SB 340: Curriculum Transparency

Overview Resources

• Federal standard
  Pennsylvania and Federal law requires schools to give parents the opportunity to review all instructional materials and have access to information about the curriculum, including academic standards to be achieved, teacher manuals, films, tapes, supplemental instructional materials, evaluations and assessment techniques. 20 U.S. Code §1232h 
• State standard
  (d) School entities shall adopt policies to assure that parents or guardians have the following:
• Access to information about the curriculum, including academic
  standards to be achieved, instructional materials and assessment
  techniques.
  • A process for the review of instructional materials.
  • The right to have their children excused from specific instruction that 
    conflicts with their religious beliefs, upon receipt by the school entity 
     of a written request from the parent or guardians.
  • The right to review a State assessment in the school entity during   
    convenient hours for parents and guardians, at least 2 weeks prior 
    to their administration, to determine whether a State assessment    
    conflicts with their religious belief. To protect the validity and
    integrity of the State assessments, each school entity shall have in
    place procedures to be followed when parents or guardians request
    to view any State assessment. Procedures must be consistent with
    guidance provided by the Department in its assessment
    administration instructions. . . . 22 Pa Code §4.4.

Pros

• Common though diverse cultural concerns
• Lessening curriculum bias
• Portal for three-way “handshake”
• Ease of access