6142

Instruction

Basic Instructional Program

The basic instructional program shall be prescribed by the Board and be in accordance with the law.

Although learning experiences offered students vary according to their individual needs and abilities, the instructional program will be designed to give all students a common body of skills, understandings, attitudes, and knowledge needed for living in a democratic society.

An atmosphere fostering healthy growth shall prevail, recognizing in which ability encouraging excellence and providing a model of productive life as a model to emulate.

As required by law the Board shall provide a program of instruction which shall include at least the following subject matter as taught by legally qualified teachers, the arts; career education; consumer education; health and safety; including, but not limited to, human growth and development; nutrition; first aid; including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training; disease prevention; and cancer awareness, including but not limited to, age and developmentally appropriate instruction in performing self-examinations for the purposes of screening for breast cancer and testicular cancer; community and consumer health; physical, mental and emotional health; including youth suicide prevention including instruction relating to opioid use and related disorders; teen dating violence awareness and prevention; substance abuse prevention; safety; which shall include the safe use of social media, as defined in C.G.S. 9-601, and may include the dangers of gang membership, and safety and accident prevention; instruction on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); language arts, including reading, writing, grammar, speaking and spelling; mathematics; physical education; science, which may include the climate change curriculum consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards; social studies, including, but not limited to, citizenship, economics, geography, government, history and Holocaust and genocide education and awareness; African-American and black studies; Puerto Rican and Latino studies beginning with the school year commencing July 1, 2021; Native American Studies beginning with the school year commencing July 1, 2023; computer science, including, but not limited to, computer programming instruction, and in addition, on at least the secondary level, one or more world languages; vocational education; and the black and Latino studies high school course in accordance with P.A. 19-12.

World languages shall include American Sign Language provided such subject matter is taught by a qualified instructor under the supervision of a certified teacher.

The "arts" means any form of visual or performing arts which may include, but not be limited to, dance, music, art and theatre.

The implementation of these programs shall be the responsibility of the building principals.

The Board of Education in establishing and approving curricula to implement the mandated instructional program for the school district will give due consideration to the possible adoption and use of the model curriculum for grades K-8 developed by the Connecticut State Department of Education in collaboration with the State Education Resource Center (SERC), upon its availability.

Such consideration and Board action shall be based upon the recommendation of the District Curriculum Committee.

Note:  The addition, as part of the health and safety curriculum, of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, is to be based on the guidelines for emergency cardiovascular care issued by the American Heart Association and shall include, but not be limited to, hands on training in CPR.
In addition, boards of education are allowed to accept gifts, grants, and donations, including in-kind donations, to purchase equipment or materials needed to provide CPR instruction in the schools.
Boards of education may utilize existing and appropriate public or private materials personnel and other resources, in addition to accepting gifts, grants or donations designated for the development and implementation of Holocaust and genocide education and awareness.

Note:  Sections 1 and 2 of P.A. 19-12 add African-American and black and Puerto Rican and Latino studies to the required program of studies beginning in the 2021-22 school year.  A black and Latino studies high school course may be offered beginning with the 2021-22 school year. Such course must be offered beginning with the 2022-23 school year.
Boards of education may use existing and appropriate public or private materials, personnel and other resources, including SBE curriculum material. Boards are also allowed to accept gifts, grants, and donations, including in-kind donations for the development and implementation of the curriculum. The curriculum must meet SBE-approved statewide subject matter content standards.

Optional (District choice):

1.  The historical events surrounding the Great Famine in Ireland;

2.  African-American and black studies (required commencing July 1, 2021);

3.  Puerto Rican and Latino studies (required commencing July 1, 2021);

4.  Native American history; (mandated beginning in the 2023-2024 school year)

5.  Personal Financial Management, including, but not limited to, financial literacy;* and

6.  Training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic external defibrillators.

7.  Labor history and law, including organized labor, the collective bargaining process, the history and economics of free market capitalism and entrepreneurialism and the role of labor and capitalism in the development of the American and world economies;

8.  Instruction relating to the Safe Haven Act (sections 17a-57 to 17a-61), inclusive

9.  Climate change consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards

*Instruction on personal financial management, including but not limited to financial literacy, must include any plan for such instruction developed by the State Department of Education, the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the UCONN Board of Trustees in consultation with the Banking Department.

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-16b Prescribed courses of study. (as modified by PA 97-45, PA 97-61, PA 08-153, PA 11-136, PA 14-234, PA 15-17, PA 15-94, PA 15-138, PA 16-188, PA 18-24, PA 18-182, PA 19-12, PA 19-128 and PA 21-2 JSS Sections 374, 375, 376, 377).

10-18 Courses in United States History, government and duties and responsibilities of citizenship.

10-19 Teaching about alcohol, nicotine or tobacco, drugs, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome.  Training of personnel.

Policy adopted: