE MODEL

R-III BOARD OF EDUCATION Formal adoption of curriculum guides and curriculum plan

PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE Provide patron input on curriculum guides and curriculum plan

CURRICULUM WRITING TEAMS 1. Write curriculum guides that align to the Show-Me-Standards, grade-level, and course level expectations. 2. Curriculum review and revision directed by curriculum revision schedule

CURRICULUM COUNCIL 1. Develop curriculum plan which includes long and short range curriculum goals

2. Monitor and evaluate curriculum plan based upon performance data

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Appendix B CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Identification of Needs

Research and Staff Development

Evaluation of Curriculum & Instruction

Curriculum Planning Goals

Methodology DISTRICT MISSION Subject Area Rationales

Instructional Objectives

K 12 Learner Objective by Strand

Selection of Textbooks and Resources

Identify Constraints and Resources

Rectangles = Planning Activities Circles = Implementation Activities Triangles = Evaluation Activities

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Appendix C CURRICULUM EVALUATION PLAN MODEL

Board Approved Curriculum

Curriculum Revisions

Community Input

Curriculum Review Process

Curriculum Guides

Student Performance Indicators

Curriculum Planning Goals

Curriculum Review Cycle

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CURRICULUM PLANNING SURVEY Mountain Grove R-III School District

DIRECTIONS: Please rate each of the goals listed below on a scale of one (1) to (5). A five (5) indicates you believe that the goal is of great importance, a one (1) indicates you believe the goal is of little importance. Circle the proper number for each goal based on how important YOU feel the goal is to you. At the bottom of the survey, you may list other goals which you feel are important but are not included in the survey.
Low Develop enrichment objectives for all subject areas to challenge students who have mastered required objectives. Develop correctives for all subject areas to provide for re-teaching of students who experience difficulty with required objectives. Learn to read with understanding and critical judgment in all areas of the curriculum. Learn to write clearly and effectively, and use writing as a way to learn across the curriculum. Learn to speak and listen well, especially in structured situations, in all areas of the curriculum. Learn to use mathematical problem-solving processes. Learn hands-on application in all areas of the mathematics and science curriculum. Learn to reason logically and think critically. Learn effective study skills. Learn to think creatively and to solve problems creatively. Learn to use technology to solve problems and process information. Develop special interests and life- long leisure time activities. Learn to cope with changes in family, community, careers, and society. Develop a positive self-image. Develop good character and learn to make sound moral decisions. Develop desirable attitudes toward work and study. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 High 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

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Learn to work cooperatively with others. Learn to value diversity and treat others with respect, regardless of age, gender, class, or ethnic origin. Learn about issues pertaining to life-long wellness, including nutrition, exercise, substance abuse, communicable diseases, etc. Learn about careers and the application of academics to the workplace.

1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4

5 5 5 5

Other:

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