CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION

Rapid social change, technological development, and expansion of knowledge are facts of contemporary life. Public education must respond appropriately. Therefore, it is imperative that individual schools, the school system as a whole, and the Board continuously review and evaluate existing programs and practices and adjust, modify, or change them as found advantageous in effectively meeting the best interests of students and the community. Therefore:

A. The Board expects the administration and faculty to be perpetually sensitive to changing conditions
    that may require changes in curriculum;

B. The Board expects all programs to be under continuous evaluation to see that they meet the needs of
    children;

C. The Board expects the school system to undertake intensive curriculum evaluation and revision from
    time to time as the need for this is demonstrated;

D. The Board expects the Superintendent to inspire, lead, guide and direct the process of keeping the
    school system abreast of growing community aspirations as well as of advancing knowledge and new
    educational approaches;

E. The Board expects that curriculum development and revision be achieved with appropriate
    involvement of administration, instructional and support staff, students, community and the Board
    itself; and

F. The Board shall review and adopt all curriculum guides, course descriptions, and courses of study
    prior to their implementation.

Curricula are to be designed to present a realistic picture of the contributions made by the various ethnic and racial groups in the development of our nation.

Moreover, in recognition of our nation’s diversified cultural heritage and some of the educational problems that have resulted from such diversity, the Board expects that ways of preserving that heritage will be sought through the development of educational programs which will, among other things, ensure that non-English speaking children shall have access to quality education while not impeding their learning of the English language.

Legal Reference: Chap. 127.09; 11, C; 12, A (Maine Dept. of Ed. Rule)

DATE ADOPTED: July 1, 2003