1. (a) The local school board shall require that in each school there is an elementary school curriculum aligned to state academic standards that outlines district competencies for the grades 1-8 and includes:

   1. (1) Procedures for identifying personalized learner needs and interests;
   2. (2) Methods and strategies for facilitating learning, including but not limited to personalization, individualization, and differentiation;
   3. (3) Techniques for the evaluation of student outcomes, including performance assessment of competencies; and
   4. (4) Opportunities for students to receive timely, personalized, and differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.

2. (b) The local school board shall adopt, for each school offering kindergarten, a kindergarten curriculum aligned to state academic standards and in compliance with RSA 193-E:2-a, II-a that supports:

   1. (1) Unstructured time built into the school day for the discovery of, and methods and strategies for the fostering of, each child's individual talents, abilities, and needs;

   2. (2) Child development and learning in all domains, including, but not limited to:

      1. a. Physical;
      2. b. Social;
      3. c. Cognitive; and
      4. d. Language;

   3. (3) Child-directed experiences based on play-based learning that comprise:

      1. a. Movement;
      2. b. Creative expression;
      3. c. Exploration;
      4. d. Socialization; and
      5. e. Music; and
   4. (4) A reading curriculum that includes, but is not limited to, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

3. (c) The local school board shall distribute instructional time to allow each student to make progression towards proficiency in competencies in the following areas:

   1. (1) For the elementary grades 1-8, where no middle school has been established by vote of the local school board:

      1. a. Arts education, including music and visual arts;

      2. b. English language arts, reading, writing, speaking, and listening, to include:

         1. 1. Instruction in cursive handwriting by the end of grade 5;

         2. 2. No later than July 1, 2027, measurable, evidence-based literacy instruction for all students through grade 5 to include:

            1. (i) Phonemic awareness;
            2. (ii) Phonics awareness;
            3. (iii) Phonics, both decoding and encoding of sounds and words;
            4. (iv) Fluency;
            5. (v) Vocabulary and comprehension; and
            6. (vi) The grammar and mechanics of writing;
      3. c. Health and wellness education;
      4. d. Physical education;
      5. e. Digital literacy;

      6. f. Mathematics, to include:

         1. 1. Instruction of the multiplication tables by the end of grade 5; and
         2. 2. No later than July 1, 2027, mathematics reasoning and mathematics calculation including fluency for all students through grade 5;
      7. g. Science;

      8. h. Social studies, including:

         1. 1. Civics; and
         2. 2. Holocaust and genocide education, starting no later than grade 8 pursuant to Ed 306.46; and
      9. i. An optional computer science program, as enumerated in Ed 306.04(b)(21)g; and
      10. j. An optional world language, if offered, as enumerated in Ed 306.04(b)(21)f; and

   2. (2) For middle school:

      1. a. Arts education, including music and visual arts;
      2. b. English language arts and reading;
      3. c. Health and wellness education;
      4. d. Physical education;
      5. e. Digital literacy;
      6. f. Computer science;
      7. g. Mathematics;
      8. h. Science;

      9. i. Social studies, including:

         1. 1. Civics, government, economics, geography, and history; and
         2. 2. Holocaust and genocide education, starting no later than grade 8 pursuant to Ed 306.46;
      10. j. Engineering and technology, including technology applications; and
      11. k. An optional world language, if offered, as enumerated in Ed 306.04(b)(21)f.
4. (d) If cocurricular programs are offered, they shall consist of those activities that are designed to supplement and enrich regular academic instruction, provide opportunities for social development, and encourage participation in clubs, athletics, performing groups, and service to school and community. As outlined in Ed 306.22(c)(5), achievement of competencies through cocurricular activities shall be counted towards graduation credit.

5. (e) If a district chooses to offer ELOs in a middle school or a student requests an ELO and the district has the available resources, the ELOs shall:

   1. (1) Consist of activities designed to:

      1. a. Allow a student to demonstrate achievement of competencies or supplement learning opportunities; and
      2. b. Promote the schools’ and individual students' educational goals and objectives;
   2. (2) Be governed by the ELO policy as outlined in Ed 306.04(b)(21)e.;
   3. (3) Incorporate student participation in selecting, organizing, and carrying out ELOs; and
   4. (4) Be available to all students.

Source. (See Revision Notes #1, #2, #3, and #4 at part heading for Ed 306) #14150, eff 12-13-24