The basic instruction program shall include the courses required for each grade level by the Iowa Department of Education. The instructional approach will be gender fair and multicultural.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in kindergarten shall be designed to develop healthy emotional and social habits, language arts and communication skills, the capacity to complete individual tasks, character education, and the ability to protect and increase physical well-being with attention given to experiences relating to the development of life skills and human growth and development.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in grades one through six shall include English-language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, health, human growth and development, physical education, traffic safety, music, visual art, and computer science. Computer science will be offered during at least one grade level.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in grades seven and eight shall include English-language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, health, human growth and development, family and consumer, career-technology education, physical education, music, visual art, and computer science. Computer science will be offered during at least one grade level.
The basic instruction program of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve shall include English-language arts (6 units), social studies (5 units), mathematics (6 units), science (5 units), health (1 unit), physical education (1 unit), fine arts (3 units), foreign language (4 units), financial literacy (1/2 unit), vocational education (12 units), and computer science (1/2 unit).
The board may, in its discretion, offer additional courses in the instruction program for any grade level.
Each instructional program shall be carefully planned for optimal benefit taking into consideration the financial condition of the school district and other factors deemed relevant by the board or superintendent. Each instructional program's plan should describe the program, its goals, the effective materials, the activities, and the method for student evaluation.
It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations stating the required courses and optional courses for kindergarten, grades one through six, grades seven and eight, and grades nine through twelve.
Approved: 7-1-92
Reviewed: 02-14-95, 01-12-98, 12-11-00, 01-12-04, 02-13-08, 12-14-09, 5-8-17
Revised: 12-13-22
