A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

APPLICATION NO    :    R215E40030 APPLICANT         :    South Dakota Department of Education 		       & Cultural Affairs                        Kneip Building, 700 Governor's Drive                        Pierre, South Dakota  57501-2291 CONTACT PERSON 	  :    Margo Heinert TELEPHONE      	  :    (605) 773-4699 AWARD TO DATE     :    $388,833 PROJECT PERIOD    :    10/01/94-09/30/97 

The South Dakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs (DECA), in cooperation with a myriad of stakeholders, will develop State content standards in English, history, geography, civics, foreign languages and the arts that will guide teaching and learning and professional development throughout the State. In conjunction with South Dakota's Goals 2000, the South Dakota Initiative for Challenging Standards (SDICS) builds upon existing efforts toward educational reform and working coalitions of educators, State agencies, parents and community and business leaders toward achievement of the National Goals.

The South Dakota Curriculum Coalition, with the addition of any non-represented stakeholders, will serve as the primary conduit for action and reflection for the SDICS in the articulation and consensus building for challenging State standards across all discipline areas. The articulation and consensus on State standards will also be aligned with professional development efforts and rules revisions for teacher certification and recertification in South Dakota.

The South Dakota Initiative for Challenging Standards has as its primary goal: South Dakota students will attain high standards of performance in all content areas through the improvement of teaching and learning as guided by challenging State content standards, relevant requirements for teacher certification and recertification, and effective professional development opportunities. To achieve its overall goal DECA will accomplish three primary objectives over the three year period of the SDICS Project:

1. Through participation of all representative stakeholders, develop and achieve consensus on challenging State standards which are benchmarked at all grade levels and can be integrated across content areas.
2. In coordination with South Dakota's rules revision process, impact content and requirements for new teacher certification and recertification rules based on competencies aligned with challenging State standards.
3. Through participation of all representative stakeholders, develop and demonstrate guidelines and models for professional development at both preservice and inservice levels that fulfill certification and recertification requirements and develop teacher competencies aligned with challenging standards for student performance.

-###-

[Rhode Island Mathematics & Science...]

[Excellence and Challenge...]