Connecting Waters Charter Schools

Revised 4/09/21

Policy

According to the school charter, CWCS students must use curriculum that will enable the students to meet the requirements of the Common Core State Standards. The standards must all be covered by the chosen curriculum; however the curriculum does not have to be state adopted. Writing prompts and rubrics must be provided to every family for all grade levels. All grade levels should have a curriculum that teaches rigorous, standards-aligned writing.

Procedure

By the first learning record meeting of each school year, each ES will review and explain this Curriculum Policy along with the following additional policies:

• Education Planning Policy
• Response to Instruction (RtI) Policy
• High School Intensive Composition Policy (grades 9-12 only)
• Math Placement Policy & Algebra 1 Completion Guidelines for Middle School and High School

Education Planning Policy:

All students K-12 will have an Education Plan developed in collaboration with parent, student and ES following the school' s Education Planning Policy. Please see the Education Planning Policy Page for more details regarding the Education Planning Policy.

Response to Instruction (RtI) Policy:

Additional intensive instruction and curriculum may be needed for some students as per the Response to Instruction Policy. Please see the RtI Policy Page for more details regarding the RtI Policy.

High School Intensive Composition:

All students in grades 10 and 11 who do not show proficiency in grade 8 standards will be enrolled in the High School Intensive Composition (Writing) Program and be provided with corresponding material. Please see the High School Intensive Policy Page for more details.

Math Placement Policy & Algebra 1 Completion Guidelines for Middle School and High School:

Students who have not demonstrated proficiency in math 8 standards will be required to have EE oversight for Pre-Algebra or Algebra 1 coursework. There are a variety of ways they can accomplish this as per the Math Placement Policy. Students must select an approved option for completing Math Coursework as per this policy.

Selecting Instructional Materials Based on Data:

The ES will also review any previous year' s assessment data available along with current data with each parent for each student and follow best practices of Using Data to Drive Instruction

See Response to Instruction (RtI) Policy for additional information regarding school-wide assessments.

Concepts & Skills Review Materials:

All students in grades K-12 are expected to complete Concepts & Skills review material at their grade level to ensure standards mastery and in preparation for state exams. See Concepts & Skills Review Policy.

Addressing State Standards:

CWCS believes that both the confidence and the motivation to learn begins by scaffolding grade level concepts to meet the students at their current performance levels, in order to help ensure their continued mastery of concepts. In consultation with the parent, either order a standards aligned curriculum at the student' s current grade level from the suggested curriculum lists on the CWCS Curriculum website for English, math and science units for identified areas of weakness or complete a Curriculum Checklist declaring that the material the parent is choosing to use covers all of the standards for that subject.

If the student' s curriculum does not cover all of the areas listed on the checklist, you must "fill in any gaps" with supplemental material. Keep signed completed checklists in your student' s file, ready to provide to the school if needed.