FILE:  ID

 

CURRICULUM

 

 

The St. Martin Parish School Board has the responsibility to establish and maintain a quality program of instruction for the elementary and secondary schools of the school district.

 

The Superintendent shall be responsible for coordinating and maintaining the instructional program in accordance with the provisions of the state constitution, state statutes, rules and regulations of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the policies of the Board.

 

The organization and scheduling of subjects in the curriculum of the school district shall conform to the requirements of the Louisiana Department of Education.  The curriculum shall provide learning experiences and prospective achievement for each child according to their individual needs and offer pupils a basic body of understanding, attitudes, knowledge, and skills.          

 

The curriculum design within the high schools shall consist of an academic major comprised of college preparatory courses and a career major comprised of challenging academic courses and modern vocational studies.  Such a curriculum design shall allow each high school student to choose a career option at the high school level.  By the end of the eighth grade each student, with the input of his/her family, shall develop a Five Year Individual Graduation Plan.  Such a plan shall include a sequence of courses which is consistent with the stated goals for one year after graduation, and shall be reviewed annually thereafter by the student, parents and school supervisor, and revised as needed.

 

Every student who seeks to pursue a career major shall have the written permission of his/her parent or other legal guardian.  Each student’s Individual Graduation Plan shall be signed by the student and the student’s parent or other legal guardian.

 

By July 1st of each year, the School Board shall submit to the Louisiana Department of Education a year-end evaluation of each career major program.

 

ELECTIVES

 

The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has granted school systems the authority to develop, review, and approve all locally-initiated electives that comply with BESE's State Standards for Locally-Initiated Electives.  The St. Martin Parish School Board has established and approved guidelines and procedures for each school to use in the development of elective courses which are designed to expand, enhance and/or refine the core curriculum.

 

District Approval

 

The St. Martin Parish School Board shall require each secondary school principal to appoint a curriculum committee whose duties shall be to study, develop, or review elective courses offered in the school.  The principal, a counselor, and department heads and/or content area teachers shall be included on the committee.  The purpose of the committee is to assess all new elective courses to be included in the curriculum, and/or to review and evaluate existing elective courses for renewal.

 

The School Board shall require a school choosing to add an elective course to its program of studies to apply to the Superintendent or designee at least sixty (60) days prior to the anticipated date of implementation.  The Superintendent or designee shall consider for approval the elective course using the state standards for elective approval set forth by BESE.  All approved courses shall be submitted to the Louisiana Department of Education at least thirty (30) days prior to implementation.

 

The application for an elective course shall be submitted by the principal and shall contain the following information:

 

 

All electives shall be evaluated annually.  The school's curriculum committee shall oversee the application for new electives, evaluation, and renewal process for elective courses.

 

Revised:  December, 2009

 

 

Ref:     La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:154, 17:181, 17:182, 17:183, 17:183.1, 17:183.2, 17:183.3, 17:183.4, 17:183.5, 17:183.6, 17:183.7, 17:183.8, 17:183.9, 17:261, 17:262, 17:266, 17:268

Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, §2301 and §2315, Louisiana Department of Education

Board minutes, 7-5-00, 2-3-10

 

St. Martin Parish School Board