Reports

February 2009 Iowa Core Curriculum Report to the State Board (2009-02-11)

April 2008 Iowa Core Curriculum Report to the State Board (2008-04-04)

November 2006 Model Core Curriculum for Iowa High Schools Report to the State Board (2006-11-01)

Background

History

Work on the Iowa Core Curriculum began in 2005, when the Iowa legislature passed Senate File 245. The Iowa Department of Education collaborated with representative’s from various education stakeholder groups to develop the core curriculum for high school math, science, and literacy.

This work was expanded in 2007, when the Iowa legislature not only passed state mandated standards, but expanded the Iowa Core Curriculum by enacting Senate File 588. This legislation called for the Iowa Core Curriculum to also include grades kindergarten through 8th grade and the additional subject areas of social studies and 21st century learning skills.

The Work
To develop the Iowa Core Curriculum, the Iowa Department of Education convened a Project Lead Team and Work Teams in the content areas of literacy, mathematics, and science.
The charge given to the Project Lead Team was to define and collaborate with subcommittees in identifying the essential content and skills of a world-class core curriculum. The team also was asked to present its findings to the State Board of Education in partial fulfillment of SF 245. The initial phase of the project work focused on the areas of literacy, mathematics, and science.

Important considerations in completing this work included the following:

• The needs of students. These needs include not only legacy content like reading, writing, arithmetic, logical thinking, understanding the writings and ideas of the past, but also those Marc Prensky, author of 'Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants' refers to as future content (2001). The 'future' content is digital and technological, including software, hardware, robotics, nanotechnology, and genomics and the ethics, politics, sociology, and languages that come with them.
• The needs of a changing workforce. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs requiring science, engineering, and technical training will increase by 51 percent between 1998 and 2008, four times faster than overall job growth. By 2008, there will be six million job openings for scientists, engineers, and technicians.
• The need to remain globally competitive. The sheer number of college graduates from other countries will change world dynamics. No longer do students from foreign countries have to come to the U.S. for higher education. No longer with the U.S. have enough engineers and scientists to fill the needs. Other countries will have the numbers that create new ideas, building companies that launch innovations, and produce goods wanted by the world.

The Outcome

• The most critical curriculum in literacy, mathematics, and science has been identified for Iowa educators. This is based upon a review of research and best practice literature; examination of national standards; and information from Iowa Testing Services, the National Assessment of Education Progress, ACT, and the College Board.
• Iowa graduates who know these essential concepts and possess these essential skills should find success in any post-high school endeavor, whether that be in a classroom or the workplace.
• The Iowa Core Curriculum encourages instructional practices that deeply engage students by requiring them to be active learners and critical thinkers who can apply their learning to new and unpredictable situations.
• As a district determines the courses it will accept as part of the 4-3-3-3 graduation requirement, educators are encouraged to review local curriculum to ensure that these skills and concepts are part of the educational program of every graduate.

Background Documents

Characteristics of a World Class Core Curriculum

The Essential Content of a World Class Core Curriculum

Essential Skills of a World Class Core Curriculum