AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Textbook Adoption Guidelines
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Texas is one of 22 states with a process for state approval or adoption of instructional materials. The Texas Constitution, Article VII, Section 3, requires that the State Board of Education set aside sufficient funding to provide textbooks for children attending public schools in the state.
The Texas Education Code, Chapter 31, specifies that the SBOE adopt different cycles for subjects in the foundation and enrichment curricula. Subjects in the foundation curriculum are defined as English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Subjects in the enrichment curricula are Languages Other than English, Health, Physical Education, Fine Arts, Economics, Career and Technology, and Technology Applications. Chapter 31 requires that the SBOE adopt a cycle providing for full and complete investigation of instructional materials in foundation subjects at least every six years.
Publishers planning to offer instructional materials for adoption in the state provide review samples to the Texas Education Agency, each of the twenty regional education service centers, and each member of the appropriate state review panels. In accordance with 19 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 66, the Commissioner of Education appoints members of state review panels. Nominations are solicited from the SBOE, school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and educational organizations throughout the state. Members of the state review panels are charged with evaluating instructional materials to determine coverage of content requirements and to identify factual errors. Lists of conforming and non-conforming instructional materials will be adopted by the SBOE. Textbooks on the conforming list must meet 100% of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills established for the subject area. Textbooks on the non-conforming list must meet at least 50% of the TEKS. Instructional materials for the foundation curriculum on both the conforming and non-conforming lists may be adopted by a school district and will be funded by the state up to the amount approved per subject area. If instructional materials for subjects in the enrichment curriculum that are not on the conforming or non-conforming lists are selected by a school district, the state shall be responsible for paying the district an amount equal to the lesser of: a) 70% of the cost to the district of the instructional materials; or b) 70% of the maximum cost to the state established for the subject.
Samples of all materials under consideration for adoption are provided to each of the regional education service centers for public review. Texas residents are allowed to file written comments regarding instructional materials submitted for adoption, and a public hearing occurs before the SBOE approximately two months prior to the scheduled adoption. Publishers have the opportunity to respond orally or in writing to any comments from the public.
After consideration of evaluations submitted by state review panel members, information by publishers, and staff recommendations, the Commissioner of Education submits a final report on recommended adoptions to the SBOE. A report detailing factual errors to be corrected in instructional materials is also submitted to the SBOE for action.
Each local Board of Trustees is responsible for determining appropriate local policy for selecting instructional materials. However, only state-adopted instructional materials ratified by a school district’s Board of Trustees will be purchased by the state for districts.
Orders for new instructional materials are transmitted to the agency for processing. Local adoption, requisition, and membership data are entered into an automated system for verification based upon the enrollment of the district and the distribution quota established by the SBOE for the course or subject. Districts are allowed to submit orders throughout the school year, as necessary.
AISD PROCEDURE
Official Textbook Committee:
· Recommendations for membership on the Official Textbook Committee are obtained from principals, teachers and central office administration.
· Members of the Official Textbook Committee are experienced, master teachers within the textbook adoption discipline who have regularly participated in professional development and training activities in the subject area district curriculum. They and the assisting Curriculum Support Team staff must confirm in writing that they have not received any remuneration during the past three years from any publisher submitting textbooks for adoption in that particular subject area.
· The Official Textbook Committee will be balanced according to ethnicity and geographic location. Each member will also chair one or more Teacher Advisory Committees.
· The Superintendent (or designee) will serve as the Chair of the Official Textbook Committee (EFAA-R Local).
· The Chair of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee will also serve as an ex-officio member of the Official Textbook Committee.
· In addition to the regular meetings of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committees, members of the Official Textbook Committee will attend one orientation meeting, two meetings with the Superintendent (or designee), and two Board of Trustees meetings. Funding for substitute teachers will be provided, if needed. Refer to attached calendar for dates, times, and sites.
· As Chairs of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committees, each member of the Official Textbook Committee will be responsible for submitting in writing a final textbook adoption recommendation for the corresponding subject area. Split adoptions within subject areas will not be supported by the district. A quorum, consisting of a majority of the committee, must be present for any meeting at which selections are made (EFAA-R Local).
· Curriculum Support Team staff members within the corresponding subject area will assist members of the Official Textbook Committee with all related textbook adoption tasks and responsibilities.
Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee:
· Recommendations for membership on the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committees are obtained from principals, teachers, and central office administrators.
· Members of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committees are experienced within the textbook adoption discipline that have regularly participated in professional development and training activities in the subject area district curriculum. They and the assisting Curriculum Support Team staff must confirm in writing that they have not received any remuneration during the past three years from any publisher submitting textbooks for adoption in that particular subject area (EFAA-R Local).
· The Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee will consist of a minimum of five members and a maximum of fifteen members (EFAA-R Local). The committee will be balanced according to ethnicity and geographic location.
· As stated above, Chairs of each Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee are also members of the Official Textbook Committee.
· Members of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee are expected to attend all arranged meetings of the committee. A quorum, consisting of a majority of the committee, must be present for any meeting at which selections are made (EFAA-R Local).
· Members of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee must attend the formal Textbook Hearings presented by the publishers. Refer to attached calendar for dates, times, and sites.
· Members of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee will be responsible for examining and evaluating all textbooks and systems within their subject area. They will disseminate the AISD Instructional Material Review Form to obtain feedback from teachers, the results of which are collected by the assisting Curriculum Support Team member. This review form will also be utilized by members of the Textbook Advisory Committee in the evaluation of instructional materials being considered for adoption by the district.
· Curriculum Support Team staff members within the corresponding subject area will assist members of the Textbook Advisory Committee with all related textbook adoption tasks and responsibilities.
Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee:
· Recommendations for membership on the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee are obtained from the Board of Trustees. Each Board member submits the name of one citizen for each textbook adoption subject area committee.
· Members of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee may attend meetings of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee.
· The Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee will select a Chair who will be responsible for submitting a written recommendation for textbook adoption to the Official Textbook Committee. If effective collaboration has occurred between the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee and the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee, the recommendations for textbook adoption are usually similar.
· Members of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee will be responsible for examining and evaluating all textbooks and systems within the corresponding subject area.
· Members of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee are expected to attend all arranged meetings of the committee.
· Members of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee are expected to attend the formal Textbook Hearings presented by the publishers. Refer to attached calendar for dates, times, and sites.
· The AISD Instructional Material Review form will be utilized by the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee in the evaluation of instructional materials being considered for adoption by the district.
· Curriculum Support Team staff members within the corresponding subject area will assist members of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee with all related textbook adoption tasks and responsibilities.
AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Textbook Adoption Calendar
2003-2004
ACTIVITY / DEADLINE / DATE/TIME / SITECurriculum Support Team Members’ Nominations for Official Textbook Committee and Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee. / Monday,
October 20, 2003
Board of Trustees’ Nominations for Citizens Textbook Advisory Committee. / Monday,
October, 2003
Meeting with Publishers. / Tuesday,
October 3, 2003
9:00-11:00
Thursday,
October 9, 2003
4:00-5:00 / SHRC
CAC, A450
West Conference Rm
Official Closing Occurs. / Tuesday,
October 28, 2003
Board Item due to Superintendent’s office. / Friday,
October 31, 2003
Appointment of Official Textbook Committee, Textbook Advisory Committee, and Citizens Textbook Advisory Committee as an Action Item at Board of Trustees Meeting (EFAA Local). / Monday
October 20, 2003 / Monday,
November 10, 2003
7:00 p.m. / CAC Auditorium
Send Publishers and Administrators the official Textbook Advisory Committee List. / Tuesday,
November 11, 2003
Orientation Meeting with Superintendent (or designee) for Official Textbook Committee and Chair of the Citizens Textbook Advisory Committee. / Tuesday,
November 11, 2003
6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. / CAC Auditorium
Regular Meetings of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committees and Citizens Textbook Advisory Committees. / November 2003-February 2004
Publishers’ Textbook Official Hearings. / Wednesday,
January 28, 2004 / TBA
by Discipline
Report of Textbook Adoption Recommendations from the Citizens Textbook Advisory Committee to the Official Textbook Committees. / Wednesday,
February 11, 2004
2:00 p.m. / PDA
Report of Textbook Adoption Recommendations from the Official Textbook Committee to the Superintendent (or designee). / Wednesday,
February 11, 2004
4:00 p.m. / PDA
Information Packets on Textbook Recommendations due to Superintendent’s office for Information Item. / Monday
February 16, 2004
Information Packets on Textbook Recommendations due to Superintendent’s office for Action Item. / Monday
February 23, 2004
Report of Textbook Adoption Recommendations from the Official Textbook Committee as an Information Item at Board of Trustees Meeting. / Monday,
February 23, 2004
7:00 p.m. / CAC Auditorium
Final Board Item due to Superintendent’s office. / Friday,
February 27, 2004
Final Textbook Adoption Recommendations from the Official Textbook Committee as an Action Item at Board of Trustees Meeting (EFAA Local). / Monday,
March 8, 2004 / CAC Auditorium
AISD Textbook Adoption Report Due to the Texas Education Agency. / Wednesday,
March 31, 2004
AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Textbook Adoption Publishers Guidelines
Outlined below are guidelines for publishers and their representatives whose textbooks are being considered for adoption by the Austin Independent School District. It is important that these guidelines are followed closely to ensure an orderly and impartial textbook adoption process.
CONTACT BETWEEN AISD STAFF AND PUBLISHERS’ REPRESENTATIVES
1. AISD schools are open for publisher contact until the Board of Trustees approves the membership of the Official Textbook Committee, Teacher Textbook Advisory Committees, and Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee on November 10, 2003.
2. Publishers’ representatives will receive a listing of members of the Textbook Advisory Committees after the November 10 Board of Trustees meeting. Members of the Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee and the assisting Curriculum Support Team staff may not have received any remuneration during the past three years from any publisher submitting textbooks for adoption in that particular subject area (EFAA-R Local). Publishers’ representatives may not initiate any other direct contact with AISD staff or Advisory Committee members. Inappropriate direct contact may include:
· Written, telephone, or electronic communication with a committee member at school or at home.
· Providing gifts or any other forms of gratuity to a committee member.
· Invitations to a committee member for any type of private meal or social function.
3. Publishers’ representatives may not contact schools or staff concerning textbooks being considered for adoption nor conduct presentations on campuses after October 28. This rule applies to publishers included on the TEA-approved textbook adoption list in addition to publishers not on the list. The only exception to this rule is statewide mailings. These mailings are permitted except to Advisory Committee members whose names must be deleted from the mailing list. The AISD Curriculum Support Team staff member assisting Advisory Committees will serve as a liaison with publishers’ representatives.
4. All publishers are advised that any infractions of the above stated guidelines will result in a report being filed with the AISD Board of Trustees and TEA State Board of Education.
DISTRIBUTION OF SAMPLE TEXTBOOK ADOPTION MATERIALS
1. Student and teacher editions of all science (high school biology, etc.) textbooks being considered for adoption are to be delivered to the school administrative office of each Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee member and properly set-up for display at the Science and Health Resource Center (SHRC), 305 North Bluff. Student and teacher editions of all English As A Second Language (ESL) textbooks being considered for adoption are to be delivered to the school administrative office of each Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee member and properly set-up for display on the stage area at Baker, 3908 Avenue B. Student and teacher editions of all Career and Technology Education Instructional Programs textbooks being considered for adoption are to be delivered to the school administrative office of each Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee member and properly set-up for display on the first floor hallway at Baker, 3908 Avenue B. Student and teacher editions of all Instructional Technology textbooks being considered for adoption are to be delivered to the school administrative office of each Teacher Textbook Advisory Committee member and properly set-up for display at Baker, 3908 Avenue B. These editions are also to be delivered to the office of the Curriculum Support Team staff member assisting the Advisory Committees and to the homes of the Citizens’ Textbook Advisory Committee members.