2020P - Curriculum Development and Adoption of Core Instructional Materials
The curriculum of the District shall be reviewed on a regular basis subject to budgetary limitations.
Instructional Materials Committee: Scope and Schedule
The Instructional Materials Committee is formed to establish and monitor such procedures as may be necessary for the selecting, adopting and discarding of Core/Standard instructional materials owned and used by the District. The committee will act upon requests for text/materials approval and removal and will evaluate and act upon citizens' requests for reconsideration of Core/Standard instructional materials. The function of the committee is to insure that Core/Standard materials are selected in conformance to stated criteria.
Regular committee meetings will be held on an as needed basis. All meetings will be arranged through the IMC chairperson. The District will be responsible for arranging release time for committee members when appropriate. Special meetings may be called by the committee chairman if necessary.
The committee secretary will provide department heads, principals, and program developers with copies of the committee meeting schedule at the beginning of each school year.
Social studies curriculum review or adoption
In compliance with RCW 28A.320.170, when the board adopts or reviews the District’s social studies curriculum, it will incorporate history, culture and government of the nearest federally recognized tribe or tribes utilizing curriculum available on the OSPI website. The District may modify the OSPI curriculum to incorporate elements that have a regionally specific focus or may incorporate the curriculum into existing instructional materials.
During regularly scheduled reviews and revisions of their social studies and history curriculum thereafter, the District will collaborate with any federally recognized tribe within its boundaries and with neighboring tribes to expand and improve instructional materials about tribes and to create programs of classroom and community cultural exchange.
The District will collaborate with the office of the superintendent of public instruction on curricular areas regarding tribal government and history that are statewide in nature.
Instructional Materials Committee Membership
This committee shall consist of 16 voting members and a non-voting chairperson
- Depending on availability and materials under consideration, the composition of professional staff may vary. Preferably, the professional staff will consist of eight subject area professional staff members to include two elementary, two middle school, and two high school members at all times:
1 Math/Science 1 Social Studies/Humanities 1 Health and P.E. 1 Language Arts/Humanities 1 Career and Tech Education 1 Special Education 1 Guidance and Counseling 1 Art/Music - Three Library Media Specialists – one elementary, one middle school and one high school.
- Five community members appointed by the Superintendent.
- The Superintendent shall appoint the non-voting chairperson.
Term of Office
The chairman is appointed annually by the Superintendent. Other members shall have two-year terms. Temporary appointments of one year or less may be made to fill vacancies.
Duties
The committee, with the approval of the Superintendent, shall establish and monitor such procedures as may be necessary for the implementation of this Regulation.
Citizens Participation in the Instructional Materials Process
Should a citizen wish to make a formal protest regarding specific material used in the school system, he/she must use the form for requesting reconsideration of instructional materials. These forms are available in the District office. A request to remove an item from the schools or limit its use will be acted upon by the committee. A written decision will be delivered to the complainant within two months. Any appeal of this decision must be delivered in writing to the superintendent within two weeks. The Board will make final decisions on appeals.
Selection of Core/Standard Instructional Materials: Responsibilities
The principal is responsible for insuring the continuing familiarity of his/her certificated staff with the requirements of the Regulation and procedure. The District office shall provide such technical assistance as may be necessary to accomplish this.
Initial Selection of Core/Standard Instructional Materials for Instructional Materials Committee
Texts/materials shall be initially selected by such certificated staff as the superintendent may designate.
Supplementary materials
Staff who wish to utilize an additional supplemental novel consistent with the purposes of the school system, not processed through IMC, shall submit a request for District approval through Teaching and Learning Services. Through the IMC a scope and sequence is also developed to delineate the skills/content taught and Core/Standard Instructional materials used throughout a course. In Language Arts, materials and novels and “District approved supplemental novels” are indicated in the scope and sequence.
Additional supplemental materials consistent with the purposes of the school system, not a novel, shall be selected by staff with the understanding that while such supplemental materials do not require item-by-item approval of the IMC, they must be selected as follows:
- Will compliment, not replace Core/Standard Instructional Materials
- Staff selected supplemental materials shall not replace or shorten any portion of the scope and sequence.
- Staff selected supplemental materials or novels that address current topics or events that have arisen since development of the scope and sequence will receive consideration.
- Will provide for the various ability levels and interests of students.
- Will provide more depth or detail on content in core curriculum.
- Will provide opposing views on issues to support students in applying critical thinking.
- Will respect the worth, dignity, and personal values of individual students.
Staff may be directed to cease utilizing supplemental materials inconsistent with the purposes of the school system or the process or criteria stated within this section of the Regulation.
Approval
Core/Standard Instructional texts/materials shall be recommended by the committee.
Adoption
Core/Standard Instructional texts/materials shall be adopted by the Board prior to their use in classrooms. Texts/materials selected previously are exempt from this requirement.
Supplementary materials shall not require Board adoption.
Ephemeral materials shall not require Board adoption.
Removal of Adopted Core/Standard Instructional Materials
Core/Standard Instructional materials may be removed from collections at any time that they no longer meet the criteria for initial selection outlined in “Criteria for Selection of Instructional Material.” Any Core/Standard Instructional materials may be removed when the administration judges such removal to be in the best interests of the District. Ordinary procedures for withdrawal of materials are outlined below:
Core/Standard Instructional texts/materials shall be removed from schools as they are replaced during the adoption cycle based on the criteria for selection in this procedure.
Citizens are invited to review any Core/Standard Instructional materials in current use or proposed for District purchase. The review and examination process should be arranged in a way to avoid disrupting the educational program. The review of Core/Standard Instructional materials should be undertaken with the knowledge of District objectives in mind. To help citizens become familiar with Core/Standard Instructional materials, once such materials are recommended for adoption, they are placed on public display for a period of two weeks prior to Board action.
Complaint Process for any Instructional Materials
A complainant wishing to protest use of any instructional materials (Core/Standard Instructional, or supplemental or ephemeral) in the school system must use the form for requesting reconsideration of instructional materials. These forms are available from the building principal or the District curriculum office. The complainant, defined as the concerned party, i.e. community member, student, staff or the professional Teacher Association, shall adhere to the following process:
- The complainant shall communicate the concern to the person(s) primarily responsible for the use of the materials. The two parties shall make every effort to resolve the concern. The principal or department head may be involved at the request of either party.
- If the matter is not resolved, the complainant may ask the building principal or the District curriculum office for the Request for the Re-Evaluation of Materials form and a copy and explanation of the Challenged Material Procedure.
- The complainant shall complete the Request for the Re-Evaluation of Materials form and shall submit the complaint to the Superintendent.
- The Superintendent shall request from the Chair of the Instructional Materials Committee (IMC), the original documentation and committee minutes from the IMC review and recommendation process. If the material has not been recommended by the IMC, the primary user of the material will be asked to complete the Selection of Standard Instructional Materials form.
- Within 10 school days of receipt of the request for re-evaluation, the Superintendent shall forward the Request for the Re-Evaluation of Materials form and the original IMC documentation and minutes to the IMC. The IMC shall have thirty (30) school days to complete its re-evaluation review and for the chairperson to make a written recommendation to the Superintendent.
The IMC shall re-evaluate the materials with the specific objections in mind as they relate to the District goals and philosophy of selection of instructional materials. In cases where the material has gone through a selection process, this committee shall take into consideration the actions of the selection committee. The IMC shall request the complainant and person(s) primarily responsible for the use of the material to appear before the committee to add information relative to the complaint. - The Superintendent may accept or reject the IMC's recommendation. Within ten (10) school days of receiving the committee's recommendation, the Superintendent shall communicate his/her decision in writing to the complainant and the person(s) primarily responsible for use of the material.
- Upon request of either party, the Board shall review the Superintendent's decision. Such request for Board review must be made within ten (10) school days of receipt of the Superintendent's decision. If a request is not received within ten (10) school days, the challenge process shall be considered completed. If a request for Board review is submitted, the Board shall have thirty (30) calendar days in which to make a decision.
- Any disputed materials shall remain in use in the school system until the challenge process has been completed.