RICHMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SY19-20 Program of Studies Update for the Richmond City School Board Presented by: Dr. Tracy Epp, Chief Academic Officer Venue: Richmond City School Board Meeting Date: June 3, 2019 Richmond Public Schools | 301 North 9 th Street | Richmond, VA | www.rvaschools.net
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Background • Each year, RPS develops a Program of Studies that includes the specific courses and academic programs available to students for the upcoming year (course offerings). • In addition to course offerings, the Program of Studies includes information on academic requirements, practices, and policies. • When adopted by the School Board, the Program of Studies becomes the official source of approved courses and other academic information. • As the transcript audit indicated, the RPS Program of Studies over at least the past several years has contained significant errors and was not aligned with our Student Information System (ASPEN). This led to scheduling errors, including students taking non-approved courses. • In partnership with the VDOE, the Administration has been working on a 2019-20 Program of Studies that corrects all past errors and only lists approved courses. 2 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board The Foundation for Scheduling • The VDOE has affirmed the list of courses that RPS can offer in the 2019-20 school year (see Appendix A). • Using this list, our high school and middle school leadership teams are beginning the scheduling process, which includes: o Developing a master schedule; o Using sequencing guidance to determine the appropriate core courses for students given graduation requirements; o Aligning staffing decisions to school-based course offerings; and o Determining student preferences for electives. • Master schedules will be approved by the end of June and student schedules will be finalized this summer. 3 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Finalizing the Program of Studies • In partnership with the VDOE, we are working to finalize a few parts of the Program of Studies: o Course descriptions (including details about state requirements, codes, and prerequisites) o Curricula for honors and local courses (Note: If for any reason, a particular curriculum is not approved by the VDOE, the course cannot be offered in 2019-20. That said, at this point, we do not expect this to occur.) o Sections of the Program of Studies (beyond the course offerings), which provide guidance and information to students and families on RPS academic policies and practices • The final Program of Studies will be presented to the Board no later than August 5. 4 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Key Changes to the Program of Studies 1. Only Approved Courses – The Program of Studies now only includes classes that have been affirmed as acceptable by the VODE. In addition, it provides clarity on how these courses align with graduation requirements. 2. Accurate and Detailed Course Information – The Program of Studies now includes much more detailed – and accurate – information about courses, included the correct codes, prerequisites, and more. 3. Sample Course Sequencing – The Program of Studies now includes sample course sequencing to facilitate more strategic and more accurate scheduling at the local school level. 4. New User-Friendly Features – The Program of Studies now has a new, more user-friendly layout for course descriptions, and it includes clearer language about important academic policies. 5. Improved CTE Offerings – The Program of Studies now includes additional Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses to increase opportunities for our students to learn skills that will prepare them for employment after graduation. 6. Improved English Language Learner and Exceptional Education Offerings – The Program of Studies now includes courses that will provide more robust support for students across the spectrum of English language acquisition, and for students who are earning an Applied Studies Diploma. 5 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Change 1: Only Approved Courses Our process was designed to ensure that all courses offered are worthy of students’ time, align to graduation requirements, and meet all School Board and VDOE requirements. • First, we reviewed all courses that had been offered in recent years and assessed them against state and national standards to create an draft list. We then provided this initial list to our schools for feedback, including a process for teachers and principals to • submit requests for locally-developed courses. We then provided this list to our Curriculum Task Force (per Board Policy), comprised of Department Chairs, • Instructional Specialists, and the Director of Curriculum & Instruction. The Task force then submitted their recommendations to the Chief Academic Officer for initial approval. • We then developed course descriptions and recommended course sequences (for each content area) to facilitate more strategic and more accurate scheduling. Finally, we submitted the course list and descriptions (and, in some cases, related curricula) to the VDOE for • review and feedback. While all course titles have been affirmed by the VDOE, we are still receiving and responding to feedback on course descriptions and curricula in some cases. 6 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Change 2: Accurate and Detailed Course Information Course Title, SCED Code, and Virginia Assignment Code Standardized language for each course’s VDOE-verified course prerequisites, available verified credit, descriptions weight (where appropriate), and graduation requirements. 7 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Change 3: Sample Course Sequencing 8 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Change 4: New User-Friendly Features From the Transcript Audit, we learned that our students and families need more clarity on graduation requirements and the pathways that are available to reach post-secondary goals. As a result, we have streamlined the Program of Studies to include the following sections: • Introductory Information Includes reorganized content providing clarity on graduation requirements, with special attention to: 1) ○ how verified credits are earned; 2) the differences between graduation requirements for students in different cohorts; 3) the special programs within RPS schools (e.g., IB, ECA, Summer Residential Governor’s Schools, etc.); and 4) alternative education offerings. • Course Offerings Lists the courses that will be available in 2019-20 by content and program area, including state- ○ approved courses, local courses, honors and advanced courses, CTE courses, etc. • New Addendum: Academic Policy and Procedures Provides detail on grading practices, guidance and counseling services, student support programs, ○ student activities and eligibility, and more. Note: This section is still in development. A working group of school staff and parents will assist with its ○ completion over the summer. 9 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Change 5: New CTE Offerings • Renewable Energy • Energy and Power • Cybersecurity Fundamentals • Cybersecurity in Marketing • Medical Coding and Billing I and II • Hotel Management and Operations • Software Engineering Essentials • Engineering Practicum • Aerospace Technology II • Other higher-level courses eligible for college dual enrollment credits 10 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
SY19-20 Program of Studies: Update for the Richmond City School Board Change 6: Improved ELL and Exceptional Education Offerings English Language Learner Offerings • The Program of Studies now identifies a clear path to graduation for English Language Learner students, no matter their English level upon joining RPS. Courses have also been designed to support students alongside core content to ensure students never have another “no credit” year. Exceptional Education Offerings • The Applied Studies Diploma is available to students who complete the requirements of their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) as well as other VA Board of Education requirements, but who do not meet the requirements for a Standard or Advanced Diploma. The Applied Studies Diploma consists of six domains (English, Mathematics, Science, History and Social Science, Employment, and Independent Living) that outline skills and competencies that IEP teams can use to modify instruction to assist students with meeting their postsecondary goals. • Aligned courses now allow students with disabilities a more structured pathway to earn the Applied Studies Diploma. Courses also now allow for more flexible post graduate experiences. In addition, local elective courses are now aligned to the VDOE-approved Applied Studies Curriculum Map. Finally, we increased the number and variety of these local elective courses. 11 Richmond Public Schools | June 3, 2019
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