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.

The goal of district programs for English Learners is to teach English language skills that will enable them to participate fully in the total district instructional program. For some students who are in the process of developing and acquiring English language fluency, instruction is provided in basic content areas in a language they can understand. Through bilingual and/or language immersion instruction, these students are provided equal opportunity to acquire the same skills, knowledge, and concepts required of all students in the district. English language development integrated with English literacy is provided on a daily basis. This approach is continued until such time as the students’ language skills are sufficient to benefit from total instruction in a mainstream English language classroom.

Major Goals. Essential goals of the district program are:

Purposes of Programs. Instructional programs for English Learners fulfill three major purposes:

Fundamental Principles of Instruction for English Learners. Instruction for English Learners is based on the following principles:

Common Components of Instruction. To achieve their purposes, instructional programs for English Learners usually include two basic components:

The extent and nature of each component in a specific instructional program varies according to the home language spoken by the English Learner, the level of the student’s proficiency in English, and the student’s individual needs. California state law permits parents to make an informed decision to waive the required English immersion instruction and elect a program using the student’s primary language, whenever resources and staffing permit.

School-to-Career is a school reform initiative designed to assist students make a successful transition from school to a career. This transition may occur immediately after high school, after two years at a community college or in a trade technical program, or after obtaining a four-year degree.

Employers throughout the San Diego region have concluded that a well-prepared employee must possess good, strong academic skills, general workplace-readiness skills, and a technical-skill foundation. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 70 percent of jobs in the future will require education beyond a high school diploma. Based on this information, today’s students must improve their academic achievements as well as develop the general workplace and technical skills. School-to-Career is designed to build skills in each of these areas.

Elements of School-to-Career include:

The reinforcement of academic skills and the development of general workplace readiness and technical skills can be accomplished through the district’s vocational courses. These courses are organized by the occupational areas of business education, family and consumer sciences, health occupations, industrial technology education, and urban agriculture. A variety of technical/vocational courses are available at most comprehensive high schools and are organized into introductory, intermediate, and capstone, or advanced, technical courses. Additional specialized offerings also are available at magnet schools. Taken together with the core academic courses, these technical courses form the career path sequences.

The capstone or advanced-level courses are generally Regional Occupational Program (ROP) courses that provide students with entry-level job skills, prepare them for advanced training opportunities, or upgrade their existing job skills. ROP courses are funded by the State of California through the County Office of Education and are available to anyone 16 years of age or older. San Diego City Schools offers approximately 60 ROP courses. Students who complete ROP courses of study and achieve the course competencies, developed by local industry, will be awarded a skill certificate listing the specific occupation competencies they have obtained.

Many of the capstone courses also provide students with community college credit through the district’s Tech Prep articulation agreements with the San Diego Community College District. Students completing a career path and obtaining a "B" or better in their capstone courses may be granted between three and nine units of college credit, so long as they complete the articulation agreement form while still in high school and enroll in a community college within two years of graduation. Once a student takes his or her first course at a community college, the Tech Prep course credit will be posted on the student’s college transcript. The Tech Prep program prepares students for technical-level careers by giving them an advanced step toward their associate degrees; it also gives students the option of entering the California State University system or a University of California program.

In addition to providing integration fund support for magnet school programs and bilingual education programs, the San Diego Plan for Racial Integration offers various programs and activities designed to meet the special needs and interests of students and their parents, while adhering to the concept of voluntary integration as approved by the Board of Education and the court.

Components of the San Diego Plan for Racial Integration for the 1998—1999 school year are described below.

Academic Enrichment Academies were instituted by the court in 1989 to recognize the growing numbers of schools that need support in their integration efforts.

Schools designated as AEA have populations of less than 20 percent white students, high mobility, and downward trends in achievement. The schools have large limited-English-speaking populations and many of the families are on government assistance. AEA schools receive integration funding to offer enriched programs in support of district goals and objectives related to student achievement. The programs are designed for students, staff, and parents to ensure a positive environment that recognizes and celebrates the diversity of the school community in curricular and co-curricular activities.

The AEA program now includes 34 schools.

The Off-Campus Integrated Learning Experiences (OCILE) Program provides unique race/human relations and enriched studies to students in grades 4—6 who participate in the programs described below. The following five race/human relations concepts are the basis for foundation lessons and field studies conducted in the three programs: identity, diversity, culture, conflict, and prejudice/discrimination.

The Old Town Historical/Cultural Program provides off-campus, integrated learning experiences for more than 10,000 grade 4 students, who spend five days at Old Town State Park learning about the many ethnic groups that have contributed to San Diego’s culture and history. Schools are paired to enhance racial balance. All instruction involves integrated groups of students assigned to small working units.

The Old Town Historical/Cultural Program makes maximum use of Old Town State Park, related historic sites, and adjacent facilities. Instruction in social studies, math, language arts, science, music, art, and race/human relations is incorporated into a program that covers five general eras of San Diego history: Native California, Spanish Colonial, Mexican Ranch, American Expansion, and New Town/San Diego Expansion. Through learning about these historical periods, grade 4 students become aware of the many peoples and cultures that have contributed to the development of San Diego.

Instruction in the Old Town Historical/Cultural Program is an integral part of the curriculum for grade 4.

The Balboa Park Program serves more than 10,000 grade 5 students from various cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. This program uses park resources (including the San Diego Zoo, Natural History Museum, Museum of Man, Aerospace Museum, House of Pacific Relations, Automotive Museum, art galleries, and natural areas) to enhance and enrich the grade 5 instructional program.

All instruction involves integrated groups of students assigned to small working units. Science inquiry, mathematics, language arts, and race/human relations activities are incorporated into each area of study.

Each year more than 10,000 grade 6 students from all ethnic and cultural communities of San Diego spend five days and four nights at the Palomar Outdoor Education Program. The outdoor program provides an open-air education laboratory, as well as a natural setting for intensive race/human relations interactions. Credentialed teachers and Race/Human Relations Education assistants use hands-on experiences to improve self-esteem as well as understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. The friendly, relaxed social setting provides a climate in which friendships, understanding, and respect for others can be fostered.

The Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program is an integral part of the San Diego Plan for Racial Integration. Its primary objective is to improve the white/non-white racial balance of schools. The VEEP provides students and families residing in the community numerous benefits that otherwise might not be available. It permits any student whose racial group is over-represented in his or her geographic school of residence to enroll in an "allied school" where the racial group is under-represented. Transportation is provided if more than eight students from that area attend the same VEEP school.

Schools with a greater percentage of non-white students are "allied" with schools having a greater percentage of white students. Through these allied school patterns, VEEP students experience a more culturally/racially diverse education, elementary through junior and senior high school. Students from different neighborhoods may remain together at allied schools throughout their education, just as do students who attend their neighborhood schools. The "VEEP Allied Patterns" identify the allied school options available for students.

The VEEP has been in operation in the district since 1967. The number of student participants has increased from 199 students in 1966 to more than 9,800 in the 1997—1998 school year. The program’s goals are:

The Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program provides families an alternative to their neighborhood school. Enrollment in the VEEP is a right granted by district policy and is not limited by previous citizenship marks, scholarship, attendance record, placement in special education or bilingual education, or by United States citizenship status or type of visa. Eligibility is based solely on the potential for improving racial balance.

The Race/Human Relations Program, as outlined in the San Diego Plan for Racial Integration, is required at every site and within every division, department, and unit. The program consists of staff and student components and special services requested by schools or departments.

Staff members at sites and central offices, with the assistance of staff from the Race/Human Relations Program Unit, participate in the process of incorporating the Race/Human Relations program into their annual Action Plans/Comprehensive Site Plans that address identified site needs. Inservice training is provided at school sites and division meetings by school staff members, Race/Human Relations resource teachers, and consultants. Meetings are evaluated to assess the effectiveness of the training and to suggest future topics.

The program incorporates concepts and activities from three disciplines: human relations, race relations, and multicultural education. Race/Human Relations resource teachers provide classroom demonstrations, train site liaisons, lead teacher-training programs such as Gender Expectations and Student Achievement (GESA), and provide crisis intervention and mediation to sites on request.

The student Race/Human Relations Program is fully incorporated into the social studies curriculum for levels K—12. The race/human relations curriculum addresses five basic goals: identity, diversity, culture, conflict and prejudice, and discrimination. The implementation of Project Inclusion, a unique and innovative multicultural, history-based student program, was begun during the 1993—1994 school year. The program incorporates race/human relation goals and the contributions of various ethnic groups and women into the social studies curriculum. It introduces multiple perspectives into the study of race/human relations and history while directly building upon the content of the history-social science program.

Site administrators are directly responsible for implementation of the Race/Human Relations Program. They are assisted and supported by the site Race/Human Relations Committee, Race/Human Relations resource teachers. Individual sites conduct informal and formal ongoing program assessment, and the district’s integration monitoring teams also assess program effectiveness.

All elementary, middle, and junior high schools are reviewed on a four-year cycle, with approximately

35 schools reviewed each year. External teams consisting of parents and community members participate in training, and then spend three to five days reviewing an individual school site.

The fundamental reasons for reviewing integration programs, as described in the San Diego Plan for Racial Integration, are:

The philosophy of the Board of Education for the San Diego Unified School District is that integration programs are most successful in schools in which educational programs are of high quality and staffs are dedicated to encouraging all students to reach maximum potential in both academic and personal/social development.

At the elementary level, magnet schools/programs feature a strong basic-skills instructional program and provide a variety of additional options in the educational program that are not available in other district schools.

At the secondary level, magnet programs are added options to the core instructional program. They offer specialized courses of study designed to attract students of many ethnic backgrounds.

Magnet schools/programs at both levels must satisfy the following conditions:

New and continuing magnet schools/programs, K—12, offered for the 1998—1999 school year are described below.

Service-learning is a teaching strategy, a method by which young people learn "beyond the classroom" and develop, through active participation, in thoughtfully organized service-learning experiences that:

Service-learning is understood and supported as an integral element in the life of a school and community. The following standards apply:

Federal and state laws require all public school districts to provide a free, appropriate, and individualized education for all students with disabilities. Students’ disabilities range from very mild (requiring minimal support and modification of curricula) to severe impairment (requiring major support mechanisms, modifications to the curricula, and/or alternative curricula). All special education teachers must be credentialed by the state for the specific instruction or services they provide to students with disabilities.

An Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is written for each special education student. The IEP is developed with the participation of the student’s parents or guardian, who must approve the plan. Special education students in grades K—12 may take any combination of general and special education courses from the district’s curriculum continuum, according to their educational needs and abilities as indicated on their IEPs.

The chart titled "Curriculum Continuum Serving Special Education Students, K—12," on the next page, offers a graphic overview of the special education curriculum. The special education curriculum has four emphases:

The functional-skills curriculum emphasizes skills that are being used in daily activities within the domestic, community, recreation, vocational, and core focus areas. From these areas, specific critical skills or objectives are selected within each subject/course. Skills critical to students’ participation in identified current and future environments are emphasized. The identified environments should be consistent with the environments common in the daily life of an individual of the same age who is not disabled.

Mastery of course content is assessed through the IEP process, which uses the following criteria to determine which specific skills will be developed:

Students who complete this course-of-study curriculum receive a letter of recognition.

At the elementary level, the functional-skills subjects of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies address the environmental focus areas in the same manner as described within the secondary functional-skills courses. Instructional emphasis varies due to individual needs and age appropriateness, as defined in the student’s IEP.

The titles and course numbers of all secondary functional-skills courses are shown below, with the subject-area sections in the Course of Study in which descriptions of these courses may be found. All courses within the 7000 series are the responsibility of the Administrator, Special Education Programs Division.

English Language Arts 7162N Functional Language Arts 6th—8th

7163 Functional Language Arts 9th—12th

Family and Consumer Sciences 7143N Functional Family and Consumer Sciences 6th—8th

7144 Functional Family and Consumer Sciences 9th—12th

Industrial Technology Education 7153N Functional Transition Skills 6th—8th

7154 Functional Transition Skills 9th—12th

Mathematics 7132N Functional Mathematics 6th—8th

7133 Functional Mathematics 9th—12th

Science 7112N Functional Science 6th—8th

7113 Functional Science 9th—12th

Social Studies 7122N Functional Social Studies 6th—8th

7123 Functional Social Studies 9th—12th

The applied-skills curriculum emphasizes basic academic skills as well as functional and daily/
independent living skills. Course success is evaluated through the use of the IEP process. Students who complete this course-of-study curriculum receive a letter of recognition.

Instructional materials used for applied-skills instruction at the elementary level may vary from those specified in the regular education program, based on program guidelines and individual needs. Special education teachers may modify criteria for success as appropriate to the entry-level skills of the students within each subject and grade.

The following guidelines apply to the secondary applied-skills curriculum:

The titles and course numbers of all secondary applied-skills courses are shown below, with the subject-area sections in the Course of Study in which descriptions of these courses may be found. All courses within the 7000 series are the responsibility of the Administrator, Special Education Programs Division.

English Language Arts 7333 Applied Reading/Development Improvement 7th—8th

7342 Applied English 7th—8th

7343 Applied English 9th—10th

7344 Applied English 11th—12th

Industrial Technology Education 7363N Transition Skills 7th—8th

7364 Transition Skills 9th—10th

7365 Transition Skills 11th—12th

7366, 7369 Student Apprenticeship 11th—12th

7367, 7368 Work Incentive 9th—10th

Mathematics 7303N Applied Mathematics 7th—8th

7313N Applied Mathematics 9th—10th

7314 Applied Mathematics 11th—12th

Science 7323N Applied Science/Health 7th—8th

7324N Applied Science/Health 9th—10th

7325 Applied Science/Health 11th—12th

Social Studies 7352N Applied Social Studies 7th—8th

7353N Applied Social Studies 9th—10th

7354 Applied Social Studies 11th—12th

The parallel curriculum is designed to accommodate students who are capable of meeting the district’s approved academic program for graduation but who require modification of the curriculum. The subjects/courses within this course-of-study curriculum have the same standards or outcomes as those in the general education curriculum. Teachers adapt the curriculum to meet students’ needs. Modifications may include altered pacing, reteaching, additional reinforcement, individualized attention when necessary, and alternative methods and modes of instruction, with emphasis in skill areas that need special attention due to the nature of the students’ disabilities.

Mastery of course content is assessed through the use of course standards or outcomes. Students who complete the parallel curriculum and meet all other district requirements for graduation are eligible for a diploma.

The titles and course numbers of all secondary parallel-skills courses are shown on the next page, with the subject-area sections in the Course of Study in which descriptions of these courses may be found. All courses within the 7000 series are the responsibility of the Administrator, Special Education Programs Division.

English Language Arts 7509 Multilevel English 7th—8th

7510 Multilevel Reading/Development Improvement
6th—8th

7511, 7512 Multilevel English 1,2

7513, 7514 Multilevel English 3,4

7515, 7516 Multilevel English 5,6

Industrial Technology Education 7561 Multilevel Practical Art 9th—12th

Special Education 7910 Multilevel Mobility

7920 Multilevel Visually Handicapped Skill Building

7930 Multilevel Communicatively Handicapped
Skill Building

7950N Multilevel Study Skills 7th

7951N Multilevel Study Skills 8th

7952N Multilevel Study Skills 9th

7953N Multilevel Study Skills 10th—12th

7954N Multilevel Study Skills 6th

Visual and Performing Arts 7571 Multilevel Fine Art 9th—12th

The identical curriculum has the same instructional materials and standards as those of general education. The emphasis of this curriculum is on general education, with the delivery and/or response system modified. Altered modes of instruction and proficiency assessment that may be used include, but are not limited to, modification of written and verbal format, time schedule, manner of student response, and learning environment. Students who complete this course-of-study curriculum and meet all other district requirements for graduation are eligible for a diploma.

The titles and course numbers of all identical-skills secondary courses are shown below, with the subject-area sections in the Course of Study in which regular descriptions of these courses may be found. All courses within the 7000 series are the responsibility of the Administrator, Special Education Programs Division.

Computer Education 7790N Exploring Computers 7th, 8th

7791 Computer Science 1

7792 Computer Science 2

7793 Computer Applications 1

7794 Computer Applications 2

English Language Arts 7161 Language Arts 6th

7164 Literature 6th

7705 Reading Development 1

7706 Reading Development 2

7707 Reading Development 3

7710 English 7th

English Language Arts (cont.) 7715 English 8th

7720 English 1

7721 English 2

7722 English 3

7723 English 4

7724 American Literature 1

7725 American Literature 2

7728 World Literature 1

7729 World Literature 2

7165, 7166 Contemporary Voices in Literature 1,2

Mathematics 7131 Mathematics 6th

7730N Mathematics 7th

7735N Mathematics 8th

7732 Mathematics A1

7733 Mathematics A2

7736N Mathematics B1

7737N Mathematics B2

7744 Pre-Algebra 1

7745 Pre-Algebra 2

7746 Algebra 1

7747 Algebra 2

7748 Geometry 1

7749 Geometry 2

Science 7114 Science 6th

7115 Science 7th

7770 Life/Physical Science 8th; Earth/Physical Science 8th

7781 Physical Science 1

7782 Physical Science 2

7783 Life Science 1

7784 Life Science 2

7785 Biology 1

7786 Biology 2

7787 Chemistry 1

7788 Chemistry 2

Social Studies 7124 Social Studies 6th

7750 World History and Geography 7th

7760 United States History and Geography 8th

7761 World History and Geography 1

7762 World History and Geography 2

7763 United States History and Geography 1

7764 United States History and Geography 2

7765 Government 1

7766 Economics 1

Support-service courses assist students in the functional-skills, applied-skills, parallel, identical, and regular curricula. Each student’s needs, as indicated on his or her IEP, determine that student’s

placement in support-service courses. Mastery of support-service course content is assessed through standards or outcomes and/or the IEP process.

Special education students are identified as those:

Children with exceptional needs from birth through secondary school are accommodated within the special education program. See "Preschool Curriculum" below for an overview of the preschool program. Education Code 56026, page 3, No. 4, makes provisions for older students. A student who is enrolled in or is eligible for a program prior to his or her 19th birthday, and who has not completed the prescribed course of study, may continue in the program until he or she is 22.

Students will receive regular, site-, or program-developed progress reports. In addition, the IEP can be used at regular reporting periods to monitor students’ growth relative to their individual goals and objectives.

Special educators use approved curricula as recommended by the subject-area department and/or program, but are responsible for modifying the subject content, mode of delivery, and student response in accordance with an individual student’s educational needs. The principal means of delivering course content is through the use of basic texts and materials. Teaching strategies recommended by the subject-area department and/or program are used. Teachers make appropriate use of the district’s teaching guides, guidelines, and standards.

The preschool special education curriculum is a developmentally based program designed for prekindergartners. This program uses appropriate materials and experiences that challenge children to develop and use capacities that are emerging at their particular developmental stages. The program makes extensive use of speech, occupational, and physical therapists, adaptive physical education teachers, nurses, district counselors, and parent facilitators, as well as other specialized professionals with expertise in specific types of disabilities.

The instructional design, as designated on the student’s IEP, balances a diagnostic/corrective intervention with an experiential interactive approach. Prerequisite skills necessary for success in kindergarten or other appropriate learning environments are emphasized: attentiveness, language and speech development, visual and auditory perception necessary for recognition and discrimination, fine and gross motor skills, socialization, and self-help.

A preschool pupil’s progress is reported through systems of direct contact with parents: home visits, telephone calls, communication booklets, and the IEP process.

The preschool student will:

The preschool curriculum is available from the Special Education Early Childhood Program (SEEC) offices at Dana Center, Rm 201.