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Dear School
Principal/Charter Administrator:
In 1996, the State Board of
Education adopted the Arizona Academic Standards (Standards) in the subject
areas of reading, writing and mathematics. In an effort to receive clear
statewide evidence of whether the Standards have been incorporated into
curricular and instructional practices at the local level, the State Board
of Education and the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, based on the
recommendation of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), is requiring
all charter schools to complete the Declaration of Curricular and
Instructional Alignment to the Arizona Academic Standards (Declarations).
The purpose of the Declarations is to affirm that the central components of
standards-based education are in effect at every level in every school
district and charter school in the State.
The central components
of standards-based education include a curriculum aligned to the Standards,
instructional materials aligned to the Standards and the evaluation of
teachers to ensure that the Standards are integrated into instructional
practices. These components are the organizational foundation for
successful student achievement of the skills and knowledge of the
Standards. The Standards also form the basis of the federal ESEA
Authorization “No Child Left Behind.”
The Declarations consist of
three documents to be signed separately by the local governing body, the
charter school representative (i.e. contract signer) and every school
principal or equivalent. A complete Declaration requires all three
documents to be signed and returned to the ADE and the Arizona State Board
for Charter School’s Office. If a charter
school fails to submit a complete Declaration, the ADE will assume that the
central components (i.e., curriculum, instructional materials and teacher
evaluation systems) are not in effect at that charter school. The ADE will
take advantage of every possible alternative to remedy the situation.
For questions about the
Declarations, please see the Arizona Department of Education website at
http://www.azed.gov/sa/cia/ or
call Teresa Rivera at (602) 364-2335. We are confident you have taken this
opportunity to communicate your school’s accomplishments in implementing a
standards-based education system.
Curricular and Instructional Alignment Declarations
Cheryl J. Lebo, Associate Superintendent
Arizona Department of Education
1535 West Jefferson, Bin #10
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Curricular and Instructional Alignment Declarations
DeAnna Rowe, Executive
Director
Arizona State Board for Charter Schools
1700 W. Washington St., Room 164
Phoenix, AZ 85007
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