CESA 7 School Improvement Services

Curriculum Development Process

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Acknowledge District Mission Allocate resources for curriculum work (an annual budget item). Assign Curriculum Leadership Role (recommend at least 50% FTE). Curriculum Leader must be present at ALL curriculum team meetings. Assign Curriculum clerical responsibilities (recommended at least 50% FTE) Define Curriculum Vision and Philosophy (Administrative Team) Develop Curriculum Policy (even though curriculum is not complete) Adopt Standards and Grade Level Benchmarks. Establish Power/Core Standards for each grade level subject and course. Develop Taxonomy of Grade Levels and Subjects Taught (Pre-K-12) Rate each grade level/subject chunk in terms of curriculum documentation: 0=none 1=outdated, minimum documentation 2=partially completed

3=full, detailed curriculum in place 10. Rank order grade level and subjects in order of need for development 11. Determine curriculum contents; consider: 1. Standards 2. Grade level benchmarks 3. Organizational chunks, such as units that provide a sequence and structure for a school year. For each chunk, include: Recommended timelines (e.g. number of weeks) Key concepts Generalizations (enduring understandings) and essential questions Achievement targets, including knowledge, skills, reasoning, products and dispositions Recommended assessments

Resources (textbooks, kits, internet sites, with reference to specific page numbers) 12. Determine format for documentation (e.g. printed templates, computer entry process) 13. Determine schedule for development (allow one year of a minimum of 6 half-days) per curriculum area to develop a rough draft 14. Establish K-12 teams. Establish grade level/course teams (who are represented on the K-12 team.) 15. Conduct initial session with K-12 team to review vision, philosophy and policy review standards and benchmarks organize, chunk the standards and benchmarks into a one-year scope and sequence for each grade level 16. Conduct small group (grade level or course) writing teams to refine the organizational scope and sequence and write the details assessments, targets, concepts, and resources. 17. Small group work is reviewed by the K-12 committee 18. All work is documented and entered into the curriculum documents. 19. All work is edited for consistency by a senior editor (curriculum representative or assigned editor) 20. Submit the first draft of the curriculum to the school board for conditional adoption. 21. Produce copies (print or electronic) for all appropriate staff.
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CESA 7 School Improvement Services

22. Collect input from staff regarding revisions. 23. Revise annually.

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