SELECTION OF BASIC TEXT MATERIALS

SELECTION OF BASIC TEXT MATERIALS

ag2510 Adopted August 24, 2017

2510 - SELECTION OF BASIC TEXT MATERIALS

New basic text materials and revisions to same will be recommended to the Superintendent . Appropriate staff members will comprise the selection (review) committees. (see Form 2510 F1)

Each committee will be responsible for establishing selection standards for each criterion in the following categories:

  1. Publisher and Author

    What is the reputation of the author(s) for scholarship?

    What is the reliability of the publisher?
  2. Content

    In terms of achieving course goals.

    How effective is the organizational plan?

    How relevant is the information?

    How complete is the information?

    How accurate and unbiased is the information?

    How appropriate is the illustrative material?

    How sufficient is the illustrative material?

    If students accomplished all the objectives called for in the material, how well would they be able to achieve the goals of the course?
  3. Necessity

    If replacement text, how does it improve upon existing text?
  4. Instructional Aids

    Does the book contain: an index? graphic materials? references? a bibliography? glossaries? appendices? Are there any software or other resources provided with the books?

    How appropriate is each of these?
  5. Format

    What kind of binding? paper? type?

    Will the format help or inhibit student interest and ease of use?
  6. Expense

    What is the cost and probable life?
  7. Moral Tone

    How does the text handle controversial subjects in terms of the maturity level of the students and objectivity?
  8. Past Experience

    How successfully has the text been used in other districts?
  9. Bias

    How free is the text of religious, gender, racial, and national origin bias?

Selection committees should use the following procedures for the selection and recommendation of basic textbooks:

  1. The text materials should be examined by each one of the committee members. The committee members should also examine, whenever possible, other text materials similar in nature to the one being considered for adoption.
  2. The chairperson of the selection committee will be responsible for submitting the recommendations to the Superintendent.