The State Department of Education shall provide an instructional program and establish guidelines and procedures for managing such program in the public schools as part of the State Program of Educational Accountability and Assessment of Performance as prescribed in Section 37-3-46.

DISTRICT OPTIONS

Public school districts may (a) elect to adopt the instructional program and management system provided by the State Department of Education, or (b) elect to adopt an instructional program and management system which meets or exceeds criteria established by the State Department of Education for such.   This provision shall begin with the courses taught in Grades K-8 which contain skills tested through the Mississippi Basic Skills Assessment Program and shall proceed through all secondary school courses mandated for graduation and all secondary school courses in the Mississippi end-of-course testing program. Other state core objectives must be included in the district's instructional program as they are provided by the State Department of Education along with instructional practices, resources, evaluation items and management procedures.  

Districts are encouraged to adapt this program and accompanying procedures to all other instructional areas. The department shall provide that such program and guidelines, or a program and guidelines developed by a local school district which incorporates the core objectives from the curriculum structure are enforced through the performance-based accreditation system. It is the intent of the Legislature that every effort be made to protect the instructional time in the classroom and reduce the amount of paperwork which must be completed by teachers. The State Department of Education shall take steps to insure that school districts properly use staff development time to work on the districts' instructional management plans.  ' 37-3-49

The Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards for this policy are Standards 15 and 27.
 

LEGAL REF.: MS CODE as cited

                  Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards

ADOPTED:    03/14/2006

REVISED:      12/08/2009