Guiding+Principles-Final

Curriculum Task Force - Guiding Principles **Rigor**

Regardless of course title, grade or level, students must experience a rigorous secondary school curriculum. A rigorous curriculum prepares students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and effective communicators who are proficient in core subjects. The curriculum needs to provide opportunities for students to develop a competency to think in complex ways and to use extensive content knowledge and skills to create solutions and take actions. Rigorous curriculum moves beyond the standards of the past, focuses students on important ideas and expands student learning to give students the opportunity to be competitive in a global society.

Secondary school students deserve to learn core content in a manner that utilizes the tools of today and prepares them for the challenges and opportunities they will face beyond the classroom. A 21st century curriculum emphasizes depth of knowledge, application of core content and investigation into global and environmental issues that affect all of our lives and communities. Students have opportunities to solve problems creatively and logically; to locate, interpret, and communicate information in a variety of media and formats; and to demonstrate leadership, personal and social responsibility and adaptability. A 21st century curriculum prepares students to utilize technology tools effectively and purposefully while understanding the flexibility of our changing world.
 * 21ST Century Learning **

Assessments provide the data to be used to set goals at the district, building, team, individual teacher and student level to support a system of accountability for learning. As curriculum is developed, assessments are created to strategically align with learner expectations, need to be varied enough to address and engage different learning styles and should be both formative and summative in nature. Frequent formative assessments and performance tasks are included to provide data for teachers to make instructional decisions and differentiate the instruction to support student learning. Each course curriculum provides summative assessment opportunities such as collaborative projects and, where appropriate, final examinations. The variety of assessments aligned to the expectations for all students provides assurance that students are learning the core content.
 * Assessment and Accountability **

The curriculum should reflect and capitalize on the beliefs, values, customs and perspectives of the students. A culturally responsive curriculum recognizes the value of each student by incorporating their linguistic, cultural and learning style differences into the learning activities. It provides teachers a framework that promotes the students’ rich cultural experiences to create a bridge between students’ home and school lives.
 * Cultural Responsiveness**

Students must be provided with opportunities to connect the new learning to their background knowledge on a personal, local, national and international level. Themed activities provide relevancy and rigor and reflect issues relating to the environment, global economy, health and internationalism. The curriculum uses technology to engage students and support the instruction of internationalism and intercultural issues in order to prepare students to become global citizens.
 * Relevance**

The curriculum needs to be accessible to diverse groups of learners. A diverse learner is defined as any learner who displays or establishes differences in the following ways: race/ethnicity; cultural or linguistic background; age; religion; gender; sexual orientation; giftedness; socioeconomic status; or learning, emotional or physical disability. The curriculum will provide alternatives and support for visual, written and auditory information; provide varied ways to respond and interact with materials; and vary levels of challenge.
 * Accessibility**

Professional learning around statewide curriculum serves to build awareness, develop school and district support for implementation and provide classroom teachers the tools and strategies for implementation. Educators must actively participate in professional learning opportunities around content standards, expected learning outcomes, assessment measurements, data driven decision making and differentiated instruction. Effective teaching strategies are fundamental processes to focus on the core of student learning. A variety of professional learning opportunities need to be created to allow for instant access through the use of technology, collaborative learning communities and ongoing face to face support for educators.
 * Professional Learning**