The Board of Education is legally responsible for the selection of textbooks, instructional materials and equipment.  Since the Board is a policy-making body, it delegates to professional personnel of the District the authority for the selection of instructional and library materials in accordance with the policy below.

The Board of Education believes that materials appropriate to the needs of the school program must be available to each student and teacher.  Available system resources shall be allocated to schools on an equitable basis, recognizing system policies and local school needs.

The Board further believes that, to provide each student with learning experiences suited to his/her aptitude, interest, maturity, and competence in each subject area, instructional materials and equipment based on individual needs are necessary.

Materials for school classrooms and school media centers will be selected by the appropriate professional personnel in consultation with the Superintendent, faculty, and other sources as needed.  The staff should continually research new sources of textbooks and supplementary materials and explore their use.

The Board believes that it is the responsibility of the District:

A.        To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served.

B.         To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards.

C.        To provide a background of information that will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives.

D.        To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop, under guidance, the practice of analytical reading and thinking.

E.         To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic and cultural groups, showing their contributions to the American heritage.

The above principles, adopted from the School Library Bill of Rights, will serve as a guide in the selection of all instructional and media center materials, textbooks, equipment, computer software, supplementary books, library books, filmstrips, videos, films, and recordings.

Textbook Selection and Adoption

In selecting textbooks for use in the District, the following factors will be carefully considered:

A.        Suitability for the maturity level and educational accomplishment of the students who will be using the book;

B.         Freedom from bias;

C.        Relationship to the course of study;

D.        Extent to which the content will make it possible for the student to achieve the learning objectives of the course of study and the educational outcomes of the District;

E.         Extent of inter-grade continuity;

F.         Impact on community standards of taste;

G.        Manner of selection;

H.        Cost; and

I.          Appearance and durability.

A list of all approved textbooks shall be maintained by the Superintendent and made available for the use of the professional staff.

The Superintendent may establish textbook and/or curriculum committees, which include representation of teachers who use the texts, administrators, and other staff members.  Students and parents may also be asked to serve on these committees.

A student or his/her parent(s) may purchase a copy of the duly-adopted textbook, regardless of format, for the District’s purchase price, including shipping and handling plus ten percent (10%).

The final decision on the recommendation of textbooks rests with the Superintendent, subject to official adoption by the Board.