§2923.  Curriculum development and alignment

A.  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop middle and high school curricula that are aligned with state content standards, embed twenty-first century work skills, and provide students with the opportunity to enroll in rigorous career-focused programs of study in high-demand, high-wage, high-skill career fields that are aligned with workforce demands, future employment opportunities, and regional and state economic development priorities.

B.  The board shall align the curriculum for the middle grades with high school readiness standards and redesign the eighth and ninth grade curriculum to ensure that students who are unprepared for a rigorous high school curriculum can successfully complete high school graduation requirements.  Such curriculum revisions shall specifically provide for strategies and targeted support to reduce the number of students leaving eighth grade underprepared for high school coursework which may include flexible scheduling, catch-up classes in mathematics and reading/language arts, student mentoring, and career exploration classes.

Acts 2009, No. 257, §1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 861, §8.