606: TEXTBOOKS, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, AND LIBRARY MATERIALS
Adopted: 12/15/14
REPLACED POLICY #7045, #7047, #7050, #7060
Revised: 3/21/22; 1/22/24
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction and to delegate responsibility for selection and reconsideration of textbooks, instructional and library materials.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
The school board recognizes that selection of textbooks, instructional and library materials is a vital component of the school district’s curriculum.
The school board recognizes that library materials serve as a vital component of a student’s education by enriching the breadth of the curriculum as a whole and meeting the needs and interests of individual students. The purpose of library materials is to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, questions regarding selection and reconsideration of library materials should be handled differently than those concerning textbooks and instructional materials.
To ensure that textbooks and instructional materials fulfill this role, the school board delegates to the superintendent or the superintendent's designee responsibility for developing and administering a process for selecting curriculum and library/media center materials. Responsibility for selection shall rest with professionally trained school district staff, with recognition that the superintendent has the final authority on selection of instructional and library materials.
III. RESPONSIBILITY OF SELECTION
A. While the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee retains the authority to make final decisions on the selection of textbook, instructional and library materials, the school board recognizes the expertise of the professional staff and the vital need of such staff to be primarily involved in the recommendation of textbooks, instructional and library materials.
B. In reviewing textbooks and instructional materials during the selection process, the professional staff shall select materials that:
1. support the goals and objectives of the education programs;
2. consider the needs, age, and maturity of students;
3. foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and varied opinion;
4. fit within the constraints of the school district budget;
5. are in the English language. Another language may be used, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 124D.61;
6. permit grade-level instruction for students to read and study America’s founding documents, including documents that contributed to the foundation or maintenance of America’s representative form of limited government, the Bill of Rights, our free-market economic system, and patriotism; and
7. do not censor or restrain instruction in American or Minnesota state history or heritage based on religious references in original source documents, writings, speeches, proclamations, or records.
C. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall be responsible for developing procedures and guidelines to establish an orderly process for the review and recommendation of textbooks and other instructional materials by the professional staff. Such procedures and guidelines shall provide opportunity for input and consideration of the views of students, parents, and other interested members of the school district community. This procedure shall be coordinated with the school district’s curriculum development effort and may utilize advisory committees.
IV. SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS, INSTRUCTIONAL AND LIBRARY MATERIALS
A. The process for reviewing and selecting curriculum materials and library/media center materials will include professional school district staff. Materials considered for selection will be reviewed and presented to the District’s Systems Accountability Committee, which includes staff, parents, students, administrators, and board members for feedback and input before final selection.
B. The responsibility for coordinating the selection and purchase of curriculum materials rests with appropriate curriculum review committees, department chairpersons, building administration, the Coordinator of Teaching and Learning, and the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning.
C. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall be responsible for keeping the school board informed of progress on the part of staff and others involved in the textbook and other instructional materials review and selection process.
V. DEFINITIONS
A. “Library” is the school district resource that holds the library collection that serves the information and independent reading needs of students and supports the curriculum needs of teachers and staff. The term “library” includes a school library media center. The term also includes access to electronic materials.
For school districts with multiple school buildings, the term “library” refers to the resource within a specific school building.
Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.991, states that a school district or charter school library or school library media center provides equitable and free access to students, teachers, and administrators and that a school library or school library media center must have the following characteristics:
1. ensures every student has equitable access to resources and is able to locate, access, and use resources that are organized and cataloged;
2. has a collection development plan that includes but is not limited to materials selection and deselection, a challenged materials procedure, and an intellectual and academic freedom statement;
3. is housed in a central location that provides an environment for expanded learning and supports a variety of student interests;
4. has technology and Internet access
B. “Library collection” consists of the library materials made available to students.
C. “Library materials” are the books, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, films, prints, documents, videotapes, subscription content, electronic and digital materials (including e-books, audiobooks, and databases), and related items made available to students in a school building or through access to electronic materials This term does not include materials made available to students as part of the curriculum.
VI. SELECTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
A. Selection Criteria: The library materials selection process should result in a library collection that, when considered as a whole, is consistent with the following criteria:
1. Library materials shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and the district and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses;
2. Library materials shall be chosen to enrich and support the curriculum as well as to promote reading for pleasure by responding to the personal needs and interests of student users;
3. Library materials shall not be excluded because of the race, nationality, religion, sex, gender, or political views of the writer;
4. Library materials shall be appropriate to and reflect the needs, ages, maturity level, emotional development, ability levels, learning styles, social development, background, diversity, and needs and interests of the students for whom the materials were selected;
5. Library materials shall meet high standards of quality in one or more of these categories (presented alphabetically):
a. Artistic quality and/or literary style;
b. Authenticity;
c. Critical thinking;
d. Educational significance;
e. Factual content;
f. High interest for intended audience; and
g. Readability.
6. The selection of library materials shall conform to the constraints of the school district budget.
B. The Teaching & Learning Department shall consult sources and specialists experienced in library materials collections appropriate for the building’s students and that are reputable, experienced, unbiased, and professionally trained in school library materials.
C. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall be responsible for keeping the school board informed of progress on review and selection of each building’s library materials.
D. Library materials that are outdated, inaccurate, no longer useful for curricular support or reading enrichment, or have not been utilized for an extended period of time may be removed. Library materials that are in poor physical condition may be removed or replaced as determined by the Teaching & Learning Department.
E. Gifts and Donations of Library Materials
Materials offered for donation or gifted to a school library may be accepted if they comply with the library collection selection criteria. The school district’s libraries welcome donations of books and other resource materials from individuals and organizations, but also reserve the right to decline to accept library materials. In addition, financial donations to benefit school district’s libraries will be accepted with the understanding that funds will be used to purchase materials that are needed for libraries based on the needs of the individual schools.
VII. INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ACCESS TO SPECIFIC LIBRARY MATERIAL
A parent or guardian may request that access to specific material in the library materials collection be restricted from their student. The school shall take reasonable steps to fulfill this request. This type of request will not result in removal of specific library collection material from the library or restrictions upon any other student accessing specific library materials.
VIII. RECONSIDERATION OF SPECIFIC TEXTBOOK, INSTRUCTIONAL AND LIBRARY MATERIALS
A. The school board recognizes differences of opinion on the part of some members of the school district community relating to certain areas of the instruction program. Interested persons may request an opportunity to review materials and submit a request for reconsideration of the use of certain textbooks or instructional materials.
B. The superintendent shall be responsible for the development of guidelines and procedures to identify the steps to be followed to seek reconsideration of textbooks or other instructional materials.
C. The superintendent shall present a procedure to the school board for review and approval regarding reconsideration of textbooks or other instructional materials. When approved by the school board, such procedure shall be an addendum to this policy.
D. The school board seeks to uphold students’ access to library materials that meet the educational goals and selection criteria set forth in this policy.
E. A school district employee, student, or a parent or guardian of a school district student may request reconsideration of specific library material on the basis of appropriateness. Access to the material in question shall not be restricted until the procedures listed below have been fully completed and a decision to remove or restrict the materials has been made.
F. Informal Request for Reconsideration of Specific Library Material
1. Requests for reconsideration of specific library material shall be directed to the building principal. The building principal shall assume responsibility for processing the request on an informal basis.
2. The building principal shall provide an explanation to the individual who submitted the request. The explanation shall include the particular selection criteria that the material in question met in order to be included in the library as curriculum support or as an independent reading choice for students in the building.
3. If the request is not resolved informally, the principal shall submit a report on the matter to the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning. The requestor will have an option to initiate a Formal Request for Reconsideration.
G. Formal Request for Reconsideration of Specific Library Collection Material
1. A Formal Request for Reconsideration of specific library material is initiated upon submission of a completed Formal Request for Reconsideration of Specific Library Collection Material form. The form must be completed in its entirety for each work that is subject to a request for reconsideration. The principal shall notify the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning of receipt of a completed Formal Request form.
If specific library material is the subject of a Formal Request for Reconsideration and a final decision is made to retain the specific library material, then the specific library material shall not be subject to additional requests for reconsideration for three years following the date of final resolution of the initial Formal Request for Reconsideration.
2. The Executive Director of Teaching & Learning will convene the District Systems Accountability Committee and shall establish a date upon which it will discuss the request and whether the specific library collection material conforms to the selection criteria set forth in this policy.
3. The District Systems Accountability Committee
a. may consult individuals, organizations, and other resources with relevant professional knowledge on school library material;
b. shall examine the specific library material as a whole;
c. shall examine the specific library material as to its conformance with the criteria for selection of library materials; and
d. shall submit a written report to the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee containing the Review Committee’s decision on whether to retain, to remove, or to take other action regarding the specific library material.
4. The Executive Director of Teaching and Learning shall inform the requestor and the school board of the District Systems Accountability Committee’s decision. The requestor may appeal the District Systems Accountability Committee’s decision to the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee by submitting a written appeal to the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee within fourteen (14) days of submission of the District Systems Accountability Committee’s decision to the requestor. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall provide a written decision on a requestor’s appeal within a reasonable time period.
5. The requestor shall have the right to appeal the decision of the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee to the school board.
Legal References:
Minn. Stat. § 120A.22, Subd. 9 (Compulsory Instruction – Knowledge and Skills)
Minn. Stat. § 120B.235 (American Heritage Education)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.02, Subd. 2 (General Powers of Independent School Districts)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.09, Subd. 8 (School Board Responsibilities)
Minn. Stat. § 124D.59-124D.61 (Education for English Learners Act)
Minn. Stat. § 124D.991 (Public School Libraries and Media Centers)
Minn. Rules Part 8710.4550 (Library Media Specialists)
Bd. of Educ., Island Trees Union Free Sch. Dist. No. 26 v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982)
Virginia State Bd. of Educ. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 (1943)Minn. Stat. § 127A.10 (State Officials and School Board Members to be Disinterested; Penalty)
Hazelwood Sch. Dist. v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988)
Pratt v. Independent Sch. Dist. No. 831, 670 F.2d 771 (8th Cir. 1982)
Cross References:
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 524 (Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 603 (Curriculum Development)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 604 (Instructional