EHAA - BASIC INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM: REQUIRED INSTRUCTION (ALL LEVELS)

PURPOSE

A primary purpose of the public school curriculum is to prepare thoughtful, active citizens who understand the importance of patriotism and can function productively in a free enterprise society with appreciation for the basic democratic values of our state and national heritage. The School shall foster the continuation of the tradition of teaching United States and Texas history and the free enterprise system in regular subject matter, in reading courses, and in the adoption of textbooks.

Education Code 28.002(h)

As a condition of accreditation, the School shall provide instruction in the essential knowledge and skills at appropriate grade levels.

Education Code 28.002(c)

The School shall ensure that all children in the School participate actively in a balanced curriculum designed to meet individual needs.

Education Code 28.002(g)

Instruction may be provided in a variety of arrangements and settings, including mixed-age programs designed to permit flexible learning arrangements for developmentally appropriate instruction for all student populations to support student attainment of course and grade-level standards.

19 TAC 74.2

REQUIRED CURRICULUM

The School shall offer, as a required curriculum, a foundation curriculum, and an enrichment curriculum.

FOUNDATION CURRICULUM

The foundation curriculum shall include all of the following:

  1. English language arts.
  2. Mathematics.
  3. Science.
  4. Social studies, which consists of history, government, and geography of Texas, the United States, and the world.
  5. Spanish language arts and English as a Second Language

The School may add elements at its discretion but must not delete or omit instruction in the foundation curriculum specified above.

Education Code 28.002(a)(1); 19 TAC 74.1(b)

ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM

The enrichment curriculum shall include all of the following:

  1. Languages other than English, to the extent possible.
  2. Health.
  3. Physical Education.
  4. Fine arts.
  5. Economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits.
  6. Career and technology education.
  7. Technology applications.

Education Code 28.002(a); 19 TAC 74.1(c)

The School may offer courses for local credit, at its discretion, in addition to those in the required curriculum, but it may not delete or omit instruction in the foundation and enrichment curricula specified above.

Education Code 28.004(f); 19 TAC 74.1(b)

EXPANDED CORE CURRICULUM

The Expanded Core Curriculum shall be used as a framework for assessing, planning individual goals and providing instruction to TSBVI students. The expanded core curriculum shall include all of the following:

  1. Compensatory or functional academic skills, including communication modes.

    This area of the Expanded Core Curriculum shall include learning experiences such as concept development, spatial understanding, study and organizational skills, speaking and listening skills, and adaptations necessary for accessing all areas of the existing core curriculum. TSBVI students shall receive Instruction based on communication needs, which will vary, depending on degree of functional vision, effects of additional disabilities, and the task to be done. Students may use braille, large print, print with the use of optical devices, regular print, tactile symbols, a calendar system, sign language, and/or recorded materials to communicate.
  2. Orientation and Mobility
  3. Social interaction Skills
  4. Independent Living Skills
  5. Recreation and Leisure Skills
  6. Career Education
  7. Use of Assistive Technology
  8. Visual Efficiency Skills
  9. Self-Determination

LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

The School's local instructional plan may draw on state curriculum frameworks and program standards as appropriate. The School is encouraged to exceed minimum requirements of law and State Board rule.

Education Code 28.002(g)

COORDINATED HEALTH PROGRAMS

TEA shall make available to the School one or more coordinated health programs or allow the development of School programs designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes in elementary, middle, and junior high school students. Each program must provide for coordinating:

  1. Health education;
  2. Physical education and physical activity;
  3. Nutrition services; and
  4. Parental involvement.

Education Code 38.013; 19 TAC 102.1031(a)

The School shall participate in appropriate training to implement TEA’s coordinated health program and shall implement the program in each elementary, middle, and junior high school in the School.

Education Code 38.014

Coordinated school health programs that are developed by the School and that meet TEA criteria may be approved and made available as approved programs. The School must use materials that are proven effective, such as TEA-approved textbooks or materials developed by nationally recognized and/or government-approved entities. 19 TAC 102.1031(c)

CLASSIFICATION FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The School shall classify students for physical education on the basis of health into one of the following categories:

  1. Unrestricted-not limited in activities.
  2. Restricted-excludes the more vigorous activities. Restricted classification is of two types:
  3. Permanent-A member of the healing arts licensed to practice in Texas shall provide written documentation to the school as to the nature of the impairment and the expectations for physical activity for the student.
  4. Temporary-Students may be restricted from physical activity of the physical education class. A member of the healing arts licensed to practice in Texas shall provide written documentation to the school as to the nature of the temporary impairment and the expected amount of time for recovery. During recovery time, the student shall continue to learn the concepts of the lessons but shall not actively participate in the skill demonstration.
  5. Adapted and remedial-specific activities prescribed or prohibited for students as directed by a member of the healing arts licensed to practice in Texas.

19 TAC 74.31

SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Board shall establish a local school health advisory council to assist the School in ensuring that local community values and health issues are reflected in the School's health education instruction.

DUTIES

The council's duties include recommending:

  1. The number of hours of instruction to be provided in health education;
  2. Curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes through coordination of health education, physical education, and physical activity, nutrition services, parental involvement, and instruction to prevent the use of tobacco;
  3. Appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality instruction; and
  4. Strategies for integrating the curriculum components specified by item 2, above, with the following elements in a coordinated school health program:
    1. School health services;
    2. Counseling and guidance services;
    3. A safe and healthy school environment; and
    4. School employee wellness.

CONTENT OF HUMAN SEXUALITY INSTRUCTION

Any instruction relating to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) shall be selected by the Board with the advice of the local school health education advisory council. The instruction must:

  1. Present abstinence as the preferred choice of behavior for unmarried persons of school age;
  2. Devote more attention to abstinence than to any other behavior;
  3. Emphasize that abstinence is the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, infection with HIV or AIDS, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;
  4. Direct adolescents to a standard of behavior in which abstinence before marriage is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, infection with HIV or AIDS; and
  5. Teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates, if instruction on contraception and condoms is included in the curriculum.

CONDOMS

The School may not distribute condoms in connection with instruction relating to human sexuality.

SEPARATE CLASSES

If the School provides human sexuality instruction, it may separate students according to sex for instructional purposes.

NOTICE TO PARENTS

The School shall notify a parent of each student enrolled in the district of the basic content of the district's human sexuality instruction and of the parent's right to remove the student from any part of that instruction.

AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS

The School shall make all curriculum materials used in human sexuality instruction available for reasonable public inspection.

Education Code 28.004

STEROID NOTICE AND EDUCATION

The School shall, at appropriate grade levels as determined by the State Board of Education, provide to students involved in extracurricular athletic activities information developed by TEA regarding the use of anabolic steroids and the health risks involved with such use.

Education Code 38.0081(b)

The School shall post in a conspicuous location in the school gymnasium and each other place in a building where physical education classes are conducted a notice regarding steroids, using the text set forth at Education Code 38.008.

Education Code 38.008

Adopted: 11/13/81

Amended: 9/21/84, 1/29/93, 1/26/96, 3/21/97, 5/28/03, 1/28/05, 9/22/06, 11/16/07

Reviewed:

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