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It is the obligation of the Manchester School District to ensure equitable access to rigorous standards/competencies and quality curriculum, instruction, and assessments for all students.

We believe all students can learn. We recognize and support diversity within our district and commit to systematically examining and terminating practices and systems that uphold the disproportionalities among our students. We commit to proactively addressing these inequities and tracking our progress as these disproportionalities are unacceptable. All students should have the opportunity to benefit equally.

 Therefore, the Board of School Committee establishes the following course of action. The district will:

Provide all students access to the same rigorous curriculum and standards and regularly review policies and practices to make sure this remains the case.

Adopt and sustain a learning culture that includes high expectations for all students and staff. 

Provide access to high-quality, culturally relevant curricula for all students in every school.

Provide a multi-tiered system of support to all students from Kindergarten through graduation.

Create multiple learning pathways that widen educational opportunities for all.

Identify, develop and implement the instructional pedagogies and practices that best reduce persistent learning and outcome gaps. 

Provide staff on-going professional development in developing and implementing standards so they are prepared to meet all students' educational needs in heterogeneously mixed-ability classes. This includes:

• PD to align curriculum by aligning scope and sequence among courses within departments and grade levels.

• PD to strengthen the vertical alignment of curriculum.

• PD to analyze student data using common assessments tied to standards to identify common strengths and weaknesses and use that data to better tailor instruction and further assessment.

• PD to increase student agency within and out the classroom.

Use Universal Design for Learning to ensure students with unique learning needs have the supplemental support necessary to meet rigorous standards. 

Continue to offer AP and Honors courses. These courses allow students to dive deeper into material at an accelerated pace with the same high expectations that are offered in all courses. 

Ensure all students have the opportunity and are encouraged to enroll in AP and Honors and dual enrollment courses.

Engage in standards and curriculum review to ensure the program of studies for all middle and high school students reflect the same high standards for all students on a yearly basis.

Review and increase high school graduation requirements to reflect rigorous standards for all by September of 2021. 

First Reading (Teaching and Learning Committee): April 26, 2021

Second Reading & BOSC Adoption: May 10, 2021