K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in Rhode Island

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See also: K-12 education content standards in the states

This page features information about K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and related statutes in Rhode Island.

Background: What is curriculum development?

See also: K-12 education content standards in the states

State or local education officials develop K-12 curriculum for classroom instruction that generally includes lessons and materials used in a particular course of study.[1] Depending on the state, K-12 curriculum may reflect or incorporate state content standards—educational learning and achievement goals that state education officials either require or recommend that local schools satisfy in K-12 instruction.

K-12 curriculum development in public schools varies across the 50 states. State-level entities (such as state boards of education and state education agency leaders) or local entities (such as school districts and local schools) may play a role in the development and approval of K-12 curriculum.

If a state-level entity is tasked with developing a K-12 curriculum, state statutes or regulations may either require or recommend that local schools or districts use the state-developed curriculum in the classroom. Other states allow local schools or districts to develop their own K-12 curriculum.

K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and related statutes in Rhode Island

The following table provides information about K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and related statutes in Rhode Island as of December 2023. The statutes provided may not be comprehensive. The statutory text is provided below the table.

Rhode Island K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes
State Entity If state-developed, is curriculum recommended or required for local schools? Statute or regulation
Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Required and recommended R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-22-31,
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-22-32


R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-22-31:

“ Curriculum frameworks.


(a)(1) The council on elementary and secondary education (the “council”) shall direct the commissioner of elementary and secondary education (the “commissioner”) to institute a process to develop curriculum frameworks for mathematics, English language arts, science and technology, history and social studies, world languages, and the arts. This process shall:

(i) Be open and consultative;
(ii) Include, but need not be limited to, a culturally and racially diverse group of classroom teachers and students; and
(iii) Include, but need not be limited to, reviewing and revising current frameworks, as well as developing new ones, if deemed appropriate.

(2) The process may include, but need not be limited to, community groups, cultural organizations, parents, teacher preparation programs, and leading college and university figures in both subject matter disciplines and pedagogy....[2]

”

R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-22-32:

“ High quality curriculum and materials.


(6) Any LEA (local education agency) that has at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its students meeting expectations on state assessments and also has no student subgroup identified for targeted assistance under Rhode Island’s accountability process may select and use curricula and materials other than any identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section for that subject area, only; provided, however, that if the LEA no longer has at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its students meeting expectations on state assessments, or if any student subgroup is identified for targeted assistance under Rhode Island’s accountability process, the LEA must select and implement one of the curricula identified by the commissioner pursuant to this section...[2]

”

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Glossary of Education Reform, "Curriculum," accessed July 26, 2022
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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