| Van Buren Intermediate School District |
| Bylaws & Policies |
2220 - ADOPTION OF COURSES OF STUDY
The Board of Education shall periodically adopt courses of study conducted by District staff and shall determine which courses of study are subject to the adoption procedures of the Board.
The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board such courses of study as are deemed to be in the best interests of the students. The Superintendent's recommendation shall include the following information about each course of study:
| A. | its applicability to students and an enumeration of those groups of students to be affected by it | |
| B. | the intended learning objective(s), defined in terms of how the learning is applied | |
| C. | its scope and sequence and a statement of the rationale used to determine the amount and type of instructional time needed to accomplish the objectives at each level | |
| D. | its justification in terms of the goals of this District, especially when it is proposed to take the place of an existing course of study | |
| E. | the resources that its implementation will require, including instructional materials, equipment, specially-trained personnel, etc. | |
| F. | the plan for its continuous assessment which includes criteria and standards | |
| G. | its developmental and operational history as well as data on results, where available |
The learning that results from each course of study should be durable, significant, and transferable and require a high level of student achievement of clearly-defined, cumulative performance objectives.
The plan for student assessment for each course of study should include the criteria and standards that will be used to determine when students may need to participate in remedial, supplemental, or accelerated activities in order to ensure that each student has been provided the opportunity to achieve at his/her optimum level.
Each course of study is intended to provide a basic framework for instruction and learning. Within this framework, each teacher shall use the course of study in a manner best designed to meet the needs of the students for whom s/he is responsible. Deviation from its content must be approved in accordance with the Superintendent's administrative guidelines.
Since one of the District's goals is to prepare students to enter the world of work, the Board directs that each course of study include as part of its learning accomplishments that students can demonstrate their willingness and ability to be punctual, to be present at the learning site each day unless absent for a legitimate reason, and to complete assignments on time and as directed. The Superintendent's guidelines should include recommendations to staff on how to instruct students in these important work ethics and how to include these learnings in the grades that students receive.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines which provide for learning plans that contain pre and post assessment activities as well as instructional activities for implementing each course of study. Such plans should also provide for proper record-keeping and periodic reporting of student performance.
In keeping with the Board's commitment to the school improvement process, such guidelines shall also provide for the appropriate participation of staff, parents, students, and relevant community organizations in the review of the District's courses of study.
M.C.L.A. 380.1277, 380.1278, 380.1282, 388.1621