The basic instruction program shall include the courses required for each grade level by the State Department of Education. The instructional approach will be nonsexist and multicultural.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in kindergarten shall be designed to develop healthy emotional and social habits, language arts and communication skills, the capacity to complete individual tasks, character education and the ability to protect and increase physical wellbeing with attention given to experiences relating to the development of life skills and human growth and development.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in grades one through five shall include English-language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, health, human growth and development, physical education, traffic safety, music, character education, visual art, and computer science. Computer science will be offered during at least one grade level.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in grades six, seven and eight shall include English-language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, health, human growth and development, family and consumer, career, technology education, physical education, music, character education, visual art, and computer science. Computer science will be offered during at least one grade level.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve shall include character education, English-language arts (6 units), social studies (5 units), mathematics (6 units), science (5 units), health (1 unit), physical education (1 unit), fine arts (3 units), foreign language (4 units), financial literacy (1.2 unit), vocational education (12 units), and computer science (1/2 unit).
The board may, in its discretion, offer additional courses in the instruction program for any grade level.
Each instruction program shall be carefully planned for optimal benefit taking into consideration the financial condition of the school district and other factors deemed relevant by the board or superintendent. Each instruction program's plan should describe the program, its goals, the effective materials, the activities and the method for student evaluation.
It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations stating the required courses and optional courses for kindergarten, grades one through five, grades six, seven and eight, and grades nine through twelve.
Legal Reference: U.S.C. 1232h
34 C.F.R. Pt. 98
Iowa Code 216.9; 256.11; 279.8; 280.3-.14
281 I.A.C. 12.5.
Cross Reference: 102--Equal Education Opportunityu
103--Long-Range Needs Assessment
505--Student Scholastic Achievement
602--Curriculum Development
603--Instructional Curriculum
Approved: Aug. 17, 1995
Reviewed: July 13, 2000; 6-13-2007
Revised:9/19/2018; 12/9/2020