School Improvement - Louisiana Department of Education

CURRICULUM
What is taught (content)
How it is taught (instruction)
How it is evaluated (assessment)
Content + Instruction + Assessment = Curriculum
Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (1998, Understanding by Design. ASCD) define curriculum to be “a
specific blueprint for learning that is derived from content and performance standards. Curriculum
takes the content and shapes it into a plan for effective teaching and learning.”
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM
The taught curriculum should be
• Aligned with the Grade Level Expectation(GLE)‐based curriculum adopted by the district
• Directed to improving teacher instruction and student learning
• Coherent and comprehensive
• Supported by sound and current research
• Differentiated for the special needs of individual students and subgroups
DISTRICT CURRICULUM RESPONSIBILITIES
Beginning with the 2005‐2006 school year, districts were required to implement GLE‐based curricula. As
part of that requirement, districts must have a curriculum management system that will include plans
for implementation, monitoring, improvement, and professional development. Each of these plans is
described below.
• Curriculum Implementation Plan: This plan will include the steps that a school and/or district
will take to ensure that the Louisiana Comprehensive Curriculum (or other approved GLE‐based
curriculum) guides the taught curriculum.
• Monitoring Plan: The purpose of this plan is to establish the district’s process for ensuring the
approved curriculum guides the taught curriculum in the classroom.
• Curriculum Improvement Plan: The purpose of this plan is to establish a process used by the
schools and/or the district to analyze assessment data and identify and remedy weaknesses in
the taught curriculum.
• Professional Development Plan: The purpose of this plan is to ensure teachers have the
knowledge and skills needed to teach the approved curriculum.
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