The purpose of a systemic curriculum alignment framework which includes professional development, standards, assessment, and adopted materials, is to increase student achievement by ensuring all students throughout Seattle Public Schools have an opportunity to access the same rigorous instruction and are held to the same high expectations from teacher-to-teacher and school-to-school. Therefore, schools seeking a waiver of board adopted instructional materials must create a plan that addresses alignment, funding, evaluation, and community involvement. The information below details what must be included in the plan in order for it to be approved.

Definition of Adopted Materials

School Board adopted (courses for over 1,000 students) instructional materials, and Curriculum Department adopted (courses for under 1,000 students) instructional materials, regardless of medium, are the primary instructional resource(s) to support the curriculum as outlined in state and college readiness standards.

Definition of Supplemental Materials

Regardless of medium, supplemental materials are selected for classroom use in addition to School Board or Curriculum Department adopted instructional materials because they contain additional material or present material at a different level of difficulty or in a different fashion or medium. Supplemental Instructional Materials are chosen pursuant to Superintendent Procedure 2015SP.C

Components

In order for schools to use non-adopted materials as the primary instructional resource, they must submit a waiver using the approved waiver form, include the following components and gain approval using the process as outlined below. New waivers will not be granted in the year prior to a new adoption or for one year following an adoption.

Rationale

The application should detail the reasons why the currently adopted materials need to be waived to meet the needs of your students or program. Considerations could include, but are not limited to:

• Unique needs or program requirements of the school that call for a waiver; or
• A change in standards not reflected in current adopted materials.

Curriculum Alignment Framework

The application should detail how the instructional materials will align to the curriculum alignment framework by indicating:

• Alignment to the current state standards;
• Plan outlining professional development including materials, instruction, differentiation, and assessment;
• Plan describing how materials will meet the needs of students with disabilities and/or English language learners; and
• Plan demonstrating how non-adopted materials will align between schools to address vertical alignment as well as horizontal alignment for mobility.

Anti-Bias Checklist

The application should include a review guaranteeing the proposed materials meet the requirements of the “General Criteria for Evaluating Textual Materials for Cultural Relevancy and Anti-bias” as outlined in School Board Policy No. 2015.

Data

The application should include achievement data indicating that there is a need for a non-adopted material beyond supplement.

Community Involvement

The application should include a plan for community involvement that includes:

• Plan for how community will be involved in selection of non-adopted materials; and
• Plan communicating to families the reason and implications of using non-adopted materials; and
• Plan communicating to schools receiving students from your building the grade level, subject, and materials that were used as outlined in this waiver.

Funding

Schools must demonstrate verified funding for a period of three years in order to support the waiver.

Evaluation Process

The principal is responsible for creating a formal evaluation process as part of the application.

• The evaluation must include data that reflects the student achievement impact in total student population and by populations served by the school.
• If there is no evidence in student growth or a positive effect on the opportunity gap, a plan to address this must be included in the evaluation.

Due Date

All applications for waivers are due by March 1 of the year previous to their implementation. Final approval must be completed by May 1st of the same year.

Waiver Approval Process

In order for a waiver to be valid, it must be approved in accordance with the following process:

• School principal completes and signs the “Waiver of District Adopted Instructional Materials Request Form”;
• The principal’s Executive Director of Schools or equivalent position reviews and recommends the waiver by signing the “Waiver of District Adopted Instructional Materials Request Form” and is responsible for coordinating the following steps in the waiver process;
• The Chief of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction (CAI) or equivalent position reviews and recommends the waiver by signing the “Waiver of District Adopted Instructional Materials Request Form”;
• The Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning or equivalent position reviews and recommends the waiver by signing “Waiver of District Adopted Instructional Materials Request Form”;
• The Superintendent reviews and approves the waiver by signing the “Waiver of District Adopted Instructional Materials Request Form”;
• Approved waivers shall be granted for a 3-year period, after which the school’s data and continued interest in the waiver will be assessed;
• The Chief of CAI or equivalent position is responsible for creating the central file documenting waiver requests and their disposition; and
• Copies of approved waivers will be routed by the Chief of CAI or equivalent position to the Instructional Materials Specialist and relevant content managers.

Evaluation

An evaluation to determine ongoing use must be completed by June 30 of the first and third years and every three years thereafter in order for the school to continue use of waivered instructional materials. 

• Once completed, this evaluation must be reviewed by the Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning or his or her designee for approval of continued use.
• An evaluation approving continued use must be signed and retained by the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning or equivalent in order for the school to continue use of waivered material.
• The Chief of CAI or equivalent position is responsible for creating the central file documenting waiver evaluations and their disposition.

The Superintendent shall have the final decision about another 3-year term. If a waiver is revoked, the school will be required to return to district-adopted instructional materials.

Policy Cross References

• 2020 – Waiver of Core and Extended Core Instructional Materials

Approved by the Board

• February 15, 2017