lae.org Instructional Advocacy

Comprehensive Curriculum Timeline

March/April 2004

CC was proposed as a resource for districts that lacked capacity to develop their own.  LAE testified in favor of CC as a resource to provide help with turning the GLE’s into instructional activities and lesson plans.  We specifically warned that if the LDE was not careful to insure that implementation of CC provided flexibility to district and teachers then the CC would create significant problems.  Flexibility was the key.  Mandating teaching the curriculum in a lock-step method was inappropriate.

June 2004

LDE selected grade level teachers, curriculum supervisors, LDE curriculum specialists, and consultants to develop the CC. According to our information the participants believed they were developing an extensive curriculum and set of activities that would be a resource to teachers and school districts.

April 2005

first version of CC was released online and via CD.  LAE reviewed an early copy immediately after release.  It was a huge project full of ideas for teachers to use for effective instruction. LDE began regional meeting to train districts.

Late April or early May 2005

LAE received initial reports that the implementation training indicated that the CC was prescriptive with little or no flexibility granted to districts or teachers.  LAE contacted LDE and received assurances that such reports were erroneous and that districts and teachers had appropriate flexibility.

June 2005

LAE Board Member reported a member had been told that the CC was to be implemented with little or no flexibility.  LAE again contacted LDE and again received assurances that districts and teachers had flexibility in how they implemented the CC.

August 2005

during new hire functions LAE representatives began to hear from across the state (teaches, administrators, district supervisors) that LDE was telling teachers and districts that the CC was to be implemented as printed with little or no flexibility. LAE again contacted the LDE.  This time the message was significantly different.  All activities were to be used and only equivalent substitutions were allowed on a one-for-one basis.

August – September 2005

LAE talked with LDE concerning the need to provide additional flexibility in the implementation of the CC.  LAE testified at the September Special BESE meeting concerning the need to provide relief to districts and teachers in several areas:

1. High Stakes Accountability
2. Highly Qualified Deadlines
3. Comprehensive Curriculum

October 2005

BESE meeting LAE again testified.  Carol Davis, Janet Davis (Monroe), Melinda Mangham (Lafayette), Wayne Free all testified concerning the problems being caused by the inflexible implementation of the CC. Testimony by Rachel Gifford  (Bossier) was also read at the meeting.  BESE instructed the LDE send an email to all Districts clarifying the flexibility in the CC.  Memo sent to Superintendents Oct 25, 2005.