Textbooks and supplemental materials must go through 5 steps in order to be approved for use in District 11. Using only approved books and materials protects each teacher and administrator should a parent or community member object to content included in either a book or supplemental material. In July, 2007 the District 11 School Board approved a change to the policy and procedures for textbook and supplemental materials adoption. The change was intended to "narrow the gate" for textbooks so that, eventually, each grade level or program area would be using either the "District Recommended" (first choice textbook) or the "District Alternate" (second choice textbook.) The change in policy will make curriculum alignment across the district much easier. Through this policy, we will be moving toward a viable and guaranteed curriculum across the district. Simply stated, each book or supplementary material that will be used as a required resource for classroom instruction (not optional as all library books are) must progress through the following steps:

1. Resource Identified and Reviewed at School Level  - Any District 11 employee can identify a textbook or supplemental material that he or she would like to go through the process. First, check to see if the textbook or supplemental material is already on the Approved Instructional Material List. A teacher should complete the Textbook Adoption Content Form. The form, and a copy of the textbook or support material must be signed by the building principal and then forwarded to the appropriate Content Area Coordinator. If the material is already approved under an older copyright date, follow the Copyright Change Process.

2. Resources Reviewed by Content Area Coordinators - The Content Area Coordinator will review the material and may either approve the material or may submit it to a committee of reviewers that will use the Textbook Adoption Reader Form to provide feedback on the book or supplemental material. After the Content Area Coordinator has signed-off on the material, it is submitted to the Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

3. Resources Reviewed by Curriculum Committee - The Director of Curriculum and Instruction is responsible for final review of all materials that are sent to the Board for final approval. A Curriculum Committee will be convened during the month prior to the Board Meeting. The committee will review all textbooks and supplementary materials that are proposed for adoption. This takes place three time per year, in October, January, and April. The committee will give a final review of supplemental materials, but will focus more on using rubrics to evaluate the quality and "fit" of each textbook to District needs. The Committee will use several forms of input to determine the ratings for competing textbooks and will recommend, for Board approval, two textbooks per subject area, grade level, or special program. Using the Evaluation Form, the highest scoring textbook will be offered as the "Recommended Textbook" and the second highest ranking will be offered as the "Alternate Textbook". The committee will make recommendations, after considering potential funding streams, that include: Use of Supplemental Materials Title I Funds, maintenance cost, additional training fees, substitute costs fro training days, estimated professional development costs, additional technology costs, additional FTE's needed, and license renewal costs.

4. Check For Network Compatibility - If the instructional material to be considered for approval includes an online or computer-based component, that must be reviewed by the Information Technology Department representative (Roberta Emerick) to check for compatibility. The Curriculum and Instruction Department representative (Jacqueline Williams) will submit a Work Order Ticket/Envelope to have the software or network version tested. When the Ticket is closed, software that has been approved by Information Technology will be included in the products for review by the public.

5. Resources Reviewed by Public - Materials that have been approved by the Curriculum Committee must be displayed for public review for a two-week period before being sent for Board Approval. An advertisement is sent to the local newspapers informing the public that materials the district is considering for adoption are available for public review. Parents and community members can review the items at the Central Administration Building during the two week review period. They will  use the Textbook Adoption Reader Form to record their comments, and all comments are entered into public record.

6. Resources Approved by Board - Public comments are added to the adoption recommendations, and are presented to the Board three times per year. The Board will take action on the recommendation from the Curriculum Committee, and the approved items will be listed on the Approved Instructional Material List.

7. Funding Request - Submit the Funding Request to the Curriculum and Instruction department for processing.