ST. LOUIS BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULATION
INSTRUCTION
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND SECONDARY
Instructional Services
Equipment, Books and Materials -- Textbooks and Workbooks

All authorized textbooks, textual materials, and instructional supplies required for use in the schools shall be furnished free to students by the board. Only textbooks authorized by the board shall be used in the schools. Educational materials other than required textbooks and supplies may be furnished free to students by the board on the recommendation of the superintendent. Such books and materials remain the property of the board.

The board shall preferentially procure educational materials, including textbooks and collateral materials, from venders who make the materials available in either Braille or electronic format which is computer readable in a form approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, or both, at no greater cost than for regular materials.

Selection of New Textbooks

Basic textbooks should be selected that provide material current in the field so the books may be used effectively for a period of years. Textbooks and textual materials will be selected as follows:

Recommendations for textual materials are made by the curriculum facilitators to the director of teaching and learning support. A curriculum advisory committee will be established, composed of teachers, administrators, parents and when appropriate, students. The curriculum facilitators and advisory committee shall examine all textual materials and make selections based on goals and objectives.

Specific needs for a curriculum guide will be established in writing and the book(s) selected will be the one(s) that, in the opinion of the curriculum facilitator and the curriculum advisory committee, best meets the needs of the curriculum.

All companies will be invited to submit sample copies of appropriate textual materials to the curriculum supervisors. Enough time will be allowed to the curriculum supervisors and curriculum advisory committee for a thorough evaluation of textual materials.

Textbooks and textual materials recommended will be submitted by the curriculum supervisors to the director of teaching and learning support for presentation to the associate superintendent for site support/instructional and leadership , the superintendent's cabinet, and the superintendent . The recommendation will then be presented to the Board of Education for approval.

Ordering New Textbooks

When the budget is approved in final form the superintendent or designee shall, within the limits of the adopted budget, direct the purchase of books, supplies, equipment and other instructional materials.

The division of teaching and learning support shall forward orders for textbooks and textual materials to the office of purchasing. The number of books ordered shall be consistent with established quotas.

Generally, elementary and middle school textbooks shall be issued on a per student basis with additional textbooks provided to allow for enrollment changes. Secondary textbooks usually shall be issued on a per student basis with an additional percentage allowance for changing conditions. Some textbooks shall be issued in sets on the basis of one set per class, according to the greatest number of students in the class, in a particular grade. others shall be issued on a per school basis.

Elementary and middle school textbooks allotted on a per room basis shall be distributed to classrooms having split grades as follows:

The maximum allowable if student enrollment for the grade is at least equal to the quota.

One per student if student enrollment for the grade is less than the quota.

Authorized Use

No books, including supplementary texts, except those authorized by the Board of Education and those selected for experimental use in compliance with procedures set by the superintendent of schools, may be purchased, received as a gift, or brought into the school for student use.

It is the responsibility of the principal to make certain that each teacher has all the authorized books, consistent with quotas, necessary for the instructional program outlined in the curriculum guides.

Additional Textbooks

Requests for textbooks in excess of school enrollment and/or quotas shall be made by the principal to the associate superintendent for site support/instructional and leadership . Upon approval by the appropriate executive director , the orders will be forwarded directly to the office of purchasing for processing, and notice of approval shall be sent to the principal.

Requests for additional textbooks and or textual materials to accompany a syllabus for an experimental project shall be made by the principal to the assistant superintendent. Upon approval by the appropriate assistant superintendent, the request shall be submitted to the division of teaching and learning support for review no later than November 1 of the year preceding the course offering. The request then shall be forwarded to the associate superintendent for site support/instructional and leadership for approval and submission to the Board of Education, if necessary, by the end of January. The requesting school and the assistant superintendent will be notified of approval or disapproval.

References

Legal: Section 170.132 RSMo.

Regulation approved: June 26, 1990

Revised: December 07, 1999