105. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

1. Purpose

1. The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility for the support and improvement of the educational program. To this purpose, the curriculum shall be developed and evaluated on a continuing basis in accordance with the best in educational theory and practice.

2. Definition

1. Curriculum shall be defined as all planned learning activities of the school such as courses of study, subjects, class organization, and evaluation of student achievement. It shall include the provisions of state law as well as subjects and procedures within the discretionary powers of the Board of Education.

3. Delegation of Responsibility

1. The Board of Education directs that:
   1. No course of study shall be taught in the schools unless it has been reviewed by the Board of Education

   2. A course of study be prepared for each curriculum area. This course of study shall contain objectives, subject content, basic instructional activities, references to approved instructional materials, and procedures for evaluation of student achievement

   3. Staff shall use the course of study in planning instruction and judging student progress
   4. The Course of study shall be available for public examination

   5. The Superintendent shall be responsible for the continuous evaluation of the effectiveness of each course of study and shall recommend to the Board of Education such revisions or new courses of study deemed to be in the best interests of the students.
2. The Superintendent's recommendation to the Board of Education shall include the following information about the proposed course of study:
   1. Its applicability to students and an enumeration of those group of students to be affected by it

   2. Its description and content, including the instructional method where such method departs significantly from current practice and is an integral part of the course of study

   3. Its rationale in terms of the goals of this district especially when it is proposed to take the place of an existing course of study

   4. The resources that its implementation will require: textbooks, materials, equipment, specially trained personnel

   5. The evaluative methods and standards by which its efficacy will be monitored and measured.
3. With prior approval, the Superintendent may conduct pilot programs considered necessary for the continued growth of the instructional program and is authorized to seek State, federal, and private aid for such programs.
4. The Board of Education is committed to the support of a full range of educational programs to meet individual needs of it students. These commitments include:
   State mandated programs in basic academic subjects special education for the handicapped education for the exceptionally gifted and talented vocational and technical education guidance counseling instruction for the homebound independent study summer school for remedial and/or enrichment adult education

References:
State School Code: SS 508, 1511, 1512.
Pennsylvania Code: (Title 22) S 5.15, 5.151, 5.2.