The chief school administrator shall be responsible to the board for the development of curriculum to meet identified pupil needs. The board shall ensure that curriculum and instruction are content-rich and aligned to the most recent revision of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. In addition, the board shall ensure that appropriate instructional adaptations are designed and delivered to English language learners, gifted and talented students and for pupils with disabilities. Instruction shall be designed to engage all students and modified based on student performance. The curriculum shall include:

A. Interdisciplinary connections throughout;

B. Integration of 21st century skills;

C. A pacing guide;

D. A list of instructional materials, including various levels of text at each grade;

E. Benchmark assessments; and

F. Modifications for special education students, for English language learners and for gifted students.

Professional development plans shall support the implementation of the curriculum. Professional development opportunities shall be offered that further the improvement of teachers’ understanding of the content and pedagogy related to their teaching assignment. Professional development shall also promote individual and collaborative professional learning with adequate and consistent time for teachers to work together in and across content areas and grade levels to review student work, analyze classroom assessments and other achievement data, critique lesson plans, and solve instructional problems.

The chief school administrator shall establish procedures for curriculum development that ensure the effective participation of teaching staff members; pupils, as appropriate to their age and grade; parents/guardians; the community; members of the board; and the use of all available resources. Care shall be taken that certified staff shall not be assigned to teach material outside the limits of their certification and endorsements.

The chief school administrator shall report to the board the objectives, evaluative criteria and costs of each proposed program before seeking board adoption. New programs and courses of study shall not be acted upon by the board until the meeting following their presentation, in order for board members to have an opportunity to review the proposed program.

Criteria for Curriculum Approval

Criteria by which the board will judge the acceptability of new course offerings include:

A. Does it address an identified pupil need?

B. Is it relevant to the board’s philosophy and goals and does it offer real possibilities for progress toward these goals?

C. Does it satisfy the requirements of the board’s school and classroom practices regarding bias and stereotyping?

D. If the proposed course replaces an existing program, what defect in the previous program is it designed to overcome?

E. Does it include measures for determining progress?

F. Does it address the necessary study skills?

G. Has it been thoroughly studied and/or tested by district staff or by another district? What were the results?

H. Has a curriculum guide been completed? If not, when can it be expected?

I. Have the accompanying textbooks been recommended to the board?

J. Have the costs and time of implementation been reviewed, including inservice training?

A five year plan for updating curriculum shall be developed and implemented. The chief school administrator shall report annually on all progress in curriculum development and the implementation of the five year curriculum plan at the time of the board’s annual adoption of curriculum.

Adopted: May 2006
NJSBA Review/Update: January 2009, October 2017
Readopted: October 7, 2009
Revised/Readopted: April 26, 2017
Reviewed:

Key Words

Curriculum, Curriculum Design/Development

Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:34-1 Textbooks; selection; furnished free with supplies;
appropriations
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-3.1 et seq. Implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning
Standards
N.J.A.C. 6A:13-2.1 Standards based instruction
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1et seq. Evaluation of the Performance of School Districts

Old Bridge Education Association v. Board of Education of the Township of Old Bridge, Middlesex County

The Comprehensive Equity Plan, New Jersey State Department of Education

Possible
Cross References: *2131 Superintendent
*5120 Assessment of individual needs
*6140 Curriculum adoption
*6142 Subject fields
*6143 Curriculum guides
*6147 Standards of proficiency
*6171 Special instructional programs

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.