Curriculum Overview

The ISD Curricula consists of standards and benchmarks in each core subject areas for grades Pre-K – 12. Using US state and national standards and benchmarks as a starting point, detailed curriculum is written following our 5-Year Curriculum Review Cycle.

ISD uses, among others, the AERO (American Education Reaches Out), National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education as starting points for its curriculum development work. Curriculum is mapped on line, and textbooks are purchased which support the learning goals established by the curriculum.

Standards

Standards are broad statements applicable to grades Pre3-12. They describe what students should know and be able to do by the time they graduate from high school.

Benchmarks

Benchmarks are statements for grade level expectations for student achievement using age-appropriate materials. Benchmarks are organized under standards and mark progress toward achievement of those standards.

Indicators

Indicators are specific learning behaviors that can be taught and that demonstrate student performance in the achievement of a benchmark.

Instruction:

When faculty members write curriculum in a core subject area, they begin by studying the research on “best practices” instruction. From their research they determine what programs and teaching methods will best fit the needs of ISD’s students. There are three instructional processes that have recently been adopted for use at ISD based upon this research: Six Trait Writing Assessment, Four Blocks Language Arts Model and Understanding by Design.