Avery County Schools Policy Policy Code: 3200
SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS In order to help fulfill the educational goals and objectives of the school district, the board strives to provide textbooks and supplementary materials which will enrich and support the curriculum while improving literacy and technological skills. Materials also should be representative of the rich diversity of our nation and appropriate for the maturity levels and abilities of the students.
For the purpose of this policy, instruction materials will be divided into two categories: textbooks and supplementary materials.
A. SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks are systematically organized materials comprehensive enough to cover
the primary objectives outlined in the current statewide instructional standards
for a grade or course. Formats for textbooks may be print, non-print or digital
media, including hardbound books, softbound book, activity-oriented programs,
classroom kits and technology-based programs or materials that require the use of
electronic equipment in order to used in the learning process.
Sate-approved textbooks will be used as the primary means to help students meet
the goals and objectives of the current statewide instructional standards, unless the
board approves alternative materials. The central curriculum committee or a
school through its school improvement plan may submit a request for the use of
alternative textbooks. The request should identify how the committee or school
has ensure that the curriculum will continue to be aligned with the current
statewide instructional standards and to meet the educational goals of the board.
B. SELECTION OF SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Supplementary materials are instructional and learning resources which are
selected to complement, enrich or extend the curriculum. Such resources include,
for example, specialized materials selected to meet diverse needs or rapidly
changing circumstances, library materials, digital resources, the school system’s
media collection classroom collections and teacher-selected resources for
individual classes.
1. Objectives for Selection of Supplementary Materials
The procurement of materials must be accomplished in accordance with law,
including the First Amendment of the United States Constitution; board
educational goals; board purchasing and accounting policies; and established
selection guidelines, including the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library
Association. The objectives for the selection of supplementary materials are as
follows:
Avery County Schools Policy Code: 3200 Page 1 of 4 a. to provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the individual needs and varied interests, abilities, socio-economic backgrounds, learning styles and developmental levels of the pupils 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
comprehend their role as citizens in society and to make intelligent
judgments in their daily lives;
d. to provide materials resources representing various points of view on
controversial issues so that students as young citizens may develop, under
guidance, the skills of critical thinking and critical analysis;
e. to provide resources representative of the many religious, ethnic and
cultural groups in our nation and the contributions of these groups to our
American heritage; and
f. to place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in
the selection of material of the highest quality in order to ensure a
comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the media center.
2. PROCESS AND CRITERIA FOR SELECTING SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
The responsibility for the selection of supplemental materials is delegated to the
professional staff under the direction of the superintendent and will be made
primarily at the school level with the involvement of an advisory committee. The
committee shall be appointed by the principal and will include teachers and
instructional support personnel representing various subject areas and grade
levels, parents, and, if on-staff in the school the library media coordinator and the
technology facilitator. . Students also should be involved when feasible. The
selection process used by the committee will include: (1) an evaluation of the
existing collection; (2) an assessment of the available resource and curriculum
needs of the school; and (3) consideration of individual teaching and learning
styles. In coordinating the selection of resources, the committee should use
reputable, unbiased selection tools prepared by professional educators and should
arrange, when possible, for firsthand examination of resources to be purchased.
When examining proposed materials, the committee should consider the
following factors:
a. the material’s educational significance and the contribution the subject matter will make to the curriculum and to the interests of the students; b. the material’s reliability, including the extent to which it is accurate, authentic, authoritative, up-to-date, unbiased, comprehensive and well-balanced;
Avery County Schools Policy Code: 3200 Page 2 of 4 c. the material’s technical quality, including the extent to which technical components a are relevant to content and consistent with state-of-the-art capabilities: d. The possible uses of the material, including suitability for individual, small group large group, introduction, in-depth study, remediation and/or enrichment; e. the contribution the material will make to the collection’s breadth and variety of viewpoints; f. the material’s artistic, literary and physical quality and format; including its durability, manageability, clarity, appropriateness, skillfulness, organization and attractiveness; g. recommendations of school personnel and students from all relevant departments and grade levels; h. the reputation and significance of the material’s author, producer and publisher; and i. the price of the material weighed against its value and/or the need for it.
- Materials Brought in by Teachers
Principals will be responsible for establishing rules concerning what materials may be brought in by teachers without review. Principals are encouraged to involve teachers in establishing these rules.
C. REMOVAL OF OUTDATED SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
To ensure that the supplementary media collection remains relevant, the media
and technology professional, assisted by the media and technology advisory
committee, shall review materials routinely to determine if any material is
obsolete, outdated or irrelevant. The school media and technology advisory
committee should remove materials no longer appropriate and replace lost,
damaged and worn material still of educational value. Materials may be removed
only for legitimate educational reasons and subject to the limitations of the First
Amendment. The superintendent may establish regulations that provide
additional standards for removing supplementary materials to meet the
educational needs of the school system. Requests by parents to remove
supplementary media materials due to an objection to the materials will be
reviewed pursuant to policy 3210, Parental Inspection and Objection to
Instructional Materials.
D. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFT MATERIALS
Supplementary materials offered as a gift will be reviewed pursuant to the criteria
outlined in this policy, board policy 8220, Gifts and Bequests and any regulations
established by the superintendent. Gift material may be accepted or rejected by
the board based upon such criteria.
E. CHALLENGES TO MATERIALS
Avery County Schools Policy Code: 3200 Page 3 of 4 Challenges to materials will be addressed pursuant to policy 3210, Parental Inspection and Objection to Instructional Materials.
Legal References: U.S. Const. amend. I; N.C. Const. art. I, §14; G.S. 115C-45, -47, -81, -98, -101; Board of Education v. Pico,457 U.S. 853 (1982) Impact: Guidelines for North Carolina Media and Technology Programs, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, (2005), The Library Bill of Rights, The American Library Association, (1996),
Cross References: Goals and Objectives of the Educational Program (policy 3000), Parental Inspection and Objection to Instructional Materials (policy 3210), School Improvement Plan (policy 3430), Gifts and Bequests (policy 8220).
Adopted: 11/06/00 Revised: 12/04/06, 9/14/09, 12/10/13
Avery County Schools Policy Code: 3200 Page 4 of 4