Policy IJ: Instructional Materials Selection

 Instructional materials will be selected by the professional staff.When selecting instructional materials, the School Committee expects the staff to consider the rights, freedoms, and responsibilities of students, parents and teachers. Every effort will be made to:

• Preserve the students’ rights to learn in an atmosphere of academic freedom;
• Support the teachers’ right to exercise professional judgment in their work and balance this right with their responsibility to meet the national and state standards as well as published district curriculum goals.
• Select materials which reflect current research and instructional methodology.

The Superintendent shall establish guidelines for the selection of major instructional materials, such as textbooks. Selection committees will include teachers who will use the texts, administrators, and other staff members if appropriate. Materials selected should have intellectual integrity, should develop and foster an appreciation of the cultural diversity of our pluralistic society, and must be consistent with the district Social Justice Commitment. Students, parents and other community members who are interested and/or skilled in the area may be invited to serve on selection committees or be provided with the opportunity to review materials under consideration before final adoption.

All supplemental materials will be subject to review by the Principal and by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

LEGAL REF:

MGL 71:48 , 71:49 , 71:50 , 30B:7603 CMR 26:05

Region Voted to Approve: 12/04/07
Amherst Voted to Approve: 12/11/07
Pelham Voted to Approve: 1/03/08
Effective Date: 1/03/08