CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION

Rapid social change, technological development, and expansion of knowledge are facts of contemporary life and public education must respond appropriately . Therefore, it is imperative that individual schools, the school system as a whole, and the board continuously review and evaluate existing programs and practices and adjust, modify, or change them as found advantageous in effectively meeting the needs of students and the expectations of the community (C-2).

Therefore :

A. The board expects the administration and faculty to be perpetually sensitive to changing conditions that may require changes in curriculum;

B. The board expects all programs to be under continuous evaluation to see that they meet the needs of children;

C. The board expects the school system to undertake intensive curriculum evaluation and revision from time to time as the need for this is demonstrated;

D. The superintendent is expected to inspire, lead, guide and direct the process of keeping the school system abreast of growing community aspirations as well as of advancing knowledge and new educational approaches;

E. It is expected that curriculum development and revision be achieved with appropriate involvement of administration , instructional and support staff, students, community and the board; and

F. The school board shall review and adopt all curriculum guides, course descriptions, and courses of study prior to their implementation.

To enhance a sound, basic educational program, the board expects curriculum revision to reflect such critical issues in our present society as:

a) the relationships between humans and their environment, b) traditional American values relative to family and civic responsibility, c) American and state heritage, and d) recognition that people are members of the world community (C - 3 ) .

Curricula are to be designed to present a realistic picture of the contributions made by the various ethnic and racial groups in the development of our nation (C-4).

Moreover, in recognition of our nation's diversified cultural heritage and some of the educational problems that have resulted from such diversity, the board expects that ways of preserving that heritage will be sought through the development of educational programs which will, among other things, ensure that non-English speaking children shall have access to quality education while not impeding their learning of the English language. (C-5).

Curriculum development and revision in this school system should also take into account:

A. The need to enhance existing vocational programs and to develop new programs where needs may be unmet (C-6);

B. The need to identify and develop the special gifts that each child may possess, whether the child be talented academically, artistically, vocationally or athletically through a program of instruction that includes diagnosis and prescription in terms of needs and talents in order to accommodate every student (c-7);

C. Consideration of the integration of foreign languages and international studies at all grade levels, and the requirement that all students in a college preparatory mode complete a minimum of two years of foreign language study (C-16);

D. The needs to incorporate instruction in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) into the physical education or health curriculum as appropriate (C-20); and

E. The need to instruct students about AIDS, to give them factual information about its infectious risks and which will help dispel unfounded fears and misconceptions about the disease (C-22).

Legal Reference: DEPT OF ED RULES CHAP. 127.09; 11, C; 12, A

Cross Reference: IL - EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

Adopted: January 24, 1994