Board reviews proposed courses and functional curriculum for students with significant needs

District academic leaders asked the board to consider adding new course offerings and adopting a functional curriculum for specialized classrooms. The proposals will appear on a future meeting's consent agenda for formal approval.

Deputy Superintendent Don Scott described three items: 1) an "Exploring Arts" elective intended to guide students interested in arts careers by teaching how to exhibit work, identify career paths and build public connections; 2) an Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics course to be offered as a second-semester AP option at the high school (implementation would begin the following school year pending textbook approval); and 3) adoption of TeachTown, a functional, integrated curriculum used in LEAP and RISE classrooms that packages math, reading, ELA and social studies instruction at individualized instructional levels.

Nut Graf: The proposals expand career-exploration and advanced-course options while formalizing a specialized curriculum already piloted in some classrooms; the board was told TeachTown had been piloted and requires formal adoption to expand use in special-education settings.

Ending: Scott said course additions will be brought back with textbook proposals and will be placed on the consent agenda at the board's next meeting for routine approval.