State Education Code Requirements, Grades 1—12 2

Nondiscrimination 7

Patriotism: The Flag of the United States 7

General District Requirements, Grades 1—12 8

Promotion Policy 9

High School Graduation Requirements 11

Diploma with Academic Distinction 14

Classification of Courses, Grades 7—12 16

Grade-level Content and Performance Standards 18

The District Accountability System 21

Assessment of Student Achievement 23

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges Self-Study Process 25

Sec. 44806. Each teacher shall endeavor to impress upon the minds of the pupils the principles of morality, truth, justice, patriotism, and a true comprehension of the rights, duties, and dignity of Americancitizenship, and the meaning of equality and human dignity, including the promotion of harmonious relations, kindness toward domestic petsand the humane treatment of living creatures, to teach them to avoid idleness, profanity, and falsehood, and to instruct them in mannersand morals and the principles of a free government.

Each teacher is also encouraged to create and foster an environment that encourages pupils to realize their full potentialand that is free from discriminatory attitudes, practices, events, oractivities, in order to prevent acts of hate violence, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 33032.5.

Sec. 51202. Required instruction at appropriate elementary and secondary grade levels, integrated into appropriate subject areas, includes:

Sec. 51203. The curriculum in all elementary and secondary schools must include instruction upon the nature of alcohol, narcotics and restricted dangerous drugs as defined in Sec. 11032 of the Health and Safety Code, and other dangerous substances and their effects upon the human system as determined by science. The curriculum in all secondary schools must include instruction on the effects of alcohol, narcotics and restricted dangerous drugs as defined in Sec. 11032 of the Health and Safety Code, and other dangerous substances upon prenatal development as determined by science. The Board of Education specifies the grade levels and courses in which this instruction is given.

Sec. 52740. Required instruction at appropriate elementary and secondary grade levels, integrated into the social studies subject area, includes:

Certain sections of the Education Code prohibit specific instruction or activities, or provide for modification of activities.

Sec. 48907. Students shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press including, but not limited to, the use of bulletin boards, the distribution of printed materials or petitions, buttons, badges and other insignia, and the right of expression in official publications, whether or not such publications or other means of expression are supported financially by the school or by use of school facilities, except that expression shall be prohibited which is obscene, libelous or slanderous, or which is in danger of inciting students to commit unlawful acts on school premises, violate lawful school regulations, or disrupt orderly school operation. Each governing board of a school district and each county board of education shall adopt rules and regulations in the form of a written publications code which shall include reasonable provisions for the time, place and manner of conducting such activities within its respective jurisdiction. (See District Procedure No. 6210.)

Sec. 32255.1. Any student with a moral objection to dissecting or otherwise harming or destroying animals may refrain from participating in these activities. The teacher may work with the student to develop and agree upon an alternate education project to obtain the knowledge, information or experience required by the course of study in question. (See District Procedure No. 6120.)

Sec. 51210. Required curriculum areas for grades 1—6 include:

Sec. 51220. The adopted course of study for grades 7—12, inclusive, shall offer courses in the following areas of study:

Commencing with the 1995-96 fiscal year, the adopted course of study for grade 7 or 8 shall include the equivalent content of a one-semester course in parenting skills and education. All pupils entering grade 7 on or after July 1, 1995, shall be offered that course or its equivalent content during grade 7 or 8, or both. On or before January 1, 1995, the State Department of Education shall supply, to each school district that includes a grade 7 or 8, a sample curriculum suitable either for implementation as a stand-alone one-semester course or for incorporation within identified existing required or optional courses, with content designed to develop a knowledge of topics including, but not limited to, all of the following:

A district that implements the curriculum set forth in this subdivision in a stand-alone required course may exempt a pupil from the course if the pupil requests the exemption and satisfactorily demonstrates mastery of the course content. The district shall determine the method by which a pupil may demonstrate this mastery.

Commencing with the 1993—94 fiscal year, community college districts may offer, to interested individuals, noncredit fee-supported courses in parenting skills and education as described above.

This section is not intended to replace existing courses that accomplish the intent of this section. School districts may meet the requirements of this section with existing courses of study offered in any of grades 6 to 9, inclusive, that includes the course contents identified above. When the parenting skills and education curriculum is incorporated within courses other than consumer and home economics courses, these courses are not subject to the curricular standards specified in Section 2 of Chapter 775 of the Statutes of 1989 or in the consumer and home economics education model performance standards and framework. Teachers of courses other than consumer and home economics that incorporate parenting skills and education are not required to meet the qualifications specified for teachers of consumer and home economics.

This section shall become operative only if a funding source is identified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the purposes of this section on or before January 1, 1995.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall identify the funding source for this section from existing resources or private resources, or both, that may be available for the purposes of this section. The superintendent shall notify school districts when sufficient funds have been identified and are allocated to cover all costs relating to the operation of this section.

Sec. 51222. All students, except students excused, shall be required to attend upon the courses of physical education for a total period of time of not less than 400 minutes each ten school days.

Sec. 51553. All public elementary, junior high, and senior high school classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse shall emphasize that abstinence from sexual intercourse is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) when transmitted sexually. All material and instruction in classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse shall be age appropriate.

All sex education courses that discuss sexual intercourse shall satisfy the following criteria:

Pupils also shall be taught that it is wrong to take advantage of, or to exploit, another person.

Course material and instruction given pursuant to this paragraph shall be age appropriate.

In accordance with Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title II, Education Amendments of 1974; Americans with Disability Act of 1990; and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, it is a policy of the San Diego City Schools that no person shall, on the basis of sex, race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, or disability, be excluded from participation, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity.

The district takes affirmative steps to provide programs and services that ensure equal educational opportunities to all. Students are counseled to prepare for a wide range of careers that reflect changing social patterns and economic needs in our society. Emphasis is placed on the selection and purchase of instructional materials that present content without sex, racial, national origin, ethnic, religious, or disability biases, discrimination, or role stereotypes.

Patriotism: The Flag of the United States

The Education Code of the State of California, Section 52720, states in part that:

Regulations covering this specification and other patriotic observances have been adopted by the district Board of Education and written into District Procedure No. 4922. The procedure states, in part, that:

It is the responsibility of every principal to see that the United States flag, with the California state flag below, is flown each school day (weather permitting) from the school’s main flagpole. Flag monitors or color guards should be appointed and charged with displaying and saluting the flag in accordance with the Flag Code. In senior high schools, the ROTC may perform this service.

Further references: District Procedure No. 4922

Administrative Code, Title V, Section 21

Education Code, Section 52720

District curriculum requirements for promotion and high school graduation are designed to meet state requirements and fulfill local district policies and goals. These requirements, and the district’s homework policy, are described below and on the following pages.

The district homework policy approved by the Board of Education emphasizes that homework is an important part of the education program and must be assigned to all students on a regular basis. Homework should help students become self-directed, independent learners and improve their academic achievements.

Homework assignments appropriate to the developmental level of a student will be used for enrichment, reinforcement, and extension of school experiences. These assignments will take many different forms, such as continuation of assignments begun in class; reading of textbooks, library materials, and reference works; writing activities; further work on experiments begun in class; long-term research projects; memorization; drill work; observation activities; interviews; preparation of exhibits; and completion of work missed due to absence.

All students are to be assigned homework. The amount is to be increased gradually from a few minutes per day in the early grades to two or more hours in high school. So far as possible, homework is to be adjusted to the goals, abilities and interests of students. Some students may require more time for study than others, and different subjects require different amounts of homework. Therefore, the amount of homework per day may vary, but it is expected that all students will be responsible for completing some homework.

Each school will develop a homework plan to assure that this policy is fully and properly implemented. It will be the responsibility of each teacher to understand the school plan and participate in it.

Since cooperation between parents and school is necessary for effective home study, parents are to be encouraged to take an interest in the homework activities of their children and to provide conditions that are conducive to good study habits.

District Procedure No. 4766 states that "promotion [of a student in Grades 7—12 ] from grade to grade shall be dependent on the student’s passing selected courses. . . . In grades 7 and 8, promotion is contingent upon the passing of courses that indicate attainment of important basic skills needed for successful work in higher grades. Promotion from grades 9 through 12 is based on the student’s progress toward meeting graduation requirements." Current promotion policies for Grades 7—12 are outlined below.

Students in the San Diego Unified School District must meet both general requirements and specific subject and course requirements, as outlined below, to graduate from high school.

The district offers several methods of recognizing students’ achievement in high school: diplomas (standard and with academic distinction), certificates, and letters of recognition. More information on each of these may be found below under "Methods of Recognition."

Students must meet the following general requirements to graduate from high school:

A total of 44 semester credits is required for graduation.

Grade 9 English: 2 credits

Drama, public speaking, or journalism courses may not be used to fulfill the English language arts credit; drama and public speaking qualify for visual and performing arts credit, and journalism qualifies for practical arts credit.

Option A: 2 semesters of a world language (a one-year course)

1 semester of visual, performing,* or practical arts**

Option B: 2 semesters of visual and/or performing arts

1 semester of practical arts

*Visual and performing arts include courses in art, music, drama/theater arts, and public speaking.

**Practical arts include courses in business education, family and consumer sciences, industrial technology education, vocational and occupational programs, instructional television, journalism, and yearbook.

Grade 9 or 10: 2 credits selected from an approved list of social studies courses for Grade 9 or 10

Includes a variety of courses in mathematics offered at district schools. Note: beginning with the 2001—2002 school year, all students will be required to pass algebra; beginning with the 2002—2003 school year, all students will be required to pass geometry; beginning with the 2003—2004 school year, all students will be required to pass intermediate algebra.

Students must be enrolled in physical education in Grades 9 and 10, unless exempted, and must earn four credits in Grades 9—12.

Life sciences: 2 credits

Note: Beginning with the 2001—2002 school year, all students will be required to pass one year (two credits) of biology; beginning with the 2003—2004 school year, all students will be required to pass one year (two credits) of either chemistry or physics.

Students may fulfill this requirement in one of three ways: by completing a computer education course, by completing an approved course that incorporates computer education and computer applications, or by passing a test.

Students may earn the additional credits needed to reach a total of 44 by completing other courses in the subject areas above and/or elective courses. Courses using languages other than English as the medium of instruction for students not fluent in English may be substituted to fulfill specific subject-area requirements.

As mentioned at the beginning of this section, the district has four methods of recognizing a student’s achievement in high school.

College entrance requirements vary; it should be understood that meeting the above high school graduation requirements does not guarantee entrance to specific colleges.

The Board of Education awards high school diplomas inscribed "With Academic Distinction" to students whose achievements have been outstanding. Requirements for this diploma should be studied–and careful planning to meet those requirements should begin–while the student is in junior high school.

Only those students who have attended a district high school for their entire senior year, and met all other requirements (as outlined in the section entitled "High School Graduation Requirements"), are eligible for this diploma. Students who have attended high schools in other school districts for all or part of Grades 10 and 11 may qualify for this recognition if their academic performance in the San Diego Unified School District merits consideration. The high school principal is responsible for evaluating courses taken outside the district.

Providing they have qualified in all respects, midyear graduates recommended by their principal may be granted this diploma.

Two options are open to students who wish to graduate with academic distinction:

Most credit courses in grades 7—12 are designated one-credit and two-credit courses. In addition some secondary courses may be designated .33-, .50- or .66-credit courses.

Special education courses may be one-semester, two-semester, multisemester, or year courses. Depending on their disabilities, students may require more than a school year to complete "year" course proficiencies or meet course standards.

Diagrams of Course Sequence, included in the introductions to subject area course descriptions in the Course of Study, include these designations with the titles of all courses that qualify. The (P) and (HP) designations are also found on individual program description pages.

In 1998, the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education adopted grade-level content and performance standards for grades K—12, for history-social science, language arts, mathematics, science, and visual and performing arts. The content standards specify what students should know and be able to do upon successful completion of grade-level work (grades K through 6) and of individual courses (grades 6 [middle level] through 12). The performance standards specify how students are expected to demonstrate their mastery of instructional content.

The Board also approved performance standards in applied learning, grades K—12, which are applicable in all instructional areas.

These standards are now reflected in the course information provided in Part III of this publication. Specifically, the major course outcomes previously listed for each course or level of instruction have been replaced by applicable performance standards, and the content standards are included in each subject area’s introduction. The introduction to Part III includes the Board-adopted applied learning standards.

The standards also have been made available, both in print and electronic formats, to district teachers and administrators as well as to parents and community members. The standards publications and their district stock numbers are listed below. The standards also are available at the following district Web site:

www-internal.sandi.net/standards

Standards in language arts, mathematics, and visual and performing arts will be implemented at all grade levels, beginning with the 1998—1999 school year. Standards for history-social science and science will be implemented at the secondary level (grades 6 [middle level] through 12) beginning in 1998—1999, and at the elementary level (grades K—6), beginning in 1999—2000.

In April 1997, the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education adopted a comprehensive, districtwide accountability system for improving student achievement. The system grew out of the belief that all students and schools can meet high standards and the conviction that all schools must be held accountable for the performance of their students.

The district accountability system supports district efforts to raise student achievement by

At the heart of the accountability system is the understanding that the school is the unit of accountability and that all stakeholders, including the board of education, superintendent, central office staff, principals, teachers, parents, community members, and students, are accountable. The system was developed collaboratively by a task force of teachers, administrators, and parents/ community members.

The system is based on the premise that instructional decisions should be data-driven, that is, they should flow from research and assessment results. Accountability data and targets have been incorporated into the district annual self-study and planning process.

The process of determining the accountability of individual schools for the performance of their students takes place in two-year cycles:

The results of the accountability system are reported annually to the district’s senior management, the Board of Education, and the community. Awards and recognition as well as interventions are approved by the Board of Education.

The district Course of Study, K-12, is an important source of information for schools as they participate in the accountability system. It lists the content and performance standards adopted by the district in various curriculum areas and describes the courses designed to help students achieve the standards.

Multiple indicators of student progress have long been used in the San Diego Unified School District to assess the academic achievement of its students. Report card grades, norm-referenced test scores, state testing results, and advanced course enrollments are indicators with a lengthy history in the district. As indicated below, these measures are being augmented by portfolios, performance assessments and student exhibitions, which offer a more complete and accurate assessment of student progress.

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation self-study examination and evaluation process represents an in-depth analysis of how well an individual school is providing a high-caliber program, powerful teaching and learning, and support for the personal and academic growth of its students. This intensive, two-year process not only satisfies the requirements for accreditation; it also meets the requirements of the California Department of Education Program Quality Review and those of San Diego Unified School District integration monitoring.

The study begins by examining the composition and performance of the student body, the community served by the school (school/community profile), the expected schoolwide learning results (what the students should know, understand, and be able to do by graduation), and the academic and support programs provided for the students. Performance is studied in a variety of ways, including the analysis of district- and site-generated data; peer observations; parent, student, and staff surveys; student work; and student shadowing.

Five focus groups made up of teachers from each discipline, administrators, support and clerical staff, parents, students, and community members examine all elements of the school, using 18 criteria for effective schools provided in the WASC Handbook. Discipline-specific groups use guide questions, also provided in the Handbook, to examine coursework in light of the latest educational reform documents and research results. From extensive discussions stimulated by this self-study examination, the quality of the school's curriculum, environment, and support services emerges.

A document, called the School Report, summarizes the findings of the focus group discussions, identifies areas of strength, and lists areas of need in priority order. The final chapter of the report includes a three- to five-year plan to address the areas of need. A team of out-of-district educators subsequently reviews the report, visits the school for three days, and recommends a term of accreditation to the Commission for Schools, the K—12 accrediting body within the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Educational Programs to Meet Special Needs 28

Alternative Education Programs 28

Short-term Independent Study, Grades K-12 31

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) 32

Programs for English Learners 36

School-to-Career 37

Programs of the San Diego Plan for Racial Integration 39

Academic Enrichment Academies (AEA) 39

Off-Campus Integrated Learning Experiences (OCILE) Program 39

Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program (VEEP) 40

Race/Human Relations Program 40

Integration Monitoring 41

Magnet Schools/Programs 42

Service-Learning 54

Special Education Courses of Study 55

Curriculum Continuum. 55

Support Service Across the Curricula 60

Identification of Students 61

Reporting Student Progress 61

Subjects and Materials Variations 61

Preschool Curriculum 61

Multilevel Courses 63

District cross-curricular programs that meet special needs include Alternative Education Programs, Contract Independent Study, Gifted and Talented Education, Programs for Limited English Proficient Students, School-to-Work Transition Programs, and Special Education. These programs are described below, with the exception of Special Education, which is described in detail in the section Special Education Courses of Study.

Purpose of the Program: To support parents who teach at home to teach their children successfully, and to have each student receive a personalized learning experience that incorporates academic performance, self-confidence, and individual responsibility.

Services Provided: Each family works with a credentialed teacher and uses City Schools curricula. Field trips, workshops, parent inservice training, and many other activities are provided for parents and students. Mt. Everest Academy also provides all district testing and all OCILE programs. A computer lab and a student and parent resource library are provided. The library includes math manipulatives, videos, and science kit materials, which are all available for checkout.

Location: Mt. Everest Academy

(formerly Community Home Education School)

4350 Mt. Everest Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92117

(619) 496-8778

Purpose of the Program: Students are provided with an atmosphere that promotes academic success and social, vocational, and personal growth, enabling them to achieve success in school and in society.

Services Provided: Alternative Education Work Center (AEWC); Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID); Giving Everyone a New Educational Start In School (GENESIS); Operation Restart: A Contract Learning Experience (ORACLE)–Parents must agree to this placement and assist the students in accomplishing independent study work; Pregnant Minor Program (PMP); Regional Occupational Program (ROP); School-Age Parenting and Infant Development (SAPID); Sheltered Classes; Social Concerns; and Student Opportunity and Access Program (SOAP).

Location: Garfield High School

1255 16th Street

San Diego, CA 92101

(619) 525-2059

Purpose of the Program: The HSDP provides an opportunity for students who are at least 16 years of age to complete courses for graduation. The HSDP enrolls two types of students: concurrent students, who are enrolled in a district high school, and adult students, who are no longer enrolled in a district high school program or who are more than 18 years old. Concurrent students attend the HSDP to make up credit deficiencies so they can graduate on time. Adult students must meet all high school graduation requirements except those for Physical Education in order to receive their diplomas.

Services Provided: Six-week sessions are offered during the school year at eight high school locations: Crawford, Henry, Hoover, Madison, Mira Mesa, Morse, Point Loma, and San Diego. Summer session is available. A student may take one or more courses during a session. Course work is self-paced. Although attendance is voluntary, credit for course work requires attending 60 class hours, completing course requirements, and passing district proficiencies. Independent Study courses are offered for students as a voluntary alternative to fulfill course requirements. Unless these standards are met, a student will not receive credit for the course. A course that is not completed during a six-week session may be continued in the next six-week session.

Locations: Please call Administrative Office

Adult Education

4100 Normal Street, Room 2140

San Diego, CA 92103

(619) 293—8409

Purpose of the Program: The staff is committed to the concept that all students are deserving of a high-quality education and all students can learn.

Services Provided: All subjects required for graduation are offered at Twain. Each course stresses the relevance of class work to the immediate and future needs of the students enrolled, including career goals. Students are encouraged to participate in work experience programs and district occupational classes in order to prepare for a smooth and successful transition from school to work. The following services are also provided: GED Preparation Class, Pregnant Minor Program, Social Concerns, School-age Parenting and Infant Development, and SOAR–Independent Study.

Locations: Main Site Eastern Satellite

Twain Junior/Senior High School 5510 Trojan Avenue

6402 Linda Vista Road San Diego, CA 92115

San Diego, CA 92111 (619) 287-5723

(619) 496—8260

Mesa Satellite Junior High Satellite (Marston)

10444 Reagan Road 455 Ute Street

San Diego, CA 92126 San Diego, CA 92117

(619) 566—4008 (619) 272—9003

Beach Satellite

2475 Grand Avenue

San Diego, CA 92109

(619) 483—2800

Purpose of the Program: The program is designed to help prevent low-birth-weight babies while providing an academic program designed to meet the needs of the individual student. The student is prepared for labor/delivery, develops parenting skills, and studies family life and community interaction.

Services Provided: Provides the student with instruction in prenatal care, child development, family planning, nutrition, health care skills, self-awareness, and the decision-making process. Classes in childbirth education and parenting are also provided. An academic program is designed for each student based on her educational history. The PMP district counselor helps the student make a smooth transition to future school placement and helps with personal problem solving. The PMP nurse assists the student with proper prenatal care and a health management plan, constructs a health history, maintains school health records, and gathers statistics. Transportation is provided by the district.

Locations: Garfield High School Twain Junior/Senior High School

1255 16th Street 6402 Linda Vista Road

San Diego, CA 92101 San Diego, CA 92111

(619) 525-2059 (619) 496—8294

Purpose of the Program: The program’s goals are to improve perinatal outcomes, maximize education and/or pursuits, delay or postpone subsequent pregnancies, and to enhance the parenting skills of pregnant and parenting adolescents through comprehensive case management services with a network of service providers.

Services Provided: The program interfaces with community agencies, many with formal linkage agreements. Services are provided to the clients through community agencies based on their special areas of expertise. Caseworkers employ a brokering model of case management for clients, which facilitates clients’ access and empowers them to become knowledgeable in how to use existing community resources. Caseworkers frequently serve as advocates for clients who have difficulties with their service providers.

Locations: San Diego City Schools North County Health Services

School Services Department Oceanside Clinic

2716 Marcy Avenue 408 Cassidy Street

San Diego, CA 92113 Oceanside, CA 92054

(619) 525—7474 (619) 757—8845

Purpose of the Program: SAPID enables male and female teen parents to complete their high school education, to develop parenting skills, and to explore vocational interests and job skills. Infants and young children of teen students are supervised and assisted in their social, emotional, and physical development in an infant lab. The teen parents are required to attend parenting classes that promote growth and development of the whole child and parent.

Services Provided: The two-semester parenting theory course covers subject matter related to living skills. Content focuses on child growth and development, parenting skill, safety, family health education, child behavior, physical, mental and creative activities for the child, parental roles, family structure and interactions, and career planning. Health care services are also provided. A nurse supervises the health and nutritional needs of the infants/toddlers. Referrals are made to community resources when applicable. Instruction on immunizations, childhood illness, and safety is also provided.

Locations: Garfield High School Lincoln Prep High School

1255 16th Street 150 South 49th Street

San Diego, CA 92101 San Diego, CA 92113

(619) 525-2059 (619) 264—3171, Ext. 128

San Diego High School Youth Opportunities Unlimited

1405 Park Boulevard Alternative Secondary School

San Diego, CA 92101 2716 Marcy Street

(619) 525—7456, Ext. 250 San Diego, CA 92113

(619) 525—7372

Madison High School Twain Junior/Senior High School

4833 Doliva Drive 6402 Linda Vista Road

San Diego, CA 92117 San Diego, CA 92111

(619) 573—0759 (619) 496—8294

Purpose of the Program: The program is designed to improve services to youth in an area of San Diego characterized by high dropout, teen-pregnancy, poverty, and youth crime rates.

Services Provided: An alternative educational program for small-group instruction and independent study, grades 7—12. The school has three campuses: Main Campus (House A, House B, WINGS); City-as-School, located downtown; and WINGS II, located at Bethel A.M.E. Church. Included in the program are core curriculum; school-to-work transition; counseling center; recreational, cultural and social activities; Hire-A-Youth; and School-to-Apprenticeship. The Teen Parenting Child Care Center provides teen parents with child care and instruction in parenting skills.

Location: 2716 Marcy Avenue

San Diego, CA 92113

(619) 525—7372 or 525—7374

Short-term Independent Study is an alternative to a regular classroom program of instruction for grades K—12. It allows a student with special needs to meet specific course requirements through an individualized program of instruction. Although the core curriculum remains the same, the mode of delivery is adapted to meet individual student needs.

Requests for enrollment are made on an individual basis and are screened and approved by a site committee. Qualified community persons, instructors, or classroom teachers may be assigned to provide systematic direction, coaching, or teaching in the independent study area.

On the elementary level, independent study contracts may be issued for subject areas listed in the Course of Study. The student must spend the minimum number of minutes per day specified for a subject. No elementary school student on a contract should receive credit for fewer than five or more than 15 days per school year, unless specifically approved by the School Services Division, Area III.

A list of approved courses for secondary short-term independent study is issued each year. Course names and numbers are the same as those for regular district courses, but (I) precedes the course name; for example, 6701 (I) United States History 1.

For further reference, see District Procedure 4316.

Purpose of the Program: Connections’ purpose is to locate, evaluate, and reinstate students in a permanent educational program. Connections also serves school-initiated placement (SIP) students awaiting placement in an alternative educational program.

Services Provided: Students are seen in their homes or in the community a minimum of once a week by a Connections staff member for a maximum of eight weeks. Coursework is given to students in the form of work packets. Students have access to a Connections homework hotline through which a teacher can assist them with their assignments. Teachers also go to the students’ homes to provide additional instruction as needed. Students’ credit status is evaluated; students may earn credits in English language arts and mathematics. Counseling is provided to students and families, as well as referrals to school and social assistance programs in the community. Every student is placed in a program following an evaluation of his or her individual needs, situation, and circumstance.

Location: Cleveland Center

6365 Lake Atlin Ave.

San Diego, CA 92119

(619) 668-4826

Purpose of the Program: The mission of A.L.B.A. Community Day School, Academy for Change, is to provide a high-quality interdisciplinary educational program that builds academic skills and fosters social/emotional growth through a collaborative effort of the site administrator, counselors, teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, and community so that students become courteous, responsible, literate, thinking, and contributing members of the community and the world.

Services Provided: A.L.B.A. serves high-risk students in grades 3—12. Students who have violated the district’s Zero Tolerance policy are placed in A.L.B.A. via school-initiated placement (SIP) by the district Placement and Appeals Office. Students also are referred to A.L.B.A. by the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) and the Probation Department. Students enrolled in A.L.B.A. remain for a minimum of one semester (or longer, as deemed appropriate). Students are assigned to one of five sites within the city of San Diego. An educational program designed to maintain progress toward high school completion is supported by a variety of services from a skilled resource staff, which includes district and community service providers.

Administration Center: 3760 4th Avenue, Suite 1

San Diego, CA 92103

(619) 293-8077

The Gifted and Talented Education Department offers two programs for district-identified students who score above specified levels on standardized tests: cluster for the gifted and seminar for the highly gifted.

Students who score in the ability range greater than or equal to two standard deviations above the mean differ from their age peers in that they generally show advanced comprehension, a faster pace of learning, and ability to handle greater complexity and depth in their learning. These students may not be challenged by the regular curriculum or its manner and pace of presentation. They require programs differentiated from the regular school programs in order to realize their learning potential. The cluster program is intended to serve the varied profiles presented by these students, who not only differ from regular students in their learning abilities, but also differ from each other in the unique patterns of characteristics and interests they possess. For cluster classes composed of both identified and non-identified students to be successful learning environments for all students involved, the composition of the class must be carefully planned.

The cluster curriculum and instruction, though based on the core curriculum, must be differentiated in content, process, and product. Levels of abstraction, complexity, and depth must be greater than those provided by the core. The pace of learning must be altered to accommodate students’ needs. While students must master the core curriculum, the amount of time and the number of repetitions required for learning must be compacted, based on teachers’ assessment of how the students learn and what they already know. In the cluster classroom, student interests become a larger part of the curricular emphasis. Instructional processes are adapted to students’ abilities to work with abstract ideas, to generalize, and to make complex relationships within and across the disciplines.

The environment in the cluster classroom must be carefully designed by a teacher who is knowledgeable about gifted students’ social-emotional as well as intellectual development. Students’ cognitive, affective, physical, and intuitive functioning are to be taken into account. The environment must promote skill development, intellectual growth, and attainment of healthy self-concepts.

Children who test three standard deviations above the mean are atypical learners who require programs significantly differentiated from the more typical GATE cluster programs in order to feel comfortable with themselves and their differences and to develop their exceptional potential.

The seminar program is intended to serve such varied profiles as presented by students who need extraordinarily high-level, advanced, and challenging curricular activities; those with extremely high tested ability but low school achievement; and those who are divergent thinkers and "march to a different drummer." Because these students represent a heterogeneous group with a wider range of abilities than those represented in the GATE cluster class population, the learning program must be designed and adapted to individual differences.

Just as GATE cluster curriculum and instruction must be differentiated from the regular or core curricular offerings, so must the seminar curriculum and instruction be differentiated from that of the GATE cluster in content, process, and product. The content must be differentiated in levels of abstraction, depth, and complexity, focusing to an even higher degree on generalizations and essential questions. A greater percentage of classroom processes and interactions revolve around an interplay and exchange of ideas, with students defending their thinking and looking at their own and others’ thinking critically. Students spend more time in pursuit of their own passions and interests, with a greater emphasis on independent study and long-term projects.

The learning and exploration are accomplished in an environment purposefully designed by teachers knowledgeable about the psycho-social as well as intellectual development of students who, because of their often uneven development, may be many ages simultaneously. The environment must be one in which students feel they "fit," are safe to express their ideas without stigma, and encounter no ceilings to limit their reach. At the same time, students must acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in a manner and at a pace that support their inquiry and investigation. These may be quite different for each individual.

The seminar provides a learning program that incorporates both core subjects and advanced, enriched learning opportunities reflecting the interests and creativity of the students. By doing so, the program aims to encourage intellectual development as well as growth of self-identity, exciting students to extend their learning beyond the classroom and beyond their school years.

Gifted and talented students are identified under three state-defined categories:

Identification processes have been developed by the district in compliance with state law. The processes provide students equal opportunities to be identified under the categories served and seek and identify gifted and talented students from varying linguistic, economic, and cultural backgrounds.

Programs for the gifted and talented challenge the student with curricula flexible enough to meet individual needs, stimulating methods of study, and an emphasis on learning that utilizes the resources of the schools, the home, and the community. Overall program goals are to develop students’ potential for leadership, academic growth, academic attainment, and creative expression on a product level, and to encourage career exploration. All elementary teachers of the gifted, all middle/junior high teachers who teach more than one cluster class, all high school teachers who teach more than two cluster classes, and all seminar teachers must hold a GATE certificate or master’s degree in gifted education.

Gifted and talented students, grades K—6, are provided with a cluster program in most schools districtwide and seminar programs at regional centers for gifted and talented education.

Both programs meet the criteria for gifted and talented educational programs defined by Title 5 of the Administrative Code, Section 3840. Sites housing programs are responsible for managing gifted funds decentralized on a per-pupil basis, and for preparing a GATE entry in the program-summary section of the comprehensive site plan to document use of these funds to provide a minimum of 200 minutes per week of qualitatively different curricula (Section 3850).

It is the responsibility of each secondary school to meet state law and district procedure by preparing a program-summary section of the comprehensive site plan to document use of allocated funds to account for 200 minutes per week of qualitatively different education for gifted students. Current program models include cluster classes and self-initiated studies at middle, junior, and senior high levels; junior and senior high seminars for highly gifted students; and advanced placement classes.

These program models meet the criteria for types of programs as defined by Title 5 of the Administrative Code, Section 3840. For further reference see District Procedures Nos. 4235 and 4236.