Little Rock, AK

48 Pages·2013·0.25 MB·English

High School Curriculum Catalog
Little Rock School District
2013-2014

Central High School
Hall High School
Hamilton High School Learning Academy
J. A. Fair Magnet High School
McClellan Magnet High School
Parkview Magnet High School
Accelerated Learning Center
Metropolitan Career and Technical Center

Little Rock School District
Instructional Resource Center
3001 S. Pulaski St.
Little Rock, AR 72206
501/447-3320
www.lrsd.org
The High School Curriculum Catalog

Master Schedule Requirements
The high school courses; their descriptions, prerequisites, and credit; the course numbering
system, and the policies in this High School Curriculum Catalog have all been approved by the
Board of Education.

Only the approved courses, course numbers, course abbreviations, course titles, grade
placements, prerequisites, and credits for each specific school listed in this catalog are to be
used in the scheduling of students into high school courses. If school personnel need additional
course numbers to facilitate scheduling, they may request them from the appropriate Associate
Superintendent. In no case may a school simply add its own numbers or modify the title and
abbreviations of numbers already assigned to courses or use courses not listed at their own
school.

Guidelines for Decisions
The following guidelines are appropriate in making decisions relating to the courses to be taught
in any high school:

1. All courses required for graduation must be taught annually.

2. Pre-AP and AP courses are major priorities for the LRSD, and all available such
courses must at least be offered to the students and taught if at all possible. The
goal is to increase the numbers of all of our students, especially African Americans,
enrolled in one or more advanced course each year.

3. If there are at least 15 LEP students enrolled for a specific course, a special section
of LEP-only students may be established. Otherwise, no more than seven LEP
students should be scheduled into any one heterogeneous/ mainstreamed class. In
all cases involving the four core subject areas, the teachers of LEP students must be
ESL-endorsed or trained.

4. Schools are strongly encouraged not to attempt to teach more than one level of any
course in the same period and classroom. The only exemptions to be considered
would be upper-level foreign language courses (no more than two consecutive levels
not to include level 1 in one class) and in some special education courses where
class size is small and instruction is individualized.

5. Advanced science courses (e.g., AP Physics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP
Environmental Science) may be taught every other year if class size is an issue. If a
school must do that, however, staff must be certain that students are informed in
advance so that they can plan accordingly.

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Ensuring Curriculum Integrity
A major responsibility of schools is to ensure “curriculum integrity.” In other words, courses are
what we say they are. If the course is entitled “Algebra I,” then regardless of the teacher, the
course content is the same and students receive not only the same quality of instruction, but the
same quantity. Dedicated implementation of our curriculum maps and careful advising and
scheduling help us maintain consistency among all our high schools.

Curriculum mapping is the vehicle used to help ensure curriculum integrity by standardizing the
core curriculum in math, literacy, science, and social studies across all schools. These master
maps integrate essential questions that reflect enduring understanding of the content: both
interim and anchor assessments that are aligned to the essential questions and serve as the
evidence of understanding; and practical, innovative strategies and resources to meet the needs
of our diverse student population. Our maps are living documents and serve as the road map
that will guide instruction, establish high levels of rigor and relevance, and assess learning.

Careful work done in the spring semester in advising and scheduling students prevents
multitudes of problems in the fall when school starts. The goal of every high school should be to
complete the master schedule before August check-in of students so that instruction can begin
on the very first day of school. Once school has begun, there should be only minimal class
changes to balance classes and to accommodate newly enrolled students. In only the rarest of
circumstances should any schedule change occur after the tenth class day. (School staff
should review Policy ID and ID-R on Student Schedules.)

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Little Rock School District IKF

GENERAL EDUCATION GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The Little Rock School District Board of Education believes that students should graduate from high
school possessing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed for responsible citizenship, life-long
learning, and productive employment in our modern economy. Programs for post-secondary preparation
will be available to equip students for the advanced training that will be needed for the work of the 21st
century. The Little Rock School District will be responsible for providing the educational opportunities and
experiences that will enable our students to take full advantage of post-secondary education and
employment opportunities available to them after graduation.

The District shares with the state of Arkansas the commitment to ensure all students have access to a
rigorous curriculum. The District’s general graduation requirements meet the State’s adopted Smart
Core or Core Curriculum.

Diploma-Earning Options
A student may earn a diploma from a Little Rock School District high school in one of four ways. Each
has different requirements and different numbers of required units of credit.
1. Diploma from any of the five high schools for completion of the required 26 units.
2. Diploma from any of the five high schools for completion of the Little Rock Scholars curriculum of 28
units, including at least eight Pre-Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement, and/or International
Baccalaureate courses.
3. Diploma earned at the Accelerated Learning Center for completion of the 22 units required by the
State of Arkansas.
4. Diploma with waived or altered requirements established by an Individual Education Program (IEP)
team for a student identified with disabilities.

Even though the graduation requirements may be changed by the Board of Education during the time a
student is enrolled in high school, the requirements established for a student’s graduation class
(assuming graduation in four years of high school) are those he/she must meet, even though he/she may
require more than four years to earn the necessary number of units.

Transfer Students
All transfer students must meet the graduation requirements of the Little Rock School District in order to
receive a diploma. The LRSD high schools will accept transfer credits, grades and grade placement for
students who previously attended Arkansas high schools that are accredited by the Arkansas Department
of Education (See JE for additional information).

Students who transfer into a Little Rock School District high school from a home school or an
unaccredited high school must attend at least the final two semesters in order to receive a high school
diploma (see IKED and IKED-R) and must attend at least four semesters to be eligible for rank-in-class
(See IKC-R).

Foreign Exchange students who complete the senior year in good standing may, at the discretion of the
principal, participate in the graduation ceremony.

Requirement to Attend School for a Full Day
Act 675 of 2003 requires students in grades nine through twelve (9-12) to schedule and attend a full
school day. Students must enroll in no fewer than three hundred fifty (350) minutes of planned
instructional time each day as a requirement for graduation. Students may be assigned to no more than
one (1) block each year or one-half block each semester for study hall or organized tutoring. Enrollment
and attendance in vocational-education training courses, college courses, and school work programs may
be used to satisfy the requirement of the law.

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LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT NEPN CODE: IKF

(continued)

Enrollment and attendance at a post-secondary institution by an eligible student for credit shall be
counted by the high school at the following rate:

Number of college credits Credit toward the required
(semester hours) 30-hour week
1 3
2 6
3 9
4 12
5 15
6 18
7 21
8 24
9 27
10 30

ADE Seal
In order to receive the ADE Seal, students must complete the state’s recommended core curriculum with
a minimum grade point average of 2.75 (See Standards for Accreditation 14.01 and 14.02).

Magnet Program Seal
Students who participate in the District’s high school magnet programs may meet the magnet curriculum
requirements through completion of the designated Career Focus courses established for each magnet.
In order to receive a Magnet Seal, magnet students must complete all the requirements of the magnet
program. Students transferring into a magnet program after the freshman year may earn a diploma from
that high school, but they will not earn the Magnet Seal.

Arkansas Scholars Seal (privately sponsored)
Arkansas Scholars, a program of the Arkansas Business & Education Alliance, is a partnership between
the District and the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee. Many local businesses
have agreed to recognize the achievement of Arkansas Scholars status as a symbol of high quality
education. A special Arkansas Scholars seal will be affixed to the diploma and transcript of a student who
meets the following standards established by the Arkansas Scholars program:
1. Earn a grade of “C” or above in all courses.
2. Achieve a 95 percent or better attendance record for each of the four years of high school.
3. Complete high school in eight consecutive semesters.
4. Complete successfully at least three units in science, three units in mathematics, three units of
social studies, and four units in English.

Honors Diploma Seal
1. A special Honors Seal will be affixed to the diploma and transcript of a student who meets the
following standards: Completes the units required for the Little Rock Scholars curriculum, which
includes and goes beyond the requirements of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating
Board for unconditional admission to any public two-year or four-year institution of higher
education in Arkansas and which includes, but goes beyond, the requirements for eligibility for the
Arkansas Challenge Scholarship. The Little Rock Scholars curriculum also reflects the admission
requirements of the most competitive universities in the United States of America.
2. The Little Rock Scholars curriculum requires the successful completion of any combination of at
least eight Pre-Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement, and/or International Baccalaureate
courses over a four-year period. Other approved dual-credit courses offered to LRSD students
in collaboration with area colleges/universities may also be substituted for the Pre-AP, AP, or IB
requirements.
3. Earns a grade-point-average of at least 3.5.
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LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT NEPN CODE: IKF

(continued)

Students designated for valedictory or salutatory recognition must have completed the Little Rock
Scholars curriculum.

Recognition of Graduates
Each high school may design its own traditions to commend and celebrate the achievements of the
following sets of graduates:
1. The valedictorian and salutatorian;
2. Students earning an overall average of 3.5 or above;
3. Students earning Magnet Program, Arkansas Scholars, Little Rock Scholars, and/or Honors
Diploma Seals;
4. Members of the National Honor Society or similar honors organization;
5. Scholarship recipients;
6. Students with perfect attendance throughout high school; and
7. Students whose other achievements are worthy of special recognition.

Participation in Graduation Ceremony
In order to be a participant in the graduation ceremony, the student must be within one unit of completing
the graduation requirements and must have enrolled in and paid the tuition, if applicable, for the one-half
or one unit to be taken in summer school (or, alternately, in another approved credit-earning program).
All high school students and their parents will be informed in writing of this expectation when course lists
and graduation requirements are published for the spring registration process.

Principals will make a determination of potential graduates at the end of the junior year and each quarter
of the students’ senior year and inform students and their parents immediately if it is determined that the
student is in danger of not graduating. Such students will be advised of all the appropriate credit-earning
options, including, but not limited to, evening high school, summer programs, credit recovery,
correspondence courses, online courses, and placement at the Accelerated Learning Center.

Award of Diploma
The award of the high school diploma will not be made until all graduation requirements are met.

SMART CORE CURRICULUM AND GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLASS OF
2013-14 AND ALL CLASSES THEREAFTER

The number of units students must earn to be eligible for high school graduation is to be earned from the
following categories. A minimum of 22 units is required for graduation for students participating in either
the Smart Core or Core curriculum. In addition to the 22 units required for graduation by the Arkansas
Department of Education, the Little Rock School District requires 4 additional units to graduate for a total
of 26 units. The additional required 4 units may be taken from any electives offered by the district. There
are some distinctions made between Smart Core units and Graduation units. Not all units earned toward
graduation necessarily apply to Smart Core requirements.

Unless exempted by a student’s IEP, all students must successfully pass all end-of-course (EOC)
assessments they are required to take or meet the remediation required for the EOC assessment to
receive academic credit for the applicable course and be eligible to graduate from high school.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
The number of units students must earn to be eligible for high school graduation is to be earned from the
categories listed below. A minimum of 22 units is required for graduation for a student participating in
either the Smart Core or Core curriculum. In addition to the 22 units required for graduation by the
Arkansas Department of Education, the Little Rock School District requires 4 additional units to graduate
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for a total of 26 units. The additional half-unit may be taken from any electives offered by the district.
There are some distinctions made between Smart Core units and Graduation units. Not all units earned
toward graduation necessarily apply to Smart Core requirements.

Unless exempted by a student’s IEP, all students must successfully pass all end-of-course (EOC)
assessments they are required to take or meet the remediation required for the EOC assessment to
receive academic credit for the applicable course and be eligible to graduate from high school.

SMART CORE: Sixteen (16) units
English: four (4) units – 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th

Oral Communications: one-half (1/2) unit

Mathematics: four (4) units (all students under Smart Core must take a mathematics course in grade 11
or 12 and complete Algebra II.)
 Algebra I* which may be taken in grades 7-8 or 8-9
 Geometry* which may be taken in grades 8-9 or 9-10
*A two-year algebra equivalent or a two-year geometry equivalent may each be counted as two units
of the four-unit requirement for the purpose of meeting the graduation requirement, but only serve
as one unit each toward fulfilling the Smart Core requirement.
 Algebra II
 Choice of: Advanced Topics in Modeling & Mathematics, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Linear Systems
& Statistics, or an Advanced Placement math (Comparable concurrent credit college courses may
be substituted where applicable.)

Natural Science: three (3) units with lab experience chose from
 Physical Science
 Biology
 Chemistry
 Physics

Social Studies: three (3) units
 Civics one-half (1/2) unit
 World History – one (1) unit
 U.S. History – one (1) unit

Physical Education: one-half (1/2) unit (Note: While one-half (1/2) unit is required for graduation, no more than
one (1) unit may be applied toward fulfilling the necessary units to graduate.)

Health and Safety: one-half (1/2) unit

Economics – one-half (1/2) unit – dependent upon the certification of the teacher teaching the course, this
can count toward the required three (3) social studies credits or the six (6) required Career Focus elective
credits.

Fine Arts: one-half (1/2) unit

CAREER FOCUS: - Six (6) units
All career focus unit requirements shall be established through guidance and counseling based on the
student’s contemplated work aspirations. Career focus courses shall conform to the curriculum policy of
the district and reflect state curriculum frameworks through course sequencing and career course
concentrations where appropriate.

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ADDITIONAL LRSD REQUIREMENTS: - Four (4) units
Fine Arts: one-half (1/2) unit (This makes a total of 1 unit of Fine Arts that is required for graduation.)

Electives: Three and one-half (3.5) units – A fourth unit of both science and social studies is encouraged,
as are at least two units of foreign language.

The Core and career focus units must total at least twenty-two (22) units to graduate. In addition to the
22 units required for graduation by the Arkansas Department of Education, the Little Rock School District
requires 4 additional units to graduate for a total of 26 units.

CORE: Sixteen (16) units
English: four (4) units 9, 10, 11, and 12

Oral Communications: one-half (1/2) unit

Mathematics: four (4) units
 Algebra or its equivalent* - one (1) unit
 Geometry or its equivalent* - one (1) unit
 All math units must build on the base of algebra and geometry knowledge and skills.
 (Comparable concurrent credit college courses may be substituted where applicable)
*A two-year algebra equivalent or a two-year geometry equivalent may each be counted as two (2)
units of the four (4) unit requirement.

Science: three (3) units
 at least one (1) unit of biology or its equivalent
 one (1) unit of a physical science

Social Studies: three (3) units
 Civics, one-half (1/2) unit
 World History, one (1) unit
 U.S. History, One (1) unit

Physica Education: one-half (1/2) unit (Note: While one-half (1/2) unit is required for graduation, no more than
one (1) unit may be applied toward fulfilling the necessary units to graduate.)

Health and Safety: one-half (1/2) unit

Economics – one-half (1/2) unit –dependent upon the certification of the teacher teaching the course, this
can count toward the required three (3) social studies credits or the six (6) required Career Focus elective
credits.

Fine Arts: one-half (1/2) unit

CAREER FOCUS: - Six (6) units
All career focus unit requirements shall be established through guidance and counseling based on the
student’s contemplated work aspirations. Career focus courses shall conform to the curriculum policy of
the district and reflect state curriculum frameworks through course sequencing and career course
concentrations where appropriate.

ADDITIONAL LRSD REQUIREMENTS: - Four (4) units
Fine Arts: one-half (1/2) unit (This makes a total of 1 unit of Fine Arts that is required for graduation.)

Electives: Three and one-half (3.5) units – A fourth unit of both science and social studies is encouraged,
as are at least two units of foreign language.

The Core and career focus units must total at least twenty-two (22) units to graduate. In addition to the
22 units required for graduation by the Arkansas Department of Education, the Little Rock School District
requires 4 additional units to graduate for a total of 26 units.
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LITTLE ROCK SCHOLARS CURRICULUM
The Little Rock Scholars Curriculum requires that students meet the appropriate year’s curriculum for
Smart Core plus the additional Little Rock School District requirements and two additional units for a total
of 28 units. The 28 units must include at least eight Pre-Advanced Placement and/or Advanced
Placement courses, four (4) units of both science and social studies and two (2) units of any one foreign
language.

Accelerated Learning Center (ACC) – The Accelerated Learning Center provides effective education to
students identified as needing a flexible, nontraditional learning environment with alternative ways to
acquire either a high school diploma or a general education diploma. Students must apply to become a
student at the ACC through their high school counselor, must be 18 years of age or older, and must have
failed one or more courses.

Required, ACC Students  
English—4 units 
English I  
English II  
English III  
English IV  
Oral Communications—1/2 unit 
Oral Communications IA—one‐half unit 
Mathematics—4 units  
Algebra I  
Algebra II  
Geometry  
One or more additional units of advanced mathematics for the completion of four units in grades 9‐12. 
Science—3 units 
Physical Science  
Biology I  
Chemistry I  or  Physics I  
Social Studies—3 units 
Civics  
World History  
United States History  
(1/2 unit of Civics and 1/2 unit of Economics will be required for the graduation class of 2014) 
Physical Education—1/2 unit 
Physical Education IA 
Health and Safety—1/2 unit 
Health and Safety 
Fine Arts—1/2 unit 
One unit from art, dance, drama, or music 
Career Focus—6 units 
Six units from any of the approved Career Focus programs. 

Total—22 units 

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LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT NEPN CODE: IKF-R

GENERAL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

English Proficiency
To ensure that the maximum number of students acquire proficient-level knowledge and skills as
measured on the high school assessments, all schools are encouraged to provide the double-period of
English I for freshmen. The additional instructional time provided by this schedule allows for the
development and/or reinforcement of critical knowledge and skill necessary for success. The credit
earned in the second period of this program can be counted as an elective to meet graduation
requirements. One-half unit could also be used to satisfy the additional one-half unit of English language
arts that is required to balance the Communications IA requirement.

English Prerequisites
Each level of required English is a prerequisite for the next level. Students are not generally allowed,
therefore, to take two required English courses concurrently. In order to keep students on track to
graduate in four years, however, the following exceptions are permitted:

1. A student in grades 9-11 who failed only one semester of the prerequisite English course may
enroll concurrently in the one-semester course and in the next full-year English course (for
example: a student may concurrently enroll in the second semester of English I and at the same
time in English II). Enrollment in the one semester of the failed course may be during the regular
school day, in the evening high school, in an approved correspondence course, or in an approved
distance-learning program.
2. Senior students who still need credit for either one or two semesters of English III may take both
English III and English IV concurrently. The same options for earning credit outlined in #1 above
apply.

In no case are these exceptions recommended. They are, however, permitted in order to facilitate a
student’s on-time graduation.

Bible Courses Taken in Private, Parochial, or Home Schools
Since the District offers a one-semester course in The Bible As/In Literature, the District will accept a one-
half unit in Bible as a transfer course from a private, parochial, or home school. Bible/religion courses
taken in other schools in excess of one semester cannot be used to satisfy graduation requirements; nor
will they be calculated as credit or grade points in the calculation of the grade-point average or rank-in-
class. (See IKC-R.)

English-as-a-Second Language (ESL)
ESL students must be scheduled in core classes with ESL-endorsed or ESL-trained teachers, regardless
of the school they attend. To facilitate monitoring, ESL students should be scheduled using the ESL
course numbers, even if there is not a separate grouping for the course. In such instances, two course
numbers are used in one class period with a given teacher. For example, a teacher might be assigned to
teach both ESL English I and English I in one period. (See IHBEA-AD.)

If appropriate according to student needs, schools may schedule ESL students into two periods of ESL
English at each grade level.

Fourth Year of Mathematics
Four units of mathematics must be earned to graduate. If Algebra I is taken in grades 8, students are
expected to take AP Calculus or AP Statistics in high school and must take three units of math in high
school, including a math course in either grade 11 or 12.

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