6161

Instruction

Equipment/Books/Materials:  Provision/Selection

General 

The Board of Education shall provide educational materials and equipment that support and enrich the curriculum and further the achievement of the school system's instructional goals.

Adoption of new textbooks shall require a two-thirds vote of all the members of the Board, notice of such intended change having been previously given at a meeting at least one week prior to the vote.  Textbooks shall be defined as the primary or basic reading for students in a particular subject and student section in a semester or during the entire school year; supplemental and reference books shall not be considered to be textbooks.

Selection

Basic textbooks will be continuously reviewed to keep up with the expansion of knowledge and rapid changes in the world and to present balanced views on international, national, and local issues and problems of the past, present, and future.  Textbooks should further:

A.  provide materials to stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic and ethical value;

B.  provide materials to help students develop abilities in critical reading and thinking;

C.  provide materials to help develop and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity and development in the United States and throughout the world;

D.  provide for all students an effective basic education that does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disabilities;

E.  allow sufficient flexibility for meeting the special needs of individual students and groups of students.

F.  Instructional Materials

G.  Basic textbooks, instructional materials, and equipment shall be furnished by the Board of Education for all district students with the following exceptions:

1.  Individual project materials to be used in the industrial arts, homemaking, and art courses.

2.  Materials to be used for special projects not required for credit in a course.

3.  Personal clothing items worn for physical education and other in-school athletic activities.

The administration will develop rules for textbook selection which meet the above criteria, including:

A.  analysis, evaluation, and recommendation by professional staff.

B.  the opportunity for interested citizens in the district to review recommended textbooks.

According to state law, the Board of Education will make final textbook selections.

(cf. 1220  Citizens' Ad Hoc Advisory Committees)

(cf. 1312  Public Complaints)

(cf. 4118.21  Academic Freedom)

(cf. 5145.2  Freedom of Speech/Expression)

(cf. 6144  Controversial Issues)

Policy adopted: 2/7/11