616 Procedure: World's Best Workforce

I.    DEFINITIONS

A.    “Curriculum” means school district or school site adopted programs and written plans for providing students with learning experiences that lead to expected knowledge and skills and career and college readiness.

B.    “District Advisory Committee” means the school District Planning Advisory Council (DPAC) which advises the school board in all phases of planning and improving the instruction and curriculum affecting state and district academic standards.  DPAC, to the extent possible, will reflect the diversity of the district and its school sites, including teachers, parents, support staff, students, and other community residents.

C.    “Instruction” means methods of providing learning experiences that enable a student to meet state and district academic standards and graduation requirements, including applied and experiential learning.

D.    “Performance Measures” are data used to determine school district and school site progress in striving to create the world’s best workforce and include but are not limited to the size of the achievement gap, rigorous course taking, and enrichment experiences by student subgroup; student performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments; high school graduation rates; and college and career readiness.

E.     “Program Improvement Process” or “PIP” means a process designed to periodically review educational programs.  The PIP will be conducted by the Department of Leadership, Teaching, and Learning.    

F.     “Site Team” means a team at a school site designed to develop and implement strategies and education effectiveness practices to improve instruction, curriculum, cultural competencies, including cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication, and student achievement at the school site.   A site team must include an equal number of teachers and administrators and at least one parent.

G.    “World’s Best Workforce” means striving to:

1.    All children are ready for school.

2.    All racial and economic achievement gaps between students are closed.

3.    All students are ready for college and career.

4.    All students graduate from high school.

II.    REQUIRED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS 

A.    Required Instructional Programs will include only those educational opportunities that are explicitly sponsored, planned, and implemented by the school district.

B.    Each program will be developed in accordance with a program improvement process.

C.    The school district will, as a minimum, offer the following programs either in each school or available to students in another school as appropriate to the level (elementary or secondary):

1.    Reading/Language Arts

2.    Mathematics 

3.    Science 

4.    Social Studies 

5.    Health 

6.    Physical Education 

7.    Art 

8.    Music  

9.    Career and Technical Education 

10.    World Languages 

11.    Media and Digital Education

12.    Guidance and Counseling 

13.    Special Education 

14.    English Language Learning 

15.    Gifted and Talented Education

D.    The school district may offer additional programs that are governed by state and/or federal law or rule, including, but not limited to: 

1.    Federal Title programs 

2.    American Indian Education

III.    SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

Sites may develop and offer supplemental instructional programs that meet specific, identified needs of their student population. The Principal will submit a plan for such a program that identifies the need to be met, the manner of meeting the need, and how the effectiveness of the program will be evaluated. The Principal will submit the plan to the appropriate Assistant Superintendent for the Division of Leadership, Teaching, and Learning. The Assistant Superintendent will submit the plan to the Superintendent for approval. 

IV.    PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PROCESS 

The Department of Leadership, Teaching and Learning will implement a periodic Program Improvement Process for review of all required instructional programs.  The PIP utilizes a systematic process to ensure continual improvement in curriculum, assessment, and instruction.  The goal of the PIP is to support high levels of student learning, through the development of comprehensive curricular programs.  Each curricular and program area will be reviewed and changed, if necessary, using a process that includes research, data collection, and information and ideas contributed by multiple stakeholders.  The PIP takes place over a period of several years and incorporates research on trends and best practices, evaluation of current programming and compliance with federal and Minnesota statutes, and planning for revision. 

V.    PUBLIC INFORMATION

The following information will also be available to the public.  If required, copies will be sent to the State.

A.    School district mission statement and strategic plan

B.    School district policies

C.    Annual summary reports of school district test results

D.    School site improvement plans

VI.    ANNUAL REPORT

The school district will adopt a comprehensive plan to support the world’s best workforce and provide an annual school performance report on the school district website.

Legal References
M.S. 120B.10
M.S. 120B.11

Cross References
Policy 652 - Instructional Materials, Selection, Production and Reevaluation