6161

Instruction

Textbooks and Primary Instructional Materials

The Hamden Board of Education (the “Board”) provides educational materials and equipment that support and enrich the curriculum and further the achievement of the instructional goals of the Hamden Public Schools (the “District”).

Adoption of new textbooks and/or change of textbooks shall require a two-thirds vote of all the members of the Board, notice of such intended change having been previously given at a meeting at least one week prior to the vote.  Textbooks and primary instructional materials shall be furnished by the Board for all District students.

Textbooks shall be defined, for purposes of this policy, as the primary instructional materials used for the majority of students in a particular class or course on an ongoing basis during a semester or during the entire school year.   Textbooks and primary learning materials shall not include supplemental instructional materials and reference books.  In addition, textbooks and primary learning materials shall not include, and the Board shall not furnish, individual and special project materials to be used for at-home or outside-of-school assignments.

Any textbook or primary instructional material that will serve the function of a textbook must be approved in accordance with this policy.

The administration will develop and maintain a procedure for selecting textbooks which meets the aforementioned criteria.  Such procedure shall include the opportunity for professional staff to analyze, evaluate, and recommend textbooks and primary learning materials for adoption by the Board.

Disposition of textbooks and primary instructional materials shall be made in accordance with the Board’s Disposal of Obsolete/Unusable Materials and Equipment policy and applicable law.

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes

10-221 Boards of education to prescribe rules, policies, and procedures

10-228 Free textbooks, supplies, material and equipment

10-229 Change of textbooks