Policy 8320

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
8320 TEXTBOOKS, LIBRARY MATERIALS, AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS


The District's instructional program is enriched and supported by the selection of quality print and non-print instructional materials. Selected instructional materials will align with New York State learning standards, reflect different viewpoints, and meet the varied needs and interests of staff and students. 

Definitions


For purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

a) "Instructional material" means any print or non-print material with instructional content or an instructional function that is used to facilitate formal or informal learning either in the classroom, library media center, or elsewhere in the District. Examples of instructional materials include, but are not limited to:  textbooks; workbooks; hardcover and paperback books; ebooks; online databases; DVDs; streaming videos; sound recordings; magazines; newspapers; pamphlets; pictures; charts; games; kits; maps; models; microforms; slides; specimens; and transparencies. 
b) "Library material" means any print or non-print material which is catalogued and processed as part of the library media center for use by students and staff. Examples of library materials include, but are not limited to:  hardcover and paperback books; ebooks; online databases; DVDs; streaming videos; sound recordings; magazines; newspapers; pamphlets; pictures; charts; games; kits; maps; models; microforms; slides; specimens; and transparencies.
c) "Textbook" means a text, or a text-substitute, that a student is required to use in a particular class or program of the District. Textbooks include: 

1. Books, or book substitutes, including hardcover or paperback books, workbooks, or manuals; and
2. Courseware or other content-based instructional materials in an electronic format.

Overview of Instructional Materials 


Textbooks

The Superintendent will designate a committee of District administrators and instructional staff to determine what textbooks should be used as part of the District's instructional program. Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board will designate the textbooks to be used. Textbooks, once designated, cannot be superseded within a period of five years except by a 3/4 vote of the Board. 

The District will ensure that students who require alternative formats of instructional materials receive those materials in a format that meets the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and at the same time as those instructional materials are available to their peers. 

The Board will make provision for funds to be budgeted for the purchase of textbooks. Students may be required to pay for lost or excessively damaged textbooks.

Calculators

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires the use of calculators for intermediate and high school level mathematics and science assessments. Students are not required to purchase their own calculators. To the extent that calculators are a necessary part of the instructional program, the District will provide them. 

Calculators must be considered a classroom teaching material for which the District is authorized to levy a tax. Even if operating under a contingent budget, the District must purchase and provide calculators if required for participation in an instructional program. Students may be required to pay for lost calculators. 

Workbooks

The term "workbook" refers to the type of book that provides spaces to write in and is consumed each year. It is usually paper-covered and designed to be used in connection with a textbook. The Board must approve the expenditure of funds for the purchase of workbooks and manuals.

Library Materials

The District will establish and maintain a library media center in each school which will contain library materials. The library media center in each District school will meet the needs of students and staff, and provide an adequate complement to the instructional program in the various areas of the curriculum. 

The Board will make provision for funds to be budgeted for the purchase of library materials. Students may be required to pay for library materials that are lost, excessively damaged, or overdue. 

Objectives in the Selection of Instructional Materials 

The broad range and varying suitability of all forms of instructional materials which are available for purchase demand careful evaluation before they are selected for use in the District's classrooms and
library media centers. In order to select quality print and non-print instructional materials to enrich and support the District's instructional program, the Board endorses and supports the selection of instructional materials that:

a) Align with New York State learning standards; 
b) Implement, enrich, and support the District's curriculum and instructional program, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and learning styles of students; 
c) Meet the varied needs and interests of staff and students; 
d) Present various sides of controversial issues so that students may develop critical thinking and reading skills resulting in the ability to make informed decisions;
e) Offer global perspectives and promote diversity by including materials by authors and illustrators all cultures -- materials will not be excluded because of the race, nationality, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, political views, or social views of the author; 
f) Provide staff and students with a wide range of up-to-date instructional materials of all levels of difficulty in a variety of physical and digital formats including print and non-print such as electronic and multimedia (including subscription databases and other online products, ebooks, educational games, and other forms of emerging technologies); 
g) Afford students the opportunity to explore a diverse range of literature to develop and strengthen a lifelong love of reading. 




Policy References:

20 USC §§ 1412, 1474, and 6311
34 CFR § 300.172
34 CFR Part 300, Appendix C
Education Law §§ 701, 702, 711, 1604, 1709, 1804, 1950, 2503, and 3602
8 NYCRR §§ 91.1, 91.2, 100.1, and 200.2


NOTE:  Refer also to 
Policy 5412 - Alternative Formats for Instructional Materials
Policy 8110 - Curriculum Development, Resources, and Evaluation
Policy 8330 - Objection to Instructional Materials and Controversial Issues


Adopted: 6/22/99
Revised: 9/6/22, 2/28/23, 1/9/24

Policy 8320