DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of the Secretary

Statutory Authority: 14 Delaware Code, Section 122(b)(6) (14 Del.C. §122(b)(6))

14 DE Admin. Code 502

PROPOSED

PUBLIC NOTICE

Education Impact Analysis Pursuant To 14 Del.C. Section 122(d)

502 Alignment of Local School District Curricula to the State Content Standards

A. TYPE OF REGULATORY ACTION REQUIRED

Amendment to Existing Regulation

B. SYNOPSIS OF SUBJECT MATTER OF THE REGULATION

Pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122(b)(6), the Secretary of Education intends to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 502 Alignment of Local School District Curricula to the State Content Standards. This regulation needs to be amended to align with modifications in State Content Standards and Department of Education reporting expectations of school districts and charter schools, and to subsequently clarify the title of the regulation.

Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on or before April 1, 2021 to Department of Education, Office of the Secretary, Attn: Regulation Review, 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, Delaware 19901 or email to DOEregulations.comment@doe.k12.de.us. A copy of this regulation may be viewed online at the Registrar of Regulation's website, http://regulations.delaware.gov/services/current_issue.shtml, or obtained at the Department of Education, located at the address listed above.

C. IMPACT CRITERIA

1. Will the regulation help improve student achievement as measured against state achievement standards? The amended regulation does not directly address student achievement as measured against state achievement standards.

2. Will the regulation help ensure that all students receive an equitable education? The amended regulation is intended to help ensure all students receive an equitable education by ensuring uniform curricula for public schools.

3. Will the regulation help to ensure that all students' health and safety are adequately protected? The amended regulation does not directly impact student's health and safety.

4. Will the regulation help to ensure that all students' legal rights are respected? The amended regulation continues to help ensure that all students' legal rights are respected.

5. Will the regulation preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision making at the local board and school level? The amended regulation does not change the decision making at the local board and school level.

6. Will the regulation place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels? The amended regulation does not place any unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements on decision makers.

7. Will the decision making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated be placed in the same entity? The decision-making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated does not change because of the amended regulation.

8. Will the regulation be consistent with and not an impediment to the implementation of other state educational policies, in particular to state educational policies addressing achievement in the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, language arts and social studies? The amended regulation is consistent with and not an impediment to the implementation of other state educational policies, specifically the desire to monitor uniformity of curricula across districts and charter schools.

9. Is there a less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the regulation? There is no less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the regulation.

10. What is the cost to the State and to the local school boards of compliance with the regulation? School districts should not incur any material costs to implementing this amended regulation. Some charter schools may incur non-substantive costs to document and report curricula alignment.

502 Alignment of Local School District and Charter School Curricula to the State Content Standards

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this regulation is to provide a process through which all Delaware school districts and charter schools demonstrate the alignment of their local curricula with the State Content Standards in the content areas specified in the 14 DE Admin. Code 501 as required by 14 Del.C. Ch. 1, §122(b)(6) and 14 DE Admin. Code 275.

17 DE Reg. 916 (03/01/14)

2.0 Definitions

“Adoption” means to accept a set of standards as the basis for curriculum and assessment alignment across the state according to a timeline established and disseminated by the Department of Education.

"Alignment" means meeting the expectations or outcomes outlined in each of the content area standards in 14 DE Admin. Code 501 and 14 DE Admin. Code 275.

"Curricula" means a coherent set of high-quality instructional materials, academic lessons, and content implemented for a particular subject and designed for teachers to facilitate learning that leads to students' mastery of standards.

“Department” means the Delaware Department of Education.

“Evidence” means certification the documents maintained by the district or charter school that its curriculum is aligned to the state content standards, which is supported by documentation maintained by the district State Content Standards.

“Grade Level Expectations” means the documents created and officially released by the Delaware Department of Education which detail student learning objectives in each content area for kindergarten through grade twelve.

“High Quality Instructional Materials” means comprehensive materials that are aligned with the adopted Delaware content standards. The materials are written with clear purpose, effective lesson structure, and pacing to provide equitable access to the course- or grade-level content, when used in accordance with their intended design.

“Implemented” means using aligned materials according to their intended design and with processes in place for continuous improvement, including initial and sustained professional learning to support the educators who are using or leading the use of the instructional materials.

“Recommended Statewide Uniform Curricula” means one or more of the following documents: Academic Content Standards, Clarifications, and Grade Level Expectations posted to the Delaware Department of Education website. The Department may update the document(s) based on changes to the State Content Standards in 14 DE Admin. Code 501.

“Supports” means professional learning and feedback required to successfully implement high quality instructional materials and curricula.

17 DE Reg. 916 (03/01/14)

3.0 Alignment Requirement

All Each school districts district and charter school shall provide evidence to the Department that their school district curricula are aligned with the State Content Standards. State Content Standards exist in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, World Languages, Visual and Performing Arts, Health, Physical Education, Agriscience, Business Finance and Marketing Education, Technology Education, Skilled and Technical Sciences, and Family and Consumer Sciences Computer Science, Career and Technical Education programs of study, and Financial Literacy. Content standards adopted by the Department in the future shall also be included under this section section.

12 DE Reg. 216 (08/01/08)

17 DE Reg. 916 (03/01/14)

4.0 Documentation of Curriculum Alignment

4.1 Alignment of school district or charter school curricula to the State Content Standards shall be certified annually by the district or charter school through an assurance in the consolidated grant application.

4.2 Documentation of Upon the request of the Department, documentation demonstrating alignment of school district or charter school curricula shall be given to the Department and include: curriculum maps or scope and sequence of instructional topics, unit plans, lesson plans, and assessments and may be subject to Department review. Included in the documentation shall also be the names of the implemented high quality instructional materials, a description of the method alignment process, and level of involvement in the alignment process by building administrators, teachers teachers, and specialists.

4.3 Documentation for Agriscience, Business Finance and Marketing Education, Technology Education, Skilled and Technical Sciences, and Family and Consumer Sciences Career and Technical Education programs of study shall follow requirements in 14 DE Admin. Code 525 for Career and Technical Education.

17 DE Reg. 916 (03/01/14)

5.0 Documentation for Specific Student Populations

As part of its documentation, Upon the request of the Department, the district or charter school shall explain modifications or enhancements to the supports provided in its curricula for specific subgroups such as as, but not limited to, students with disabilities, gifted students, and English learners or any other special population of students and certify alignment to the State Content Standards. The district or charter school shall also certify alignment and equitable access to the grade-level or course-level State Content Standards.

17 DE Reg. 916 (03/01/14)

6.0 Subsequent Review of Alignment

Each district or charter school shall be required to certify curriculum maintain alignment if there are major any changes to a content area in the approved curricula in curriculum occur. The district or charter school shall only be required to submit documentation of curriculum alignment in the affected any content area upon the request by of the Department. Further, districts may be required to submit documentation of aligned curriculum in the assessed content area or areas which form the basis for any school rating.