6161

Instruction

Equipment, Books, and Materials

The Board of Education shall provide each school with the equipment, textbooks, and other learning materials necessary to meet the needs of instruction.  Equipment, books, and materials for a learning area shall be selected by certified staff in that area.

All general school and art supplies are furnished to students.  In the case of crafts and industrial art classes where projects are made and kept, students may be required to pay the costs of materials.

Adoption of Primary Learning Materials

The review and selection of primary learning materials will be carried on continuously in order to remain current.

Where applicable all materials should present balanced views concerning the international, national and local issues and problems of the past, present, and future, and should:

1.  Stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation and aesthetic and ethical values.

2.  Help students develop abilities in critical reading and thinking.

3.  Develop and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity and development in the United States and throughout the world.

4.  Provide for all students an effective basic education that does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, gender, or physical abilities.

5.  Allow sufficient flexibility for meeting the special needs of individual students and groups of students.

Any textbook or learning material that will serve the function of a textbook must be processed through the district primary learning material adoption procedure and formally adopted by the Board of Education.  This applies to a textbook or material that will be used as a primary learning tool on an ongoing basis with the majority of students in a class, course, or learning group within a class.

Primary learning materials are textbooks, paperback books, software programs, audiovisual, or other instructional materials which are:

  Used for the duration of a course or school year; the majority of assignments are derived from such material.

  Used by all students in a class, course, or learning group within a class.

The administration will develop and maintain a procedure for selecting materials which meets the aforementioned criteria.  Such procedure shall include the opportunity for professional staff to analyze, evaluate, and recommend primary learning materials for adoption.

The Board of Education shall adopt primary learning materials.  Notice of such intended adoption shall be given at a meeting of the Board held at least two weeks prior to the adoption vote.

The Superintendent shall be empowered to approve the trial use of a primary learning material for a period of up to one school year.   Written notification of such trial use shall be provided to the Board of Education for informational purposes.

Supplemental Materials

Supplemental learning materials are those books, audiovisual kits, and other instructional materials that instructional staff uses to complement primary learning materials.  The Superintendent shall ensure that each school has in place a plan for the professional review of all learning materials.

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-221 Boards of Education to prescribe rules

10-222a Boards to have use of funds derived from repayment for school materials.

10-228 Free textbooks, supplies, materials, and equipment

10-229 Change of textbooks

President’s Council, District 25 v. Community School Board no.

25, 457 F.2d 289 (1972), cert. Denied 409 U.S.C. 998 (Nov. 1972)

Minarcini v. Strongsville City School District, 541 F.2d 577 (6th Cir. 1976).

Island Trees Union Free School District Board of Education v. Pico, 457 US 853 (1982)

Academic Freedom Policy (adopted by CT State Board of Education, 9/9/91)

Policy Revised:  12/7/1992

Policy Revised:  1/27/2005

6161P-P&P6-04