School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 6-23
INSTRUCTION
Curriculum Documents
- Definitions
- Curriculum Guide
The purpose of the curriculum guide is to provide a coherent and comprehensive plan for teaching and learning built upon a framework that moves students toward learning goals. Each curriculum guide is composed of course objectives and comprehensive/interrelated units of study, based on the Virginia Beach City Public Schools framework. Separate documents will be developed for each course at the following levels: elementary school, middle school and senior high school.
These guides will be developed and include the following framework components:
- Philosophical assumptions guiding curriculum development in the subject area
- General goals or outcomes for the subject area
- National and state standards
- Instructional objectives for the subject area
- Pacing suggestions
- Planning suggestions
- Basic and supplemental instructional materials and equipment
- Specific technology referenced in the curriculum
- Program and student assessment suggestions
- Specific teaching strategies and suggestions
- Parent Document
Parent documents will be developed for each grade level at the elementary level and each course at the secondary level. The documents will be distributed to parents. The purpose of the parent document is to share information about the curriculum to be taught in a particular grade level or course. At the secondary level, the document will include prerequisites for enrolling in a course as well as the possible course sequence upon completion of a course.
B. Implementation
The curriculum guide will be distributed to building administrators and teachers. Curriculum guides and parent documents will be maintained in all instructional areas. Courses being implemented in the curriculum will be reviewed annually by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
These guides shall be developed by the curriculum committee under the direction of subject area coordinators and instructional specialists. The basic objectives shall be clear and measurable. Programs and courses shall be flexible enough to provide for the wide range of needs of individual students.
Teachers and principals are responsible for ensuring that program content outlines in curriculum guides is delivered.
The Superintendent shall annually budget, and the School Board will support, to the extent financially feasible, funds to be used in developing these important documents.
Editor's Note
For division-wide curriculum committees see school board policy 6-21.
Adopted by School Board: July 13, 1993 (Effective August 14, 1993)
Amended by School Board: June 6, 2006
