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Instructional Programs Overview
The Comprehensive Program is the backbone of the Jefferson County Public School District’s educational curriculum. Emphases are placed on the development of effective communications skills, critical- and creative-thinking skills, and proficiency in basic subject areas such as language arts/English, mathematics, science, and social studies. As a part of the Comprehensive Program, middle school students may take exploratory courses in a variety of technology-related fields. High school students also may participate in Career/Technical Education programs in business education, marketing, occupational work experience, home economics, or technology education. Students also may elect to apply to one of the District’s High School Magnet Career Academies that offer four-year programs in a variety of areas.
While all schools offer basic subjects—such as language arts/English, mathematics, and natural and social sciences—some Magnet schools and schools with Optional programs offer learning environments or programmatic choices that cater to students’ special interests, skills, abilities, and/or learning styles. Presently, the JCPS District offers numerous Optional programs/Magnet schools to provide educational choices for students at every grade level.
The Advance Program, for gifted and talented students, provides a challenging learning environment at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to stretch students’ abilities, talents, and creativity. For more information, call 485-3323.
Exceptional Child Education (ECE) services are made available to students with identified disabilities. Services are offered across a continuum of environments from consultation in the Comprehensive Program to the special school setting. To the maximum extent possible, these activities are offered with nondisabled peers in the least restrictive environment. Although most schools in the District provide ECE programs, not every program is available in every school. For more information, contact ECE Placement at 485-3215, ECE Pupil Assessment at 485-6052, or ECE Programs at 485-6270.
The Honors Program provides intensive academic preparation for students in all Comprehensive Program middle and high schools. The Honors Program uses the District’s curriculum, supplemented with rigorous study materials and instruction. Call any of the District’s middle or high schools for more information.
Magnet Career Academies, a major component of the JCPS School-to-Career Transition System, directly link technical and academic coursework at four-year Magnet Career Academies in the District’s high schools. This restructuring of technical education is the most comprehensive in the country. In addition to meeting all the requirements for graduation, students study specialties, including electronics, data processing, computer-aided drafting, medicine and allied health, cosmetology, child care, public safety technologies, marketing management, entrepreneurship, building technologies, automated manufacturing technologies, graphic communications, chemical and plastics technologies, horticulture, information processing, urban agriscience technologies, aviation, travel/tourism, telecommunications, automated business services, machine tool technologies, transportation technologies, and hospitality studies. For more information, call 485-3320.
Magnet Schools feature unique, schoolwide programs that are mandated by Jefferson County Board of Education policy. Students are drawn from the entire District. Please refer to the Magnet Schools lists located in the elementary, middle, and high school sections of this guidebook. For more information, call 485-3323.
The Montessori Program currently offered at Coleridge-Taylor, Kennedy and Rangeland elementary schools uses a hands-on approach to education. Montessori allows children to internalize a wide variety of academic and social skills that maximize learning. Coleridge-Taylor and Kennedy are Montessori Magnet schools and can accept students residing in their respective District attendance areas. Rangeland Elementary serves the students in the Rangeland Cluster only. For more details, call Kennedy Elementary at 485-8280, Coleridge-Taylor Elementary at 485-8232, or Rangeland Elementary at 485-8317.
Optional Programs are small, specialized programs developed by local school staffs for the students in a particular school. The majority of students enrolled are from the school’s designated attendance area. Please refer to the Optional programs lists located in the elementary, middle, and high school sections of this guidebook. For more information, call 485-3323.
Traditional Programs in elementary, middle, and high schools allow students to learn skills and concepts in an educational environment that emphasizes patriotism, courtesy, and traditional moral values; completion of daily homework assignments; a clearly established discipline code; a dress code; and active parental support and involvement.