Policy 6143 - Courses of Study

Courses of Study

Elementary Schools The Board of Education recognizes that a well-articulated sequence of courses fosters academic progress and makes the best possible use of instructional time. The Board shall adopt a course of study for elementary grades which sufficiently prepares students for the secondary school course of study required by state law. The Superintendent or designee shall inform the Board of any changes in secondary school curriculum and shall solicit ways to expand or improve students' preparation for secondary education.

Secondary Schools

The Board of Education shall adopt district-wide courses of study which respond to student needs, conform with district graduation requirements, and prepare students for higher educational opportunities. Courses of study shall also give students the opportunity to attain skills appropriate for entry-level employment in business and industry upon graduation from high school.

Representatives of secondary schools shall work with elementary school representatives to ensure smooth transitions for students between the schools.

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that all otherwise qualified students have a timely opportunity, within the four years before graduation, to enroll in each course required for admission to California public colleges and universities.

The district shall offer all otherwise qualified students in secondary grades a course of study that, upon graduation from high school, prepares them to meet the requirements and prerequisites for admission to California public colleges and universities and/or attain entry-level employment skills in business or industry.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop a process by which courses are submitted to the University of California (UC) for review and certification in order to meet university admission criteria. He/she shall maintain an accurate list of all current district high school courses that have been so certified and shall ensure that the list is provided annually to each student in grades 9-12 and that updated lists are made readily available.

At the beginning of each school year, the Superintendent or designee shall provide written notice to parents/guardians of students in grades 9-12 that, to the extent possible, shall not exceed one page in length and that includes all of the following:

1. A brief explanation of the college admission requirements
2. A list of the current UC and California State University (CSU) web sites that help students and their families learn about college admission requirements and that list high school courses that have been certified by UC as satisfying the requirements for admission to UC and CSU
3. A brief description of what career technical education is, as defined by the California Department of Education (CDE)
4. The internet address for the portion of the web site of the CDE where students can learn more about career technical education
5. Information about how students may meet with school counselors to help them choose courses that will meet college admission requirements and/or enroll in career technical education courses

Rule 6143

Courses of study for grades 1 through 6 shall include the following:

1. English: speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting, composition; knowledge and appreciation of language and literature
2. 2. Mathematics: concepts, operational skills, problem solving
3. Social sciences: age-appropriate materials drawn from anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology, with instruction in:
   1. The history, resources, development and government of California and the United States, including:
      1. Early California history
      2. The role and contributions of both men and women, black Americans, American Indians, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Island people and other ethnic groups to the economic, political and social development of California and the nation, with particular emphasis on the role of these groups in contemporary society.
   2. The development of the American economic system, including the role of the entrepreneur and labor unions
   3. The individual's relation to human and natural environments
   4. Eastern and western cultures and civilizations
   5. Contemporary issues
   6. The protection, conservation and wise use of natural resources, including the necessity for protecting the environment
4. Science, including biological and physical sciences, with emphasis on experimental inquiry and humanity's place in ecological systems
5. Fine arts, including art and music, with emphasis on creative expression and the development of aesthetic appreciation
6. Health: individual, family and community health principles and practices, including:
   1. Personal and public safety and accident prevention, with instruction in emergency first aid, hemorrhage control, treatment for poisoning, resuscitation techniques, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation when appropriate equipment is available
   2. Fire prevention
   3. Venereal disease
   4. The effects of alcohol, narcotics, drugs and tobacco upon the human body
7. Physical education, with emphasis on activities conducive to health and vigor of body and mind
8. Career awareness exploration

Courses of study for grades 7-12 shall include the following:

1. Foreign language(s) -- understanding, speaking, reading and writing, beginning not later than grade 9
2. AIDS and AIDS prevention Upon request, a student may be exempted from the parenting skills and education class if he/she satisfactorily demonstrates mastery of the course content.
3. Career guidance designed to help students select a future sequence of courses relevant to their career desires and needs
4. English: speaking, reading, listening, knowledge and appreciation of literature, language and composition
5. Mathematics, including instruction designed to develop mathematical understandings, operational skills and insight into problem-solving procedures; algebra
6. Social sciences: age-appropriate materials drawn from anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology, with instruction in:
   1. The history, resources, development and government of California and the United States, including:
      1. Early California history, and the role and contributions of both men and women, black Americans, American Indians, Mexicans, Asians, Pacific Island people and other ethnic groups to the economic, political and social development of California and the nation, with particular emphasis on the role of these groups in contemporary society
      2. World War II and the American role in that war and the Vietnam War, including the “Secret War” in Laos and role of Southeast Asians in that war
   2. b. The American legal system, the operation of the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, and the rights and duties of citizens under the criminal and civil law and the state and federal constitutions
   3. c. The development of the American economic system, including the role of the entrepreneur and labor
   4. The individual's relations to human and natural environments, including the protection, conservation and wise use of resources and the necessity for protecting the environment
   5. e. Eastern and western cultures and civilizations
   6. f. Human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the Holocaust
   7. Contemporary issues
   8. The protection, conservation and wise use of natural resources, including the necessity for protecting the environment
7. 7. Science, including physical and biological sciences, with emphasis on basic concepts, theories and processes of scientific investigation and on humanity's place in ecological systems, and with appropriate applications of the interrelation and interdependence of the sciences
8. Fine arts, including art, music or drama, with emphasis upon development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression
9. Applied arts, including instruction in consumer and homemaking education, industrial arts, general business education or general agriculture
10. Personal and public safety and accident prevention, including instruction in:
    1. a. Emergency first aid, hemorrhage control, treatment for poisoning resuscitation techniques, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation when appropriate equipment is available
    2. Fire prevention
    3. Venereal disease
    4. AIDS and AIDS prevention
    5. The effects of alcohol, narcotics, drugs and tobacco upon the human body and upon prenatal development
11. Physical education, with emphasis on activities conducive to health and vigor of body and mind
12. Career-technical/vocational-technical education designed to prepare youth for gainful employment and/or further acquisition of technical skills in institutions of higher education
13. Automobile driver education, including instruction in:
    1. Vehicle Code provisions and other relevant state laws
    2. Proper acceptance of personal responsibility in traffic
    3. Appreciation of the causes, seriousness and consequences of traffic accidents
    4. Knowledge and attitudes necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles
    5. The safe operation of motorcycles
    6. The dangers involved in consuming alcohol or drugs in connection with the operation of a motor vehicle
    7. The rights and duties of a motorist pertaining to pedestrians and the rights and duties of pedestrians pertaining to traffic laws and traffic safety.