Curriculum Development: From Legal Framework to School-Based Implementation
Official Curriculum: Legal Framework
The Basic Education Act, Organic Law 2/2006 of May 3, establishes the legal framework for education in Spain. The Royal Decree 1630/2006 of December 19 sets the curriculum for the second cycle of infant education, while Decree 25/2007 of May 4 defines the curriculum for the second cycle of infant education in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja.
The curriculum is implemented at different levels:
- Minimum education requirements (established by the national government)
- School-based curriculum (developed by individual schools)
- Educational programs (designed by teachers)
- Individualized curriculum adaptations (tailored to the needs of specific students)
Curriculum at School: Adapting to Context
Schools must adapt the official curriculum to their specific social, cultural, economic, and geographical contexts. This principle of concern for diversity recognizes the different paces of work, cognitive styles, interests, motivations, and expectations of students.
Key documents that shape curriculum decisions at the school level include the School-Based Management Plan (PEC) and the Tutorial Plan (PD).
School-Based Management: The PEC
The PEC is a document that outlines the educational options and organizational structure of a school. It plays a crucial role in promoting diversity by providing a framework for the school community to reflect on and agree upon an educational model.
The PEC includes the following elements:
- Analysis of the school’s socio-educational environment
- Model of education desired, including the school’s identity and educational objectives
- Agreements on management and organizational norms
- Transversal treatment of education in values
- Priorities for action
- Implementation of the curriculum, including objectives, content, teaching methods, and evaluation criteria
- Principles of educational guidance and measures for addressing student diversity
- Plan for coexistence
- Ways to facilitate collaboration among the various sectors of the educational community
- Measures for coordination with primary education
- Decisions on coordination with social and educational services in the municipality
- Guidelines for the preparation of the assessment of teaching practice
- Organizational measures to ensure that students whose parents or legal guardians have opted not to pursue teaching of religion receive due attention in education
The PEC is divided into the following sections:
- Characteristics of the environment
- Educational model and values
- Guidance and care plan for diversity
- External coordination and collaboration
- School day and academic performance
- Supplementary educational services
- Internal evaluation plan
To ensure that the PEC effectively responds to diversity, it must consider the following:
- A reflection on the meaning of education in diversity
- Agreements on how to identify and assess the specific educational support needs of students
- Planning of various organizational decisions, such as timetables and grouping of students
- A diversified curriculum that promotes democratic values and respect for differences