Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Policy 603
603
I.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction for continuous review, improvement and
development of the district curriculum and educational programs.
II.
III.
DEFINITIONS
Assessments: multiple tools, both formative and summative, used to gather information
about student learning.
Benchmark: a clear, specific description of knowledge or skills the student should acquire by
a particular point in the students schooling. Priority benchmarks represent the most enduring
knowledge and skills that are essential for progress to the next level of instruction and most
directly contribute to the understanding of other standards.
Core Instructional Materials: those resources recommended through a district process and
used by teachers to provide a required common content for students to achieve the intended
learning. (See also Instructional Materials.)
Curriculum: a written plan that includes alignment of standards to benchmarks, assessments,
student performance expectations, core instructional resources and key instructional
strategies, as well as time allocations for emphasis and pacing for the content to be taught and
learned.
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Differentiation: the process teachers use to plan learning experiences which intentionally
respond to learner differences.
Educational Program: an instructional area of service for a select student population or
specific educational objectives of the state or district.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): a United States federal statute that
governs and provides funding for primary and secondary education.
Evaluation: the process of making judgments about the level of students understanding or
performance, the merits or value of a program or curriculum, or the extent of implementation
of a particular program or practice.
Instruction: a teacher-guided process which transforms well-planned curriculum into student
learning. High-quality instruction is standards-focused, research-based, collaboratively
planned, data-driven and represents best practice for the purpose of providing meaningful
learning experiences that enable all students an equitable opportunity to master academic
content and achieve personal goals.
Instructional Materials: items that are read, listened to, viewed, manipulated, or
experienced by students as part of the instructional process. They may be consumable or
non-consumable and may vary greatly in the kind of student response they stimulate.
Instructional materials include but are not limited to: textbooks, teacher manuals, kits, games,
computer software and other computer applications, electronic information sources,
apparatus, media collections, and other print and non-print materials.
Learning Targets: specific knowledge, skills and concepts that are embedded within each
benchmark and typically portrayed as I can statements in student-friendly language.
Pilot: an administratively-approved course offering or special project that provides additional
information prior to the development of a formal recommended curriculum or program.
Scope and Sequence: the breadth and depth of a specific curriculum. The scope is how
much of a subject that will be taught over the course of a semester or year. The sequence is
the order in which the lessons will be taught.
Special Program or Project: an innovative program, course offering or initiative that is
creative in meeting the needs of a select student population or specific educational goal of the
school district.
Standard: a statement of what the student will be able to know, understand and do. The
Minnesota legislature has developed a list of standards and associated benchmarks that guide
teaching and learning in the public school.
Supplementary Materials: resources determined by teachers and administrators, as
monitored by the Executive Director of Academics and Elementary Schools, which
supplement the core materials, and provide for different student needs as required to meet the
intended student learning.
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IV.
RESPONSIBILITY
The Executive Director of Academics and Elementary Schools shall have discretionary
authority to develop guidelines and directives to implement school board policy related to
curriculum and educational program review and development.
The Executive Director of Academics and Elementary Schools shall be responsible for
implementing the Curriculum and Educational Program Review and Development Process.
This includes:
A.
Determining the most effective way of conducting research on the school districts
curriculum and educational programming needs.
B.
Establishing a timeline that will provide for periodic reviews of each curricular area
or educational program.
C.
Providing staff development so that all teachers can successfully implement and
differentiate new curriculum, instruction, programs and core instructional materials.
D.
Keeping the school board informed of all state mandated curriculum changes, as well
as recommended discretionary changes.
E.
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mandated changes or local determination. Within the ongoing process of curriculum and
educational program review and development, the following needs shall be addressed:
A.
Provide for articulation of courses of study from kindergarten through grade twelve.
B.
Develop or revise the written curriculum or program plan for each course and at each
elementary grade level.
C.
Provide for continuing evaluation of curriculum and educational programs for the
purpose of attaining school district goals.
D.
E.
Provide for specific, particular, and special needs of all members of the student
community.
F.
Integrate required and elective course standards in the scope and sequence of the
district curriculum.
G.
Develop the curriculum plan and select the core instructional resources for pilot,
special project or new educational programs.
H.
Meet all applicable requirements of the Minnesota Department of Education and the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Legal References:
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