Policy 7400: Instructional Materials and Media Centers (Rules)

1. Selection of Educational Materials: 
   • Members of the instructional staff shall have the responsibility of selecting materials or resources according to Board policy and current master agreements.
   • Each member of the instructional staff shall discuss with the Principal the utilization of potentially controversial materials or resources prior to their actual use.
   • The Principal may discuss with each member of his/her instructional staff the utilization of specific educational materials or resources.
   • Each Principal may request a member of his/her instructional staff to submit in writing the following: 
     1. a statement of the purpose or educational objectives specific materials or resources are to achieve; 
     2. an account of potentially controversial items or issues with specific reference points; 
     3. each request shall be completed on the form provided by the Principal. 
2. Review of Materials: 
   • If no consensus is reached between the Principal and his/ her instructional staff concerning the use of specific materials or resources, the Principal shall immediately notify the Administrator of Elementary or Secondary Schools and the appropriate subject area supervisor with the following information: 
     1. a description of the materials or resources under consideration;
     2. a statement of the purpose or educational objectives specific materials or resources are to achieve;
     3. an account of potentially controversial items or issues with specific reference points;
     4. an account of the conference(s) held with each member of the instructional staff directly involved. 
   • The Administrator of Elementary or Secondary Schools or designee may schedule a conference to include the following: 
     1. the Administrator of Elementary or Secondary Schools or designee;
     2. the Principal;
     3. appropriate subject area supervisor;
     4. the member(s) of the instructional staff directly involved. 
   • The materials or resources under consideration shall not be utilized until an appropriate decision is reached, or as stipulated in the current master agreements. 

Purchase Procedures 

All orders for instructional materials other than textbooks, expendable materials, and film rentals will be channeled through the person in charge of the media center or the building Principal, as the case may be, to the purchasing officer of the District. Such materials would include all items to be cataloged and circulated, e.g., books, filmstrips, loop films, records, CD’s, DVD’s, videotapes, audiotapes, computer software, slides, maps, posters, etc. 

All purchases will be made in accordance with Board policies. 

At the beginning of each fiscal year, the person in charge of the media center or the building Principal, as the case may be, will be informed of the amount of the media center budget and will operate within that budget. 

The person in charge of the media center or the building Principal, as the case may be, will assess the needs of the collection with the help and advice of teachers and with due consideration given to needs of the students. Final decisions as to the areas of emphasis in any given year will rest with the person in charge of the media center and the building Principal. 

Recommendations 

Recommendations received from the certified staff, students and patrons will be placed in a consideration file and will be reviewed to ascertain whether they meet selection criteria as set forth by the Board. 

Teachers’ professional advice will be solicited in making selections of materials. Person(s) in charge of media centers or the building Principal, as the case may be, may order for that level or department from standard selection tools. 

Evaluation

The collection will be evaluated, from time to time, in relation to changing curriculum, new instructional methods, and current needs of teachers and students. 

Service 

Materials will be purchased throughout the school year as needed. Areas of emphasis will be determined by the needs of each media center as judged by the person in charge of the media center or the building Principal, within budgetary limits. 

Authority 

The Board authorizes the District's trained personnel to select for the media centers subject to Board policies and rules. 

Gifts (Cf. 9350) 

All gift materials must meet qualitative standards of selection as stated above. Gift materials will be acknowledged and credit given in the media center records. 

Procedures for Evaluating Challenged Materials (Cf. 7770, 7800, 9450) 

The parent(s)/guardian(s) of any student in the District shall have the right to register a complaint about controversial reading materials or media. Supplemental material shall be substituted for completing the requirements of the course for that student. 

The parent(s)/guardian(s) may notify the teacher and Principal in writing using the request for reconsideration form attached to these rules and schedule a meeting with the teacher and/or Principal to set forth the part or parts of the assigned material, which the parent(s)/guardian(s) finds to be objectionable. The Principal will notify the Divisional Executive Director. 

Should the parent(s)/guardian(s) exercise the above right, the student shall not be penalized in any way in academic endeavors because of the complaint. 

In the case of a complaint, the person receiving the complaint shall present the complainant with “the request for reconsideration form,” invite the complainant to file objections in writing and notify the building Principal, Director of Library Media Services and the Executive Director of Curriculum that a complaint has been registered. 

When the form has been completed and returned, the review committee composed of the building Principal, Executive Director of Media, two (2) subject area specialists and two (2) community members will be asked to evaluate the material in question. The Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction will convene the review committee. Challenged materials shall not be removed from the classroom during the evaluation periods. 

The following guidelines shall apply to the evaluation process: 

• To examine and evaluate the material as a whole, not based on passages pulled out of context,
• To check appropriate selection aids for evaluation of the material,
• To weigh strengths and weaknesses and form opinions based upon the selection criteria, the appropriateness of material to the reading ability and maturity level of the student, the nature of its use in the educational program, relevance to the curriculum and educational goals of the school, (Cf. 7800)
• To meet to discuss the material and prepare a written report containing conclusions and recommendations within 30 days,
• To direct the written report to the Board, and
• To send the complainant a copy of the written report. 

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the decisions of the media review committee, an appeal of the decision may be made through the Superintendent to the Board for a hearing and final decision. The report shall be discussed with the Board by the members of media review committee.