Curriculum development is an ongoing process in the school district and consists of both research and design.  Research is the studious inquiry and critical investigation of the various content areas for the purpose of revising and improving curriculum and instruction based on relevant information pertaining to the discipline.  This study is conducted both internally (what and how we are currently doing at the local level) and externally (what national standards, professional organization, recognized experts, current research, etc. tell us relative to the content area).  Design is the deliberate process of planning and selecting the standards and instructional strategies that will improve the learning experiences for all students.  The board delegates the curriculum development process to the Superintendent, who will make curriculum development recommendation and submit them to the board for final approval. 

 

A systematic approach to curriculum development (careful research, design, and articulation of the curriculum) serves several purposes:

• Focuses attention on the content standards of each discipline and ensure the identified learnings are rigorous, challenging, and represent the most important learning for our students.
• Increases the probability that students will acquire the desired knowledge, skills, and dispositions and that our schools will be successful in providing appropriate learning experiences.
• Facilitates communication and coordination.
• Improves classroom instruction.

 

The superintendent is responsible for curriculum development and for determining the most effective method of conducting research and design activities.  A curriculum framework will describe the processes and procedures that will be followed in researching, designing, and articulating each curriculum area.  This framework will at a minimum, describe the processes and procedures for the following curriculum development activities to:

• Study the latest thinking, trends research, and expert advice regarding the content/discipline;
• Study the current status of the content/discipline (what and how well students are currently learning);
• Identify content standards, benchmarks, and grade level expectations for the content/discipline;
• Describe the desired learning behaviors, teaching, and learning environment related to the content/discipline;
• Identify differences in the desired and present program and develop a plan for addressing the differences;
• Communicate with internal and external publics regarding the content area;
• Involve staff, parents, students, and community members in curriculum development decisions;
• Verify how the standards and benchmarks of the content/discipline support each of the broader student learning goals and provide a K-12 continuum that builds on the prior learning of each level.
• Ensure proposed curriculum complies with applicable laws;
• Align annual improvement goals with needs assessment information

 

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to keep the board apprised of necessary curriculum revisions, progress, or each content area related to curriculum development activities, and to develop administrative regulations for curriculum development including recommendations to the board.

 

Legal Reference:       20 U.S.C. 1232h

                                   34 C.F. R. pt. 98

                                   Iowa Code 216.9; 256.7; 279.8; 280.3

                                   281 I.A.C. 12.5, .8.

 

 

Cross Reference:       101 Educational Philosophy of the School District

                                   103  Long-Range Needs Assessment

                                   602  Curriculum Development

                                   603  Instructional Curriculum

                                   604.10  On-Line Courses

                                   605  Instructional Materials

 

 

Approved:      8/17/95

Reviewed:      4/11/01; 5/14/07; 8/22/18; 5/10/23

Revised:         4/11/01; 10/24/22

Without careful and continuing attention to implementation, planned changes in curriculum and instruction rarely succeed as intended.  How change is put into practice, to a large extent, determines how well it fares.

 

Implementation refers to what actually happens in practice as compared to what was supposed to happen.  Curriculum implementation includes the provision of organized assistance to staff in order to ensure that the newly developed curriculum and the most powerful instructional strategies are actually delivered at the classroom level.  There are two components of any implementation effort that must be present to guarantee the planned changed in curriculum and instruction succeed as intended. 

• Understanding the conceptual framework of the content/discipline being implemented; and,
• Organized assistance to understand the theory, observe exemplary demonstrations, have opportunities to practice, and receive coaching and feedback focused on the most powerful instructional strategies to deliver the content at the classroom level.

 

The Superintendent is responsible for curriculum implementation and for determining the most effective way of providing organized assistance and monitoring the level of implementation.  A curriculum framework will describe the processes and procedures that will be followed to assist all staff in developing the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully implement the developed curriculum in each content area.  This framework will, at a minimum, describe the processes and procedures for the following curriculum implementation activities to:

• Study and identify the best instructional practices and materials to deliver the content;
• Describe the procedures for the purchase of instructional materials and resources;
• Identify/develop exemplars that demonstrate the learning behaviors, teaching, and learning environment to deliver the content;
• Study the current status of instruction in the content area (how teachers are teaching);
• Compare the desired and present delivery system, identify differences (gap analysis_ and develop a plan for addressing the differences;
• Organize staff into collaborative study teams to support their learning and implementation efforts (address the gaps);
• Provide ongoing professional development related to instructional strategies and materials that focuses on theory, demonstration, practice, and feedback;
• Regularly monitor and assess the level of implementation;
• Communicate with internal and external publics regarding curriculum implementation;
• Involve staff, parents, students, and community members in curriculum implementation decisions;
• Ensure the curriculum framework complies with applicable laws;
• Provide professional development to staff to support effective curriculum implementation.

 

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to keep the board apprised of curriculum implementation activities, progress of each content area related to curriculum implementation activities, and to develop administrative regulations for curriculum implementation including recommendations to the board. 

 

 

Legal Reference:        20 U.S.C. § 1232h

                                   34 C.F.R. pt 98

                                   Iowa Code §§ 216.9, 256.7, 279.8, 74, 280.3

                                   281 I.A.C. 12.8

 

 

Cross Reference:       101—Educational Philosophy of the School District

                                   103—Long-Rage Needs Assessment

                                   505—Student Scholastic Achievement

                                   602—Curriculum Development

                                   603—Instructional Curriculum

 

Approved       8/17/95

Reviewed:      4/11/01; 5/14/07; 8/23/18; 5/10/23

Revised:         4/11/01; 11/15/22

When deemed necessary by the superintendent, and whenever a new program is proposed, the board will review the curriculum to determine its strengths and weaknesses. The board may authorize the superintendent to appoint an ad hoc advisory committee to review the curriculum.

 

The Wapello Board of Directors shall review the students' performance on standardized tests, district created assessment, courses, and other indicators of student achievement as it related to the District's Standards/Benchmarks and Critical Objectives. It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to provide the board/parents/community with the assessment scores on an annual basis.

 

Legal Reference:       20 U.S.C. § 1232h (1994).

                                    34 C.F.R. Pt. 98 (1996).

                                    Iowa Code §§ 216.9, 256.7, 279.8; 280.3-.14 (1999).

                                    281 I.A.C. 12.8(1)(c)(1).

 

 

Cross Reference:        101  Mission and Educational Philosophy of the School District

                                    103  Long-Range Needs Assessment

                                    505  Student Scholastic Achievement

                                    602  Curriculum Development

                                    603  Instructional Curriculum

 

 

Approved:      8/17/95

Reviewed:      4/11/01; 5/14/07; 8/23/18; 5/10/23

Revised:         4/11/01

The Wapello Board of Directors welcomes new ideas in curriculum. Proposals for pilot or experimental projects shall first be reviewed and analyzed by the superintendent. Projects recommended by the superintendent will be considered by the board. Pilot and experimental projects approved by the board, the Iowa Department of Education, or the United States Department of Education may be utilized in the education program.

 

Students, who may be or are asked to participate in a research or experimental project or program, must have their parents' written consent on file prior to participating in the project or program. A research or experimental program or project requiring parents' prior written consent is a program or project designed to explore or develop new or unproven teaching methods or techniques. These programs or projects shall be designated as research or experimental projects or programs. The educational materials of a program or project designated as a research or experimental program or project may be inspected and reviewed by the parents of the students participating or being considered for participation in the program or project. The inspection and review by the parents shall be in accordance with board policy 605.2, "Instructional Materials Inspection."

 

It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

 

 

Legal Reference:       20 U.S.C. § 1232h (1988).

                                    34 C.F.R. Pt. 98 (1990).

                                    Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .10; 280.3-.14 (1993).

                                    281 I.A.C. 12.5.

 

 

Cross Reference:        102  Equal Educational Opportunity

                                    505  Student Scholastic Achievement

                                    602  Curriculum Development

 

Approved: 8/17/95

Reviewed: 6/8/00; 5/14/07; 8/23/18; 5/10/23

Revised: