Program development, including both program renewal and program restructuring, can be a useful process in times of change. Because the American educational system is anticipating one of the greatest shifts in some time with the impending Common Core Standards, schools nationwide are developing programs of study across the curriculum.
KSDE has provided schools with a transition timeline to help district with program development:
In a four-phrase process, districts are asked to maintain use of the state standards through the 2014-2015 school year as state assessments incorporate an escalating number of questions to target items from the new standards.
Textbook publishers are also gearing up for change in hopes to support districts with program development. Pearson Education, for instance, redesigned their website to publicize the “unmatched rigor” of their new programs:
The process a district chooses to take, however, should vary according to the needs and supports they have available. Have they continually performed well in recent assessments? Does the district need improvement in specific areas? Can the current curriculum be modified to meet the new standards, or would the district be best served to begin at square one?
Regardless of the selected approach, a district will need to provide supports to assist in the collaborative effort of program development. Staff will need a clear understanding of any major changes in the standards. Teachers will need time to collaborate as they attempt to address these changes. A clear timeline, such as the one provided by the state, will also ease the process and hold individuals accountable as the district works to develop its programs of study.
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