Ledyard Public Schools - Policy Manual

Regulation 6140

Instruction

Curriculum

GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING AND EVALUATING NEW COURSES

1. To propose a new course for the following school year, a teacher shall provide his/her department head or building administrator a written proposal by September 5 th of the current school year, which shall include:

A course description
An outline of student objectives and their link to the state standards
Alignment of student objectives, process skills, and student assessment
Materials needed short-term and long-term
Anticipated costs short-term and long-term
Methods to evaluate course effectiveness

2. The proposed course outline must meet the following criteria:

Identify the target audience
Address the District and School Goals
Reflect Connecticut State Board of Education Standards (i.e., K-12 Frameworks, Content and Performance Standards, Common Core of Learning)
Focus on learning in greater depth rather than breadth
Focus on student-centered instruction and learning
Foster active participation in the learning process
Address how expectations for student learning will be met

3. Course Approval - The written proposal is subject to approval by the department chair and/or the building administrator who shall then present the course proposal to the Leadership Team and/or Faculty Council for feedback. After review at the building level, all information relative to the course request shall be brought to the Instructional Council and subsequently submitted to the Board of Education for approval prior to inclusion in the Program of Studies. At Ledyard Middle School and at Ledyard High School, courses may not be added or deleted from the Program of Studies without Instructional Council review and subsequent approval by the Board of Education.

4. Course Implementation - After the new course proposal is approved by the Board of Education, the Instructional Council will facilitate curriculum development for that course to ensure it meets District guidelines. Curriculum will be fully developed, approved by the Instructional Council and subsequently reviewed by the Board prior to implementation.

5. Course Evaluation - Before the end of the first full year of teaching a new course, teachers must analyze the degree to which the expectations for student learning for the new course have been met and report the results of the analysis to the Instructional Council. The report shall include the data used in the assessment, samples of student work, and the results of any student surveys.

Time-line for Proposing and Implementing a New Course

September 5 - Submit written proposal for approval.

October 30 - By this date, the request has to be reviewed by the Leadership Team and/or Faculty Council and the Instructional Council

November 30 - By this date, the request has to be approved by the Board of Education

December 1 -To be included in the Program of Studies

December - May Develop the curriculum for the new course

May - August - Approval of the curriculum by the Instructional Council

Review of the new course curriculum by the Board of Education

Legal References:

Connecticut General Statutes

10-18a. Contents of textbooks and other general instructional materials.

10-220. Duties of boards of education.