Policy 613-R - Instructional Material Review Selection and Use Regulation

A. Definition:
For the purpose of this statement of policy, the term “resources” will refer to any material(s) (whether acquired or locally produced) with educational content or function that is used for teaching/learning purposes. Examples include curriculum materials, school media center collections, licensed databases, and student resource lists.

B. Objectives:
The School Board affirms that it is the responsibility of its professional staff to utilize resources to support, enrich and help to implement the educational program of the school district. To reach those goals, the professional staff will:

1. Provide resources that enrich and support the goals and objectives of the education programs and curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, learning styles, developmental, and maturity levels of the students served.
2. Provide resources that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, thinking and analytical skills, literary appreciation, and aesthetic values.
3. Provide resources about issues, including those considered by some to be controversial, representing a variety of points of view, so that young citizens may have an opportunity to develop with guidance the skills of reading, viewing, listening, and analysis, enabling them to make informed judgements in their lives.
4. Provide resources representative of the diversity of religious, ethnic, political and cultural values held in a pluralistic society.
5. Provide resources which illustrate the contributions to our national heritage and the world made by various groups in our society.
6. Provide resources about historical and contemporary forces in society to enable users to recognize and understand social, economic, personal and political topics.
7. Utilize professional judgment in the selection of resources appropriate to the educational programs and the school community.

C. Responsibility for Selection of Resources
Legal responsibility for the operation of the district, including the selection of educational resources, rests with the School Board. The School Board delegates the authority for the selection of resources to the professional staff employed by the district.

1. The selection of non-library classroom textbooks, instructional materials, and licensed databases is the responsibility of the Department of Teaching and Learning.
2. The selection of media center materials is delegated to the licensed media professional. While selection of materials involves the input of many people, including media specialists, teachers, students, supervisors, administrators, and parents/guardians, the responsibility for coordinating and recommending the selection and purchase of instructional materials rests with the licensed media professionals in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning department.
3. All instructional materials, both curricular and supplemental, shall be subject to the reconsideration procedures policy (618/618-R).

D. Criteria for Selection of Resources
The following criteria for the selection of educational resources shall be used as appropriate:

1. Resources shall support, and be consistent with, the educational goals of the district.
2. Resources shall be selected to enrich and support the curriculum and to meet the individual needs and interests of users.
3. Resources shall be appropriate for the age, social development, and maturity of the users.
4. Resources shall provide a variety of points of view.
5. Resources shall be judged as a whole.
6. Resources shall be selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses.
7. Resources shall be selected in formats most suitable for intended use.

E. Procedures for Selection of Resources

1. Under the guidance of the Teaching and Learning department, teachers and licensed media specialists shall evaluate available resources and curriculum needs and will consult multiple professional selection resources. When possible, the actual item(s) shall be examined.
2. Gift resources shall be judged by the criteria outlined in Section D. Criteria for Selection of Resources and shall be accepted or rejected on the basis of those criteria.
3. Selection shall be an ongoing process which includes the removal of resources no longer meeting current selection criteria.

• Policy 618 & 618-R – Reconsideration of Textbooks or Other
• Instructional/Supplementary Materials
• Policy 629 & 629-R – Alternative Instruction

• Adopted: September 12, 2022

• Policy 613 - Instructional Material Review Selection and Use