Big Spring ISD Department of Curriculum provides guidance to the district and campuses in the design and implementation of the curriculum consistent with the curriculum goals and objectives stated by the local Board. The curriculum will include provisions of the state laws and regulations established by the State Board and TEA.  The curriculum will be planned and coordinated to provide a common direction of action for all instruction in the District.  The curriculum is aligned with the state mandated curriculum, the Texas Essential Knowledge of Skills. District-wide curriculum alignment efforts continue as teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade refine the course and grade level curriculum maps to address the skills and concepts knowledge needed on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).   http://www.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/index.html

The curriculum will be designed and delivered on the following premises:

1. All students are capable of achieving excellence in learning the essentials of formal schooling.

2. Success influences self-concept, self-concept influences learning and behavior.

3. The instructional process can be adapted to improve learning.

4. Schools can maximize the learning conditions for all students through clearly stated indicators of performance, high expectations for all students and continuous, appropriate assessment of student learning.

5. Successful student learning must be based on providing appropriate educational experiences at the appropriate level of challenge in order to ensure maximum student achievement. 
    

 The Curriculum and Instructional program of Big Spring ISD has been aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills to meet the needs of our diverse student population and to prepare our students for the 21st century. The curriculum includes state adopted textbooks, appropriate teaching resource materials, and current programs to ensure student success.     

See:  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148 

To view individual curricular subjects visit the following links:

Texas Education Agency  ~ Curriculum Division (combined all indices )

Bilingual/ESL

See District Bilingual/ESL Handbook 

Gifted/Talented

See District G/T Handbook 

Dyslexia

See District Dyslexia Handbook

Title I

See District Title I Handbook 

Big Spring ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, military status or any other basis prohibited by law and is in compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX.                           

Title I, Part A: Helping disadvantaged Children 
Big Spring Schools qualify for supplementary funds designated to help disadvantaged children meet rigorous state standards.   

Title I is designed to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. All schools in Big Spring ISD are classified as School wide. This means that Federal Title I Part A funds are used to serve all students.

Dyslexia 
Phonological awareness, crucial for reading development, is a skill often lacking in students with dyslexia.  Big Spring I.S.D. uses a successful phonolgical program to address student needs.  Students with indications of Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome are tested and provided with colored overlays, if needed.

Accelerated Reading and Math Instruction 
In order to meet the Governor’s challenge that all students be on grade level in reading and math, Big Spring I.S.D. has instituted Accelerated Reading and Math Instruction programs in grades K -5.  Students who are slow in developing the abilities necessary for successful reading and math are identified each year, using TAKS the Texas Primary Reading Inventory data.  Individual campuses have designed programs to meet the needs of their unique student groups.  These plans include additional time for teachers to work with identified students in small groups, targeting the developing concepts and skills with intense, individualized instruction, and/or the infusion of additional materials (i.e. books and educational software) to enhance learning.

Gifted and Talented 
The district’s Gifted and Talented program provides an opportunity for students to receive a curriculum which accelerates, expands, and enriches the regular curriculum in order to meet the needs of the gifted learner.  In the elementary grades, students in the G/T program receive differentiated instruction in their regular classrooms.   In grades 6 -12, G/T classes cover the four core subject areas and students which have been identified are scheduled in various G/T courses.

Career and Technology Education 
Career and Technology Education (CATE) is offered as an “enrichment curriculum” to students of Big Spring I.S.D.  CATE, formerly known as vocational education, allows students to gain career awareness, exploration, and preparation while emphasizing the need for academic skills as well as work place skills and ethics.