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3000 SERIES
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TABLE OF CONTENTS |
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3000 Mission Statement
3010 Curriculum Development 3020 Accreditation 3030 Equal Educational Opportunities 3040 Protection Against Sex Discrimination – TITLE IX 3100 School Calendar 3110 School Improvement Teams 3120 Class Size 3200 Planning for Instruction 3210 Teaching Methods 3220 Academic Freedom 3230 Religion in the Schools 3240 Moment of Silence 3250 Public Display of Flag 3260 Homework 3300 Instructional Media and Equipment 3310 Selection and Reconsideration of Instructional Material 3320 Provision and Selection of Textbooks 3330 Parental Review of Instructional Materials 3310-E Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Material Request for Review of Building-Level Recommendation 3340 Copyrighted Materials 3340-R Duplication of Copyrighted Materials 3350 Student Acceptable Use 3360 Electronic Information Security 3400 Instruction of English Language Learners 3410 Education of Students With Disabilities 3420 Section 504/ADA Policy 3430 Education for Academically or Intellectually Gifted Students 3440 Summer School 3450 Homeless Students 3460 Home School and Non-Public School Students 3500 Vocational and Technical Education 3510 Healthful Living Education 3515 School Wellness Policy 3520 Drug and Alcohol Education 3530 Driver Education 3540 Advanced Placement Courses 3550 Concurrent Enrollment in Community Colleges/Technical Institutes 3555 Correspondence Courses 3560 Field Trips 3560-R School-Sponsored Field Trip Regulations 3570 Cost of School Activities to Students 3600 Student Promotion and Accountability 3600-R Local Promotion Standards Grades K - 8 3610 Graduation Requirements 3610-R Graduation and Promotion Requirements Grades 9 - 12 3620 Grading / Progress Reports 3630 Graduation Exercises 3640 Early Graduation 3640-R Early Graduation Application 3650 Class Ranking and Weighted Courses 3700 Testing CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT The Cleveland County Board of Education is committed to providing a curriculum that will enable its students to achieve the instructional goals set forth in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, State Board of Education policy, local board policy, and applicable state law. The curriculum shall contain all courses required by state law and the State Board of Education and shall provide for the needs of all students. All formal course offerings in the instructional program shall be approved by the board and shall conform to the course requirements established by the State Board of Education and the State Department of Public Instruction. In addition, the board encourages and supports the professional staff in their efforts to investigate new curricular ideas, develop improved programs, and evaluate results. ACCREDITATION The Cleveland County Board of Education encourages its staff to work toward attaining and continuing accreditation of the school system by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-12(9), -36, -47; N.C. State Board of Education Policy HSP-B-000 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES It is the policy of the Cleveland County Board of Education not to discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, sex, marital status, religion or handicapping conditions in its educational programs and activities. Complaints or grievances regarding this policy may be addressed in accordance with the student grievance policy. Grievances regarding alleged sexual harassment may be raised according to the procedures outlined in the sexual harassment policy. This policy shall be included in the school system’s parent/student handbook and in staff handbooks prepared at each school. LEGAL REF: Civil Rights Acts of 1866, 1964, 1970 and 1971; Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; Equal Pay Act of 1963; Executive Order 11246; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973; 20 U.S.C. § 1703; 34 C.F.R. Part 106; G.S. 115C-367; G.S. 126-16 ADOPTED: May 22, 2006 PROTECTION AGAINST SEX DISCRIMINATION – TITLE IX It is the policy of the Cleveland County Board of Education not to discriminate against anyone on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities, in admission to its educational programs or activities, or in employment policies and practices, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title IX may be directed to the Title IX Coordinator or to OCR. The Title IX Coordinator is the assistant superintendent or his/her designee and may be reached at: Dr. Linda Hopper, Assistant Superintendent OCR may be reached at: District of Columbia Office Grievances or complaints regarding this policy may be addressed in accordance with the employee grievance policy. Grievances regarding alleged sexual harassment may be raised according to the procedures outlined in the sexual harassment policy. This policy shall be included in the school system’s parent/student handbook and in staff handbooks prepared at each school. LEGAL REF: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, 20 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq.; 34 C.F.R. Part 106. ADOPTED: May 22, 2006 SCHOOL CALENDAR The Cleveland County Board of Education annually will establish a school calendar in accordance with law that shall provide a minimum of 180 days and 1,000 hours of instruction covering at least nine calendar months. The board will consult with parents and school personnel in the development of the school calendar. The number of hours in an instructional day does not have to be uniform among the schools in the district. The board may approve school improvement plans that include days with varying amounts of instructional time, so long as the minimum number of total instructional hours is met or exceeded. Instructional time is defined as that time during which students are assigned to a teacher for the primary purpose of instruction. Instruction is any activity that leads toward the mastery of specific educational goals and objectives of the Cleveland County Schools’ curriculum. Activities such as homeroom, pep rallies, lunch, recess, etc., may not be counted as a part of required minimum instructional time. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-47(11), -84.2; N.C. State Board of Education Policy HSP-G-001 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAMS The principal of each school shall establish a school improvement team in accordance with state law, State Board of Education policy, and Department of Public Instruction guidelines. The school improvement team shall be comprised of: the principal; representatives from the assistant principals, instructional personnel, instructional support personnel and teacher assistants assigned to the school; and parents of children enrolled in the school. Schools shall encourage parental participation so that parent representatives reflect the racial and socioeconomic composition of the students enrolled in the school. Likewise, schools should make every effort to ensure that the staff members elected to the school improvement team represent a variety of grade levels and/or subject areas. The school improvement team in each school community shall develop a school improvement plan. This team takes responsibility for assessing the current program and needs at the school, designing strategies for improving student performance, planning necessary staff development, using available resources to implement changes, planning for safe schools and healthy students, communicating decisions to the community, and continually evaluating the results of its decisions and the effectiveness of the school improvement plan. School improvement plans shall be submitted to the Cleveland County Board of Education for acceptance or rejection as provided by statute. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-47(38), -105.27, -288(l) ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 CLASS SIZE The Cleveland County Board of Education adheres to statutory and regulatory class size requirements and teacher-pupil ratios. If class size will exceed these limits, the principal shall promptly notify the superintendent or designee. Within budgetary limitations, class sizes shall be kept as small as possible. The board may request waivers of class size requirements as allowed by law. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-47(10), -301 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION Teachers shall develop instructional plans that lead toward student achievement in accordance with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, curriculum guides, the board’s curricular goals, and other standards and guidelines of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. Planning shall include pacing guides containing annual and unit plans. Each teacher will prepare daily lesson plans that are based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and applicable curriculum and instructional guides developed by the school district. The following criteria should be followed regarding lesson plans: 1. Daily lesson plans should be accessible to the principal. 2. Detailed daily lesson plans shall be provided for substitutes. 3. When planning lessons, teachers must consider: a. specific outcomes and objectives which relate to the curriculum b. planned activities, instructional strategies and special materials c. activities to address individual student needs d. assessment/evaluation criteria e. evidence of curriculum alignment and continuity of the instructional program Principals shall facilitate cooperative planning among teachers for integration of content and for continuity in students’ educational experience and ensure that teachers plan effectively to meet the needs of each student. Principals are responsible for ensuring that instructional plans are developed and prepared in accordance with this policy. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36, -288, -307 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 TEACHING METHODS Teaching methods utilized in the Cleveland County Schools shall reflect best practices in instruction as validated by research. It shall be the responsibility of the instructional staff to stay abreast of the research concerning teaching methods that will be useful to the achievement of the goals and objectives in the curricular program of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the instructional goals stated in board policy. It shall be the responsibility of teachers to participate in available professional development opportunities that will assist them in utilizing effective teaching practices. It shall be the responsibility of each principal to ensure that teachers follow and teach to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and other standards and guidelines of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36, -300, -307 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 ACADEMIC FREEDOM The Cleveland County Board of Education supports academic freedom for students and teachers, while recognizing that academic freedom in the public schools involves considerations which are not always equally present in a college or university setting. Students should have the opportunity to learn, to reach their own decisions and beliefs about conflicting points of view, and to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to arrive at these independent conclusions. Teachers should be able to pursue the search for knowledge in their field of expertise. Teachers must take into account the relative maturity of their students and the need for guidance and help in studying the issues and arriving at balanced views. Care shall be taken not inhibit the dignity, the personality, or the intellectual expression of students. Statements made or materials used in the classroom must serve a valid educational purpose related to the curriculum. Teachers are expected to follow the required curriculum and use required curriculum and instructional guides. Teachers should not attempt to use the classroom as a forum for the expression of personal views. The age, intelligence, and experience of students will be important considerations in determining the appropriateness of materials presented. Teachers shall obtain prior approval from the principal before introducing controversial topics or unorthodox classroom activities which deviate from established curriculum. Principals must approve all outside speakers in advance. Use of outside speakers shall comply with this policy. The principal, as the instructional leader of the school, is responsible for encouraging academic freedom as a means for students and teachers to be actively engaged in the learning process. The principal also is responsible for ensuring that academic freedom is practiced in accordance with the guidelines in this policy. The administration should implement this policy with sensitivity to the values and needs of the school community. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36, -47 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 RELIGION IN THE SCHOOLS Teachers and other staff members shall incorporate the highest standards of honesty, integrity and morality in all of their teaching, counseling and other contacts with students. Because there may be students of many religious faiths, convictions and beliefs enrolled in the Cleveland County Schools, it is especially important that all school staff members be sensitive to the freedom of religion and other constitutional rights of all students. The First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution have been interpreted to require that public schools allow the free exercise of religion and avoid endorsing or supporting religion generally or any particular religious belief. As noted below, these guarantees allow students and staff freedom to exercise their religious beliefs, so long as they do not disrupt school or impose their beliefs upon others. The First Amendment also allows discussions in the classroom of religious thoughts and customs, so long as the discussions are presented as part of a religiously neutral program of education. School administrators and teachers must avoid promoting religion in school-sponsored activities. The following procedures on religion and religious practices in the schools are provided in order to avoid infringement of individual rights and to set forth the board’s position concerning certain religious issues: 1. Teachers may include religion’s role in appropriate subjects in the curriculum, such as literature, history, the humanities, and the arts. Teachers shall use fairness and objectivity when teaching about religion and shall not promote or disparage a particular religion. 2. The board and school personnel will take into account the possible effects of religious holidays on school attendance when planning school calendars. When possible, examinations and other major events will not be scheduled on such holidays. 3. Students who miss school for reasons of sincerely held religious belief will be given an opportunity to make up school work without penalty. 4. School personnel will give careful consideration to written requests from parents that students be excused from activities that the parents deem objectionable on religious grounds. If such a request is approved by the principal, an alternative activity will be provided for the student. 5. The use of religious symbols and music as part of a religious holiday, such as Christmas or Hanukkah, is permitted as a teaching aid or resource. Symbols that are displayed as an example of the cultural and religious heritage of the holiday are to be used on a temporary basis. 6. Music, art, literature, and drama related to religious holidays may be studied and performed in programs if they are presented in an objective and neutral manner as a tradition of the cultural heritage of the particular holiday 7. The secular teaching about religions and about the history and practice of religion is permitted. The teaching of patriotic, historic, and literary documents having religious references embedded in them is permitted. Students shall be permitted to express religious themes through their natural artistic talents. Religion classes that are historical survey courses and offer an elective credit in social studies are permitted as part of the high school curriculum. 8. Religious books, including Bibles, or religious symbols may not be given to students as an award for achievement and may not be generally distributed by religious groups to students at school. 9. During the school day, students may read religious materials, discuss religious issues among themselves and engage in voluntary prayer among themselves, except when they are involved with their classroom work or other school activities, as long as such activity does not infringe on the rights of others or interfere in any way with the school program and as long as such activity is not organized or promoted by school staff. 10. School personnel may read religious materials, including the Bible, pray on their free time, engage in voluntary discussions with other staff members about religious issues, and carry or wear religious symbols when on duty at school, as long as it does not interfere with their work. 11. Principals and other administrative personnel should be sensitive to and show respect for religious beliefs held by other employees and students. In dealing with religious issues, they should do so in a manner that will not show or imply favor or disfavor with an employee’s or student’s religious beliefs. 12. Counseling of students or informal discussions with students by school personnel shall neither infringe on students’ religious beliefs nor seek to indoctrinate students in the particular religious beliefs of the individual. 13. In scheduling speakers for classes and school assembly programs, schools may select motivational speakers; however, speakers should not proselytize or advocate a particular religious creed. 14. At school functions, such as graduation exercises, PTO/PTA meetings and other school programs, individuals should be sensitive to the beliefs of others. At no time shall any religious belief, or any system denying or objecting to religious beliefs, be advanced or disparaged. The school system and its employees shall not conduct, sponsor, or endorse any form of religious indoctrination or exercise, including prayer, at school functions. 15. The school system may not sponsor a baccalaureate service. The baccalaureate service is traditionally religious in nature and should be a voluntary service and not a required part of graduation exercises. 16. If any school permits access to outside groups at school, the school principal will allow participation and access of other groups to extent required by constitutional, federal, and state laws and regulations. LEGAL REF: U.S. Constitution, Amendment I; G.S. 115C-36, -47; N.C.A.G. Reports, Vol. 41, No. 4, p. 802; 20 U.S.C. § 4071; P.L. 103-141 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 MOMENT OF SILENCE The Cleveland County Board of Education authorizes the observance of a moment of silence at the beginning of each day in all grades in the school system. The moment of silence may not exceed one minute in length, and must be completely unstructured and free of guidance or influence of any kind from any source. No other activity will be allowed during that time. The principal or designee will communicate, using an appropriate medium, the beginning and end of the moment of silence. No other remarks shall be made during the moment of silence. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-47(29) ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 PUBLIC DISPLAY OF FLAG When available, the United States and North Carolina flags shall be displayed in each classroom. Flags will be displayed in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and executive orders. Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance shall be scheduled on a daily basis. Students shall receive age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historic origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. No one shall be compelled to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-47(29a); 4 U.S.C. § 4 et seq. ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 HOMEWORK The Cleveland County Board of Education recognizes that out-of-school assignments and home study can be effective means of developing school-home relations and the acceptance of shared responsibility for the student’s education. Such assignments should be made with care, keeping in mind the maturity levels of students, their total growth and development needs, the demands on their time for non-school activities, and the availability of the materials and resources that may be needed to complete the homework assignment. Homework shall be a part of the instructional experiences of each student. Homework is a purposeful continuation or extension of the instructional program to be accomplished by the student outside of the regular class. The teacher shall carefully plan and periodically evaluate homework regarding its purpose, appropriateness, and timeliness. Homework assigned as a form of assessment shall be an extension of skills and objectives already taught or introduced to students. Students should be encouraged to read for pleasure and to engage in other appropriate learning experiences outside school hours. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA AND EQUIPMENT The Cleveland County Board of Education realizes that meeting the needs of its students depends upon the availability of a wide variety of instructional materials, supplies and equipment. Better motivation, higher student interest, and broader methods of presentation will result from the use of a variety of instructional media. The board is committed to making adequate provisions for the purchase, storage and distribution of such materials. The administration is responsible for developing and implementing the necessary rules and regulations to carry out an orderly system of selecting and discarding instructional materials, supplies and equipment. In consultation with instructional staff, the superintendent shall develop and maintain a plan for the utilization of technology to support the achievement of the instructional goals of the Cleveland County Board of Education, including projections for the purchase of instructional equipment. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -518, -522 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 SELECTION AND RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL Instructional materials include library materials and any other type of print or non-print media used in the classroom and/or library to implement the instructional program. “Instructional material” means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of format, including printed or representational materials, audio-visual materials and materials in electronic or digital formats, including materials accessible through the Internet. “Instructional material” does not include academic tests or academic assessments. A. Selection of Instructional Materials 1. Philosophy Instructional materials shall be chosen according to the educational needs and interests of students. Materials shall not be excluded because of the race, nationality, or creed of the author, producer or composer, or because of the ideological, political or religious viewpoint expressed in the material. Efforts will be made to provide materials that present varying points of view concerning the problems and issues of our time – international, national, and local. Materials of sound authority shall not be prescribed or removed from library shelves because of doctrinal approval or disapproval. Censorship of material should be avoided in order to maintain the school’s responsibility to provide information and educational enlightenment. 2. Objectives of Selection In order to assure that the school media program is an integral part of the education program of the school, the following selection objectives are adopted: a. To provide materials to enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the individual needs and the varied interests, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, learning styles, and maturity levels of the pupils served. b. To provide materials to stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards. c. To provide a background of information to enable students to make intelligent judgments and to sharpen their critical evaluation skills. d. To provide materials presenting opposing sides of issues so that students may develop the practice of critical thinking and of critical analysis of all media. e.To provide material representative of the diversity of our American heritage. f.To select material of the highest quality to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users. g.To provide materials that develop a positive image of men and women free of gender bias. 3.Media Advisory Committees Each school shall have in place at all times a building-level Media Advisory Committee whose responsibility it is to assist the media personnel in the selection process and the school-level challenge of materials. This committee shall be appointed by the principal in consultation with the media coordinator and chaired by the media coordinator. It shall consist of: teachers representing all subjects and/or grade levels at least 1 student (at middle and high school levels) at least 1 parent Under the leadership of professional media personnel, this group sets priorities for resources to be acquired based on school wide objectives and on strengths and weaknesses in the existing collection. The committee also will be informed of the budget allocated for purchasing media in order to make the wisest choices possible. This committee is also the first level of response to any challenge of resources within the school. Final decisions for purchase of instructional materials for media centers rest with the professional media personnel with the approval of the school principal. 4.Criteria for the Selection of Instructional Materials a.The Media Advisory Committee will analyze printed and non-printed materials and evaluate them critically using the objectives listed in Section 2 above. b.When the teacher individually selects materials for instructional use, the teacher shall also select them using the objectives listed in Section 2. c.Materials utilized by visitors to classrooms for instructional presentations should be selected in terms of the objectives in Section 2. Challenges of materials will be judged in terms of these objectives as well. d.Selection of library materials shall be based on the individual needs of each school based on the interest and abilities of students, taking into consideration the curriculum and the present media collection. 5.The Selection and Maintenance Process In selecting instructional materials and maintaining the media collection, school media professionals, assisted by the Media Advisory Committee will: a.evaluate the existing collection; b.assess curricular needs; c.examine materials; d.consult reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids; e.make recommendations to the principal advising purchase of new instructional materials; f.provide a list upon request (subject to deletions and additions) of supplementary materials to be used in classrooms; g.judge gift items and classroom collection purchases by standard selection criteria; h.weed continuously those items that are outdated or no longer relevant to the curriculum; and i.purchase replacements for worn, damaged or missing resources basic to the collection. B. Reconsideration of Instructional Materials 1.Statement of Principles on Reconsideration of Instructional Materials Despite the quality of the selection process, the care taken in the process, and the qualifications of persons selecting the resources, occasional objections to instructional materials may be made. The Cleveland County Board of Education supports principles of intellectual freedom inherent in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and expressed in the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association and the Students’ Right to Read of the National Council of Teachers of English. 2.Procedure following a Complaint If the complaint cannot be resolved informally between the complainant, the principal, the media coordinator, and the teacher, the following formal steps will be taken: a.The principal or designee will provide the complainant with a copy of this policy and a REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL form. s form must be filled out and returned to the school principal by the complainant before any consideration is given. b.The principal shall keep challenged material in use during the review period and no material shall be withdrawn or made unavailable to students whose parents do not object as a result of any such request. c.If the complainant seeks to excuse only his/her child from use of the challenged material, the principal shall make a decision based on consideration of the basis of the parent’s objection, the availability of curriculum alternatives, and the degree to which the requested change would significantly disrupt the educational program or place a substantial burden on instructional staff. d.If the complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the principal and/or seeks to remove the challenged material from school use, the complainant may submit an appeal to the school-level Media Advisory Committee. The school-level Media Advisory Committee will: read, view or listen to the material in its entirety; survey reviews of the material in professional reviewing sources; determine the extent to which the material supports the curriculum and the selection criteria; weigh the merits against the alleged weaknesses, considering the whole item instead of isolated passages or portions; and provide a written report of the committee’s decision to the principal and the media supervisor; review the complainant’s objections to the challenged materials; use checklist for school media advisory committee; and retain or withdraw the challenged item upon completion of this process. e.The principal will notify the complainant in writing of the Media Advisory Committee’s decision. A copy of the report will be filed in the principal’s office. f.If the complainant is not satisfied with the committee’s decision, he/she may file a REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF BUILDING-LEVEL RECOMMENDATION with the school principal within fifteen (15) days of notification of the building-level decision. 3.Procedure Following a Challenge to a Building-Level Recommendation a.Upon receiving a completed REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF BUILDING-LEVEL RECOMMENDATION, the principal shall inform the superintendent that a formal complaint has been received. b.The board, upon notification from the superintendent that a review of a building-level decision has been requested, may create a system level Media Advisory Reconsideration Committee if one does not exist. The committee should consist of: the superintendent or designee; the media supervisor; a media coordinator and/or teacher from each level of school within the system; a principal from each level of school within the system; a parent/community member from each level of school within the system; a parent from the school from which the challenge originates; and at least 1 high school student. The chair of this committee should be appointed by the board. c.The Media Advisory Reconsideration Committee will re-examine all documentation from the original reconsideration decision and prepare a written report of the findings and recommendation directed to the superintendent and the board. Specifically, the members of the committee will: review the report of the building-level committee; read, view, or listen to the material in its entirety; check general acceptance of the material by reading reviews and consulting recommended lists from reputable agencies; record and consider any statement or explanation requested of the complainant; and review the objections of the complainant as stated in the Request for Review of the building-level recommendation form. d.The board will decide whether to continue using the challenged material based upon the considerations outlined in this policy, the statement of findings by the Media Advisory Reconsideration Committee, and other legitimate educational factors. e.The board shall, at all times, have sole authority and discretion to determine whether a challenge has merit and whether challenged materials should be retained or removed. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36, - 45, - 98 ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL Please complete and return to the principal Title: Specify type of media by item: book, video, etc. (please explain): ______________________________________________________________________________ Author:_________________________________________________________________________ Publisher/producer:_______________________________________________________________ Request initiated by:___________________________ Phone: ___________________ Address: ________________________ Zip Code:_______________ Complainant represents: ________________________ (self) ___________________________________________ (organization) ___________________________________________ (identify other group) Relationship to school: 1. To what in the item do you object? (Please be specific; cite pages, frames, etc.) ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. What do you feel might be the result of a student’s reading/viewing/listening to this item? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. For what age group would you recommend this item? ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Is there anything good about this item? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Did you read/view/listen to the entire item?___________________________________________ If not, what parts did you read/view/listen to? ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. Are you aware of the evaluation of this item by authoritative sources? ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. What do you believe is the theme or purpose of this item? _______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 8. What would you like the school to do about this item? __________ Do not assign this item to my child. Withdraw this item from use at this school. Other (specify) __________________________________________________________________ 9. Are there other school library materials of the same format and subject that you would like to recommend? ___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _________________________________ Signature of Complainant Date REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF BUILDING-LEVEL RECOMMENDATION
Name of person making request_________________________________________ Telephone____________ Address_________________________________________________________________________________ Complainant represents: _____ himself/herself or ____ organization (Name of organization: _____________________________________________________________________) Are you a parent or guardian of a student in this school system? ____Child’s grade level _____ Name of school owning the item to be reconsidered____________________________________ Title of item___________________________________________ Format_________________ (Please complete separate form for each individual title to be reconsidered) (book, video, etc.) Author/artist/composer, etc.__________________________________________________________________ Publisher/producer_______________________________________________ Copyright date_____________ Yes ______ No ______ What aspects of the decision are you requesting be reviewed?______________________________________ Do you have additional comments or information about the resource that you did not include on the building level Request for Reconsideration form? Yes__________________________ No__________ If yes, please include: _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________-_______ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________ _______________ Signature of Complainant Date PROVISION AND SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS Provision of Textbooks Selection of Textbooks 1. Alignment of content with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study 2. Readability level of the content 3. Content’s integration with other subject areas From the school-level committee, one person per grade level for the core academic subjects and/or one person per other subject area shall be chosen to represent the school at a system-wide committee meeting for textbook selection. There shall be one system-wide committee for the selection of elementary school (K-5) textbooks. The system-wide committee shall choose a consistent adoption for the core academic subjects at each grade level and for other subject areas, based on the above criteria. If the system-wide committee does not reach a consensus for selection, the superintendent or designee will make the final decision from among the committee’s narrowed choices. For middle and high school (6-12) textbooks, there shall be one system-wide committee for each academic subject area. The system-wide committees are encouraged to recommend a consistent adoption based on the above criteria. However, if the system-wide committee does not reach a consensus for a single selection, the school-level committee for each school may choose from among the committee’s narrowed choices. Textbooks may be selected from the adoptions made by the State Textbook Commission, or the board may approve the selection of textbooks that have not been adopted by the State Board of Education, as permitted by law. Supplementary Books and Materials PARENTAL REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS A parent or legal guardian of a student or an eligible student (any student 18 years of age or older or an emancipated minor) shall be allowed to inspect and review any instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum for the student. Requests to review instructional materials should be made to the teacher or school principal. Parents, guardians, and eligible students will be provided with reasonable access to the materials within a reasonable period of time after the request is received by the teacher or principal. “Instructional material” means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of format, including printed or representational materials, audio-visual materials and materials in electronic or digital formats, including materials accessible through the Internet. “Instructional material” does not include academic tests or academic assessments. Notification of the rights of parents, guardians and eligible students under this policy shall be placed in the student/parent handbook and distributed at the beginning of each school year. Notice will be provided to parents, guardians, and eligible students regarding any revision made to this policy during the school year. The superintendent may develop administrative regulations to implement this policy. LEGAL REF: 20 U.S.C.§ 1232h ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS The Cleveland County Board of Education expects all employees and students to comply with all copyright laws and regulations and copyright guidelines established by the superintendent. Federal copyright law makes it illegal for anyone to duplicate copyrighted materials whether in audio, visual, printed or electronic format. Severe penalties are provided for unauthorized duplication of copyrighted materials outside the boundaries of “Fair Use” as defined by federal copyright law. In addition, employees and students who knowingly violate copyright law or board policy are subject to disciplinary action. The superintendent or designee shall develop and distribute guidelines for duplication of copyrighted materials which are congruent with provisions of federal law. LEGAL REF: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -308; Federal Copyright Laws; U.S. Copyright Office Circular 21; Copyright in an Electronic Environment, Department of Public Instruction ADOPTED: June 13, 2005 DUPLICATION OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS I. Fair Use A. The copyright law makes it illegal for anyone to duplicate copyrighted materials whether in audio, visual, or printed form. Severe penalties are provided for unauthorized copying outside the bounds of "fair use." Fair use applies to reproduction for such purposes as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. The following four standards of fair use must be satisfied: 1. The purpose and character of the use. The use must be for such purpose as face to face teaching or scholarship and must be nonprofit. "Fair use" might allow teachers acting on their own to copy small portions of a work for the classroom, but will not allow a school system or institution to do so. 2. The nature of the copyrighted work. Copying from a consumable workbook designed for a course of study would not be considered fair use. 3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the whole. Copying the whole of a work would not be considered fair use; copying a small portion may be considered fair use. However, a quantitative test is not enough. For example, extracting a short sequence from a videocassette may be different than using a short excerpt from a textbook, because two minutes out of a 20-minute film may be the very essence of that production. 4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. If resulting economic loss to the copyright holder can be shown, making a single copy of certain materials would result in penalties. Making multiple copies would result in greater penalties. B. Changing the form of copyrighted materials from one format to another is a violation of the copyright act. (i.e. film to videotape, videotape to DVD, cassette to CD-ROM) C. Anytime that materials are copied, permission should be requested from the copyright holder, even if materials copied fall under the fair use standard. Whenever the criteria for reproducing materials through fair use cannot be met, then it is necessary to obtain written permission from the copyright owner. Permission to copy must include: 1. Title, author and/or editor, and edition of material to be duplicated 2. Exact material to be used, giving amount, page numbers, chapters and if possible, a photocopy of the materials 3. Number of copies to be made 4. Use to be made of duplicated materials 5. Form of distribution (classroom, newsletter, etc.) 6. Whether or not the material is to be sold 7. Type of reproduction (photocopy, scanning to .pdf, etc.) II. Copying Guidelines for Printed Matter Certain kinds of documents may be copied without restriction. Published works that were never copyrighted, works whose copyrights have expired, works in the public domain, and US Government publications may be copied at the discretion of the user. Under certain guidelines, reproduction of copyrighted material for educational and scholarly use is permitted for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, and is not an infringement of copyright. A. A single copy of the following may be made by a teacher for scholarly research, use in teaching, or in preparing to teach: 1. A chapter from a book 2. An article from a newspaper or periodical 3. A short story, short essay, or poem 4. A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon, or picture from a book, periodical or newspaper B. Multiple copies (not to exceed one copy per student in a course) may be made by a teacher for classroom use or discussion, provided the copying meets the following standards: 1. Brevity: a. Poetry: A complete poem if less than 250 words and if printed on not more than two pages, or from a longer poem, an excerpt of not more than 250 words. b. Prose: A completed article, story or essay of less than 2,500 words, or an excerpt of not more than 1,000 words or 10% of the work. c. Illustration: one chart, graph, diagram, drawing, carton or picture per book or periodical issue. 2. Spontaneity: a. The copying is at the instance and inspiration of the teacher. b. The time between the decision to use the work and the use of the material for maximum teaching effectiveness is so close that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a permission request. 3. Cumulative effect: a. The copying of the materials is for only one course in the school in which the copies are made. b. Not more than one short item or two excerpts may be copied from the same author, nor more than three from the same collective work or periodical issue during one class term. c. There shall not be more than nine instances of multiple copying for one course during one class term. 4. Each copy includes a notice of copyright. C. Prohibitions: 1. Copying to create, replace or substitute for anthologies, compilations or collective works. 2. Copying of or from works intended to be “consumable” in the course of study or teaching, such as workbooks, exercises, standardized tests, answer sheets and like material. 3. Copying to substitute for the purchase of copyrighted materials. 4. Copying at the direction of higher authority. 5. Copying of the same item by the same teacher from term to term. 6. Charging students beyond the actual cost of photocopying. III. Copyright Guidelines for Educational Use of Music Materials A. Permissible uses: 1. Emergency copying to replace purchased copies which for any reason are not available for an imminent performance provided purchased replacement copies shall be substituted in due course. 2. For academic purposes other than performance, single or multiple copies of excerpts of works may be made, provided that the excerpts do not comprise a part of the whole which would constitute a performable unit such as a section, movement or aria, but in no case more than 10 percent of the whole work. The number of copies shall not exceed one copy per pupil. 3. Printed copies which have been purchased may be edited or simplified provided that the fundamental character of the work is not distorted or the lyrics, if any, altered or lyrics added if none exist. 4. A single copy of recordings of performances by students may be made for evaluation or rehearsal purposes and may be retained by the educational institution or individual teacher. 5. A single copy of a sound recording (such as a tape, compact disc, or cassette of copyrighted music may be made from sound recordings owned by an educational institution or an individual teacher for the purpose of constructing aural exercise or examinations and may be retained by the educational institution or individual teacher. (This pertains only to the copyright of the music itself and not to any copyright which may exist in the sound recording.) B. Prohibitions: 1. Copying to create, replace or substitute for anthologies, compilations, or collective works. 2. Copying of or from works intended to be "consumable" in the course of study or teaching such as workbooks, exercises, standardized tests, answer sheets, and like material. 3. Copying for the purpose of performance, except as mentioned above. 4. Copying for the purpose of substituting for the purchase of music, except as above. 5. Copying without inclusion of the copyright notice which appears on the printed copy. IV. Guidelines for Videocassette Use A. School Television Programs All series airing on the School Television schedule have copyright clearance for the public schools in North Carolina. The Copyright status appears on series fact sheet in the catalogue, SCHOOL TELEVISION TODAY. The series fall into one of two copyright categories: Unlimited Use designates a series that is owned by the Department of Public Instruction; programs in the series may be taped off-air and retained indefinitely. Designated Time Period Use designates a series that may be taped off-air and retained on tape for as long as that series airs on the School Television schedule. School personnel are notified when the tapes are to be erased. B. Commercial Television Broadcasts The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has no copyright jurisdiction over programs not airing on the School Television schedule. Off-air television broadcasts (not cable programs) may be recorded for educational purposes under the following guidelines: 1. A broadcast may be recorded simultaneously with the broadcast transmission and retained for a period of 45 calendar days after the date of recording. Upon conclusion of the retention period, all off-air recordings must be erased or destroyed. 2. Off-air recordings may be used once by individual teachers in the course of relevant teaching activities, and it may be repeated only once when instructional reinforcement is necessary in the classrooms and similar places during the first 10 school days after the recording. 3. Off-air recordings may be made only at the request of and used by individual teachers, and may not be regularly recorded in anticipation of requests. No program may be recorded more than one time regardless of the number of times it is broadcast. 4. A limited number of copies may be reproduced from each recording to meet the legitimate needs of teachers under these guidelines. Each such copy shall be subject to all provisions governing the original off-air recording. 5. After the first ten consecutive school days, the only use that can be made of the recording is teacher evaluation. This evaluation is to be used to determine the likelihood of using programs in the series or in purchasing a copy of the program. 6. Off-air recordings need not be used in their entirety. The sequence of use must follow the order of the program and the recording may not be altered. 7. All copies of off-air recordings must include the copyright notice on the broadcast program as recorded. 8. Each school shall maintain a record of teacher requests for recording of broadcast programs, the dates and programs recorded, the dates shown, and the dates of destruction of the recordings. C. Privately Purchased or Rented Video Tapes 1. Privately purchased videos are sold with a home use only agreement, not with audience rights. 2. Videotapes rented to individuals are rented under an agreement that they be used for home use only and may not be shown at school. D. Public Broadcasting System Many programs and series presently distributed by PBS through its member stations include 7-Day School Rerecord Rights whose criterion are slightly different than those for the 10-Day Fair Use. The 7-Day School Rerecord rights allow the following: 1. Programs may be recorded without a prior request from a teacher and may be recorded and exhibited each time a program is broadcast. 2. Only a single copy of the program can be recorded by an educational institution and that copy cannot be duplicated. 3. The program can be retained for a total of 7 consecutive days following its broadcast, each time it is broadcast, but must be erased at the end of the 7-day period. 4. Teachers may exhibit the program as often as needed during the 7-day period. Teachers should check to see which guidelines apply to a particular program before recording. V. Guidelines for Computer Programs The owner of a copy of a computer program may make another copy of the program provided: A. That such a copy is created as an essential step in the utilization of the computer program in conjunction with a machine and is used in no other manner; or B. That such a copy is for archival purposes only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the event that continued possession of the computer program should cease to be rightful. VI. Guidelines for Multimedia Copyrighted works may be used in multimedia productions under the fair use exemption under these guidelines: A. The opening screen of the program and any printed materials must include a notice that the presentation has been prepared under the fair use exemption of U.S. copyright law and is restricted from further use. Fair use ends when the multi-media creator loses control of his or her product’s use which results in broader dissemination, such as when it is accessed by others over the Internet. B. Teachers may claim fair use for their own productions, provided the productions are: 1. For face-to-face instruction 2. Demonstrations of how to create multimedia productions 3. Presented at conferences, but copies may not be shared 4. For remote instruction as long as the distribution signal is limited 5. Kept for only 2 years. C. Students may retain multimedia productions using properly credited copyrighted works in their portfolios as examples of their academic work. D. No more than two (2) copies of an original production may be made. Only one copy may be placed on reserve for others to use for instructional purposes, and an additional copy may be made for preservation purposes. Permission is required for duplication or distribution exceeding these guidelines. E. Multimedia creators must credit sources and must display copyright notice and ownership information if shown in the original source. F. Portion guidelines: 1. Text: same guidelines as for printed materials 2. Illustrations a. A photograph or illustration may be used in its entirety b. No more than 5 images of an artist’s or photographer’s work c. No more than 15 images from or 10% of a collection, whichever is less 3. Music a. Up to 10% of a copyrighted musical composition or sound recording, but no more than 30 seconds b. Any alterations cannot change the basic melody or fundamental character of the work 4. Motion Media a. Up to 10% of a copyrighted work or 3 minutes, whichever is less b. The clip cannot be altered in any way. G. Internet resources may contain both copyrighted and public domain works. Permission should be obtained for use of internet resources. Students and teachers should be aware that copyright concerns may arise from including links to other Internet sites within a website they develop. STUDENT ACCEPTABLE USE It is the objective of the Cleveland County Board of Education to make appropriate electronic information resources available to students to assist in furthering educational goals and to provide for efficient school-related communication. This policy will govern the use of Cleveland County Schools electronic information resources and defines students’ proper conduct and responsibilities while using any Cleveland County Schools electronic information resources. Electronic information resources are defined as all computer equipment, including any desktop or laptop computers or other hardware, that is owned or leased by the school system; e-mail accounts; the Cleveland County Schools computer network; and any computer software licensed to the Cleveland County Schools. The Cleveland County Schools provides Internet access to students as an educational resource. Families are warned that some sites or pages accessible via the Internet contain material that is offensive, illegal, sexually explicit or discriminatory. In accordance with federal law, the school system uses appropriate measures, including the use of advanced software for Internet content filtering and has procedures in place where necessary to further block accessibility to language and visual depictions that are obscene, lewd, pornographic, or harmful to minors. Although it is the intent of the board that school system electronic information resources be used only to pursue educational goals and objectives, filters may not block all offensive material and/or students may find ways to access inappropriate materials. The board believes that the benefits to students from access to the Internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities for communication and collaboration, exceed any disadvantages; but ultimately, parents and legal guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the behaviors that their child should follow when using media and information resources. To that end, the board supports and respects each family’s right to decide whether or not to deny their child’s Internet access. Students are granted access to the Internet automatically. However, Internet access is considered a privilege and may be revoked at any time by school administration. Parents or legal guardians may deny access to their child at any time through completion of a Parental Request to Deny Access Form. School administrators and staff are responsible for enforcing this policy for all students in the school which they supervise. District level technology services personnel are responsible for the use, implementation, and monitoring of Internet content filtering software. Administrators and staff must supervise student use of electronic information resources in a manner that is appropriate to the students’ age and the circumstances of use. Appropriate Use All students are expected to exercise good judgment, use the computer resources in an appropriate manner and adhere to this policy and all applicable laws and regulations. Individual users of the Internet are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. Student use of electronic information resources is expected to be related to educational goals and objectives. The board recognizes, however, that some personal use is inevitable. Incidental and occasional personal use that is infrequent or brief in duration is permitted so long as it occurs on personal time, does not interfere with any school function or activity, and is not otherwise prohibited by board policy or procedures. Software Software is licensed to the Cleveland County Schools by a large number of vendors and may have specific license restrictions regarding copying or using a particular program. Users must obtain permission from the Chief Technology Officer or designee prior to copying or loading school system software onto any computer, whether the computer is privately owned or is a Cleveland County Schools computer. The use of non-Cleveland County Schools software on any school system computers (including laptops, desktops, and the network) is discouraged. Prior to loading any software, a student user must receive express permission from the Chief Technology Officer or designee. The use of such software will be subject to any restrictions imposed by the Chief Technology Officer or designee. All software must be legally licensed by the user or the Cleveland County Schools prior to loading onto school system equipment. The unauthorized use of and/or copying of software is illegal. The Cleveland County Schools network may not be used for downloading entertainment software or other files not related to the mission and objectives of the board. This prohibition pertains to freeware, shareware, copyrighted commercial and non-commercial software, and all other forms of software and files not directly related to the instructional and administrative purposes of the Cleveland County Schools. Prohibited Uses a. Commercial Use: Using school system computers for personal or private gain, personal business, or commercial advantage is prohibited. b. Political Use: Using school system computers to advocate, directly or indirectly, for or against legislation, a ballot proposition and/or the election of any person to any office is prohibited. c. Illegal or Inappropriate Use: Using school system computers for illegal, harassing, vandalizing, or inappropriate purposes, or in support of such activities, is prohibited. Illegal activities are any violations of federal, state, or local laws and include, but are not limited to, copyright infringement and/or illegal file sharing; committing fraud; threatening another person; or intentionally engaging in communications for the purpose of abusing, annoying, threatening, terrifying, harassing, or embarrassing another person. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, slurs, comments, jokes, innuendoes, unwelcome compliments, cartoons, visual depictions, pranks, or verbal conduct relating to an individual that (1) have the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment; (2) have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or school performance, or (3) interfere with school operations. Vandalism is any attempt to harm or destroy the operating system, hardware, application software, or data. Inappropriate use is any violation of other provisions of this policy and includes, but is not limited to, using another person’s ID or password; plagiarizing; accessing, producing, storing, posting, sending, displaying, or viewing inappropriate or offensive material, including pornographic, obscene, discriminatory, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, disrespectful, or sexually suggestive language or images, or images of exposed private body parts; and accessing material advocating illegal acts or violence, including hate literature. d. Unauthorized Use: School system computers may only be used by staff and students, and others expressly authorized by the Chief Technology Officer or designee to use the equipment. e. Disruptive Use: School system computers may not be used to interfere with or disrupt other users, services, or equipment. Disruptions include, but are not limited to, distribution of unsolicited advertising (“spam”), propagation of computer viruses, distribution of large quantities of information that may overwhelm the system (chain letters, network games, or broadcasting messages), and any unauthorized access to or destruction of school system computers or other resources accessible through the network (“cracking” or “hacking”). Disruptive use may also be considered inappropriate and/or illegal. The following are considered disruptions and are also prohibited: posting personal or private information about the user or other people on the Internet; arranging or agreeing to meet with someone the user has met on-line for purposes other than an authorized educational purpose; attempting to gain unauthorized access to the Cleveland County Schools network; posting information that could be disrupting, cause damage, or endanger students or staff; and accessing chat-rooms or instant messaging software, unless for a valid educational purpose. This policy is applicable to all student users of Cleveland County Schools computers and refers to all electronic information resources whether individually controlled, shared, stand alone, or networked. Disciplinary action, if any, for students and other users shall be consistent with board policies and practices, including the Code of Student Conduct. Violations may constitute cause for revocation of access privileges, suspension of access to school system computers, other disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action. Specific disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Cleveland County Schools electronic information resources | ||||