Overview and Purpose

Instructional core resources enrich and support the District’s educational philosophy and goals while focusing on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for students to become life-long learners.

The District’s educational program will seek to provide an opportunity for each student to develop to his or her maximum potential. The objectives for the instructional core resources are to:

Foster students’ self-discovery, self-awareness, and self-discipline.
Develop students’ awareness of and appreciation for cultural diversity.
Stimulate students’ intellectual curiosity and growth.
Provide students with fundamental career concepts and skills.
Help students develop sensitivity to the needs and values of others and a respect for individual and group differences.
Help each student strive for excellence and instill a desire to reach his or her potential.
Provide an educational climate and culture free of bias for all students without regard to color, race, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, gender identity, status of being homeless, immigration status, order of protection status, actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy.
Provide an opportunity for students to show growth and mastery in multiple ways.

Composition of Review Committee

Curriculum director(s), content-specific curriculum council chair, content-specific curriculum council members, appropriate building-level principal(s), and grade-level instructional coach(es) will serve on this review committee. The Superintendent is invited to attend all meetings.

Process

1. The content specific curriculum council will begin the renewal/adoption process 1-2 years prior to the expiration of the current licenses. They will look at current data, survey teachers and students (if applicable) in order to determine whether they are going to renew the current curriculum or look for a new program.

2. If the content curriculum council is recommending to continue with the existing curriculum, only updating copyright or online licensing, no pilot, presentation or further steps other than processing the renewal will be completed.

3. If it is determined to look for a new program, the council will research new curriculums, using resources such as EdReports, What Works ClearingHouse, as well as networking with other districts using different programs (looking at their data and getting staff feedback). The council will secure 2-4 samples to look at and request representatives to present their programs to the specific council.

4. The council will then select two programs to pilot (if a pilot is available). At least one teacher from each grade level or specific content area will pilot. This may be set up where one teacher pilots each program or two teachers will each pilot one of the two programs (teacher A will pilot curriculum 1 and teacher B will pilot curriculum 2). These teachers will keep their teams/curriculum council updated on how it is going throughout the process during PLC meetings and curriculum council meetings.

5. The review committee will then examine and evaluate the material(s) as a whole; review the data from the pilot, if applicable; survey (pilot) teachers seeking feedback, if applicable; consider the district’s policy, procedures, and philosophy for selection of materials; weigh strengths and weaknesses; and form opinions based upon the selection criteria. They will develop and use a rubric to assess the programs. If possible, students will be surveyed after the pilot for their input. If for some reason a decision cannot be made for one program over another, then the process could begin all over again. (This could mean that we may need to renew the current curriculum on a year to year basis until a new program is selected.)

6. After selecting the material(s), the committee will provide a written summary using the curriculum proposal form. This form along with a brief presentation will be presented to the district curriculum council. They will review the proposal form and decide whether to forward the proposal to the school board. Volunteers will be selected to give a brief presentation of the new curriculum/materials to the board during a regular scheduled board meeting.

7. The board of education will review the recommendation presented by the review committee regarding the curriculum proposal and decide to put the material(s) on a 30 day public display. Upon the completion of the 30 day review, the board will make a decision on the proposal.

8. At the conclusion of this process, if the program is approved then the curriculum will be purchased and considered adopted, however, if a selection is not made, then the process may need to start all over again following the “curriculum decision making-adoption of new programs flowchart.”

Adopted by the Board of Education on Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Genoa Kingston CUSD 424

Curriculum & Learning/Teaching

Title I: Parents Right to Know

Adoption of Learning Resources Procedure

Adoption of Core Instructional Resources Procedure