Regulation IDA-R(1): Basic Program

PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION

1. Curriculum Responsibilities

The Division of Instruction has the following curriculum responsibilities:

1. Planning general curriculum content and offerings at all levels.

2. Planning a curriculum for exceptional children (speech handicapped, home and hospital-bound, gifted, and others).

3. Planning a curriculum in vocational education.

4. Planning a curriculum of special offerings.

5. Preparing plans for final approval and adoption by Superintendent and Board.

6. Initiating evaluation studies of various curricula.

7. Initiating action indicated by evaluation studies.

8. Instructional Committees

Teachers representing the various disciplines and course levels of learning shall constantly evaluate the instructional program. Members of the Division of Instruction serve as consultants to these committees.

1. Elementary Program of Instruction

The following sequence of activities shall be the procedure for the program of instruction:

1. Appropriate content for pre-kindergarten through the seventh year is identified.

2. Skills and concepts are arranged in sequential order and assigned to specific levels in a developmental sequence.

3. Curriculum guides are printed and made available to appropriate personnel.

4. Textbooks examined for possible adoption are evaluated as related to the curriculum.

5. Textbooks, once adopted, serve as teaching tools but do not constitute the course of study.

6. The curriculum guide and checklist, when appropriate, define the course of study.

7. Objectives contained in the curriculum guide but not presented in the adopted textbooks are taught through use of appropriate supplementary materials.

8. Secondary Program of Instruction

Semester scheduling procedures (beginning in the 1997-98 school year) include the following:

1. The semester program provides for two semesters of approximately 90 days during the regular school year and a summer program of studies.

2. Each semester is independent of the other semesters in content and grading.

3. Significant planning which involves parental input ensures that each student is in the proper course.

4. Guidelines for Master Scheduling, Secondary Schools

5. An enrollment of 15-20 students will be necessary to justify offering a class for the first time. Courses which have been previously taught and which have enrollments of 15-20 students will be evaluated individually based on such factors as overall enrollment, space considerations, and teacher loads to determine course offerings.

6. Classes which are totally remedial should be limited in size. A maximum class size of 20 students is reasonable.

7. Department chairpersons will be involved in the scheduling process at every stage. Their recommendations on teaching assignments and other matters will be given significant weight.

8. All teachers will have class sizes that meet state and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools standards.

9. Each teacher, as a general rule, will teach students of all ability levels in the course of the day.

10. All teachers will have the opportunity to express preferences regarding teaching assignments. A departmental approach is desirable in stating these preferences; that is, members of a department confer before the individual preferences are stated in writing to the principal. Such factors as special competencies in a particular area, experience, certification requirements, and the desires of the individual teacher should be considered.

11. The number of preparations per teacher should be no more than three whenever possible. Exceptions may include art, home economics, foreign language, etc., where there are many single sections of a course.

12. The number of teachers teaching out-of-field courses will be kept as low as possible. When it is necessary for teachers to teach out-of-field courses, every attempt will be made to put them in an area in which they are qualified and competent.

13. Every effort will be made to schedule all department chairpersons for the same planning period.

14. All room assignments and teaching assignments will be made to foster a departmental team approach to instruction.

15. Teachers will be informed of any significant changes in their teaching assignments which occur during the summer months.

16. The principal makes all final decisions on the master schedule.