Selection & Adoption of Instructional Materials

Statement of Policy

State law requires the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) to establish Core Standards to identify what individual students should be able to know and do at each grade level. The Alpine School District Board of Education has the legal responsibility to adopt or approve textbooks, instructional and supplementary materials, including library materials, for use in elementary and secondary schools. The Board delegates to the professional staff the responsibility for evaluating and selecting learning materials, reserving to the Board of Education the right to approve or disapprove the final recommendation.

The Board also recognizes the importance of freedom of inquiry and study, as guaranteed by Constitutional and First Amendment protections. The Board of Education further recognizes that school libraries offer a place and opportunity for the exercise of intellectual freedom and the right to read, inquire, study, and evaluate outside of the setting of formal instruction. The Board asserts that school libraries are different from public libraries in that they are not open to the public, they primarily serve the school’s students who are minors, and they are part of the instructional resources of the school. With regard to library materials, this policy specifies the process for identifying materials to be included for use in schools and libraries based on principles of freedom of expression and belief, high standards of content, age appropriateness, and adherence to state and federal law. (Utah Code  53G-10-103), Sensitive Instructional Materials, Board Rule R277-217 - Educator Standards and LEA Reporting)

All employees of the District must adhere to this policy and are subject to the employee Code of Conduct (Policy 7300) in the instance of any violation.

Definitions

  1. “Material” means anything printed or written or any picture, drawing, photograph, motion picture, or pictorial representation, or any statue or other figure, or any recording or transcription, or any mechanical, chemical, or electrical reproduction, or anything which is or may be used as a means of communication. Material includes undeveloped photographs, molds, printing plates, and other latent representational objects. Utah Code § 76-10-1201(7) (2013) 

  1. “Primary instructional materials” means materials purchased with District funds, with the expectation that they will be the primary source of information and instruction used in District classrooms in a grade level, course, or subject area.

  1. “Supplementary materials” are materials used in addition to primary materials and include but are not limited to software, manipulatives, and other items intended for regular use in a particular classroom, grade level, or subject area. Supplementary materials include leveled libraries.

  1. “Incidental Materials” means pictures, quotations, video clips, and other materials intended to be used as part of a single unit during classroom instruction. Incidental materials include classroom libraries.

  1.  “Instructional material” means information, regardless of format, which is used either
  1. As or in place of textbooks to deliver instruction to students within the state curriculum framework or
  2. To support a student’s learning in the school setting. It may include reading materials, handouts, videos, digital materials, websites, online applications, and live presentations. Utah Code § 53G-10-103(1)(a) (2022)

  1.  “Library material” means any text, digital media (including audio or visual media) or other material (as defined above) contained within a school library’s collection.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-628-2(1) (June 2, 2022)

  1.  "Sensitive material" means an instructional material that is pornographic or indecent material as that term is defined in Utah Code § 76-10-1235.

  1.  “Age appropriate” means generally suitable for students of the same age or level of social, emotional, and cognitive development when taking into consideration the ages of all minors who could be exposed or have access to the material.

  1. “Instructional material review committee” means a committee of an odd number of persons formed as needed at the school or district level for the purpose of determining an appropriate course of action when instructional or library materials are challenged, or for other necessary purposes. At the school level, the committee shall be organized by the principal and shall consist of at least one school administrator, two teachers from the school appointed by the principal, and at least one more parent than the total number of employees. Parent committee members shall be recommended by the School Community Council and must have students enrolled in and attending the school. At the school level, the principal or their designee. shall serve as the committee chair. At theDistrict level, the Superintendent’s designee shall organize an equivalent committee, with parents being recommended by the District Community Council, and shall serve as the committee chair. Parents appointed to a school or district instructional material review committee shall, in the best judgment of the School/District Community Council, be reflective of the members of the relevant school community. Utah Code § 53G-10-103(3) (2022)
  2. “Retained” means the determination to maintain access in a school setting to the challenged material for all students.
  3. “Restricted” means the determination to keep, but restrict access in a school setting, to be accessible only by permission of a parent/guardian. This includes evaluating the age-appropriate use of the material and the age group for which it will be accessible without restriction, if any.
  4. “Removed” means the determination to deselect challenged materials from the school or district libraries and classrooms. .
  5. “Replace” means the determination to replace  removed instructional material with material of similar ideas or themes, which do not contain sensitive material.

Board Approvals

  • Board Approved Temporary Pilot: August 9, 2022
  • Pilot will run through September 26, 2022
  • Board Approved: September 27, 2022

Procedures

  1. MATERIALS MANAGEMENT

  1. The purpose of all materials management shall be to implement, enrich, and support the educational program of District elementary and secondary schools. Instructional materials are part of an instructional system, including curricula, professional learning, educator evaluation, and student assessment which should be aligned and support the teaching of Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions.
  2. The established management team will use the following to guide the process:
  1. Review of State recommended instructional materials (RIMs) and identification of the instructional materials most appropriate for use in the District;
  2. Identification of funding for the adoption process, implementation, and professional development costs;
  3. Identification of funding for new primary instructional materials adoption and support material costs;
  4. Establishment of procedures that require coordination between school principals, the Teaching and Learning team, Purchasing Department, Technology Department, and the vendors to ensure efficiency and price advantage in the purchasing process of the primary instructional materials; and
  5. Establish guidelines for the reuse or disposal of primary instructional materials.

  1. Instructional materials cannot be approved for use in the District or used in District schools if the materials contain Sensitive material as defined in this policy. Utah Code § 53G-10-103(2) (2022)
  1. STANDARDS FOR ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

  1. To be approved for use, instructional materials shall meet the following standards:
  1. Aligned with District Essential Standards and the Utah State Core standards;
  2. Of high quality, evidence-based, and proven effective in supporting student learning;
  3. Age-appropriate with varying levels of learning;
  4. Objective and providing a balanced viewpoint of issues;
  5. Accurate and factual;
  6. Arranged chronologically or systematically, or both;
  7. Respectful in the representation of diverse ethnic groups;
  8. Free from sensitive materials.
  9. Free from sexual, ethnic, age, gender, or disability bias and stereotyping;
  10. Focused on enhancing, or helping students achieve mastery of the Core Standards;
  11. Including enrichment and extension possibilities; and
  12. Compatible with District technology systems, approved by the District Technology Department; adhering to high standards of technical quality and ease of use; and
  13. Complying with data privacy law and ASD Policy 7200,
  1. SELECTION AND ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR SCHOOLS

  1. Primary instructional materials for core programs in the District’s  K-12 schools shall be uniform throughout the District and shall be adopted as follows.
  1. The Superintendent’s Executive Directors of Learning shall ensure that a District Curriculum Committee is organized as needed. The Committee is authorized to vet any instructional materials. When the committee vets instructional materials, it may reject, recommend, or adopt them.
  2. The District Curriculum Committee must include the following:
  1. At least one parent of a student currently enrolled in a class for which instructional materials are being considered by the committee;
  2. At least one teacher of the class for which the instructional materials are being selected;
  3. At least one principal or designee of a school in which the instructional materials will be used; and either
  4. The Director of Technology, Director of Purchasing, or the Directors of K-12 Curriculum or their designees; and
  5. May include a member of the Board Teaching and Learning Committee.
  1. In evaluating the materials, the committee shall consider whether the instructional materials meet the standards set forth herein.

  1. The primary materials may be adopted, recommended, or rejected by the District Curriculum Committee.
  1. Once the committee selects or adopts primary materials for the particular grade level, course, or subject area for which they were intended,  the teachers must use the adopted primary materials.
  2. If the committee “recommends” the primary materials, the particular grade level, course, or subject area for which they were recommended must be taught from among the recommended primary materials.

  1. Supplementary instructional materials may be adopted at the school or district level under the supervision and guidance of a district department or principal of the school. In adopting such materials, the principal may refer the evaluation of the materials to a school instructional materials committee. The person or body evaluating the materials shall consider whether the instructional materials meet the standards set forth herein.
  1. In approving supplementary or incidental materials, the principal or principal’s designee shall consider the educational purpose of the material.
  1. Material shall be age-appropriate and shall not include sensitive material.
  1. All instructional material is subject to copyright protection and must comply with Policy 6164, including, but not limited to, the administration obtaining public performance rights when that is required by copyright.

  1. Incidental Materials
  1. Incidental materials may be selected by individual teachers but must comply with the general standards listed herein. If it contains software or a digital component, they must be approved by the Director of Technology.
  2. Classroom Displays
  1. Materials displayed in and around a classroom are generally considered instructional materials and must comply with this policy. They may be selected by the classroom teacher but are subject to review by the principal.
  2. Consistent with Alpine School District Code of Conduct Policy 7300, classrooms are not public forums for the display or promotion of political, religious, or personal viewpoints, and employees may not use them for such purposes. (Utah Code 53G-10-402(6))
  3. Displays in schools or classrooms may reasonably be perceived as having the District’s approval. Therefore, they constitute government speech under the First Amendment, subject to control by the District. Materials that do not convey the District’s educational message may be removed by the school principal. An educator or employee who uses instructional time or space to convey a political, religious, or personal message may be subject to disciplinary action after being directed not to.
  4. An administrator may not remove photos, decorations or other personal items from a teacher’s desktop or immediate surrounding area as long as the item(s) do not disrupt the learning process.

  1. Individual Classroom Teachers
  1. Teachers have the autonomy to use other supplementary and incidental materials of text, digital, audio, etc., to enhance an instructional standard or learning objective, and must adhere to established materials standards outlined herein.
  2. All teachers are required to prepare a disclosure/syllabus document with the materials used for the duration of their course, whether semester or year long.
  1. The class disclosure/syllabus should be available online.
  1. Teachers will notify parents if a substantial change to instructional materials identified in the disclosure/syllabus will be made.
  1. Teachers that post their instructional materials in a district-supported learning management system (CANVAS, Google Classroom, Nearpod, etc.) should encourage parents to monitor changes to instructional materials through teacher postings in the system.
  1. Online Resources

  1. The District shall maintain an internet content filter in compliance with Federal CIPA regulations.
  2. During the process of review and approval of district, school, or other instructional material, the district representative or school administrator will confirm that the needed online resources are available or can be made available through the content filter.
  3. Upon any request to allow an online resource for use as a district, school, other, or classroom resource, in a timely manner, the technology staff will review the resource for compliance with data privacy laws and confirm that the resource is in line with the standards for instructional materials outlined herein.
  4. Any material that is not easily identified by the technology staff as falling within the standards for instructional materials herein will be considered by a team of educators with knowledge and expertise in the content area and level of the intended resource for alignment with these standards.
  1. LIBRARY MATERIALS AND USE

  1. The District’s school libraries shall contain material of diverse origin, background, and viewpoint, including material that is used to support a student's learning in the school setting but shall not include material defined as sensitive material, as defined in this policy.

  1. The school librarian, subject to the oversight of the principal, and working in cooperation with school staff and the district librarian collaboration team, shall select new library materials, taking into consideration the following criteria,  subject to the overall requirements that the material is age appropriate and does not include sensitive material as defined herein:
  1. Overall purpose and educational significance
  2. Contribution and relevance to core standards
  3. Responding to a teacher, parent, or student request
  4. Validity, currency, and appropriateness
  5. Accuracy, timeliness, and permanence
  6. Favorable reviews, recommendations, and/or award nominees found in standard selection sources or from professional personnel.
  7. Contribution of  a balanced perspective
  8. Potential appeal and interest
  9. Recreational reading needs of students
  10. Artistic quality and literary style
  11. Reputation and significance of author, producer, or publisher
  12. Value commensurate with cost and/or need
  13. Uniqueness, diversity, and/or heritage of the state, region, or group
  14. Support of second language learners
  15. Support of special needs students
  16. The merit of the work as a whole

  1. The school library selection committee shall review the library collection at least annually to determine which materials should be removed (deselected) or replaced. Criteria may include any of the considerations relating to the initial selection stated above and may also include:
  1. Poor physical condition
  2. Superseded by more current information or containing subject matter no longer needed to support the core standards
  3. Containing demeaning stereotypes or biases
  4. Receiving little use
  5. Providing inaccurate or dated information, or;
  6. Otherwise in violation of this policy

  1. An item may not be removed because of disagreement with the item’s content relating to politics, religion, nationalism, or other matters of opinion.

  1. Library Materials Self-Selection
  1. Library materials are available on a self-selection basis.
  2. Self-selection means the right and responsibility of an individual student and/or the student’s parent or legal guardian to select materials from a school library.
  3. Library staff are available to consult with students and with the parent or guardian of students to find appropriate materials, but are not responsible for the final selections of the student.
  4. Parents who choose to allow their child access (opt-in) to restricted materials can do this through a student information system (i.e. Skyward) or other online procedure established by the school.

  1. SCHOOL AND DISTRICT REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

  1. The District’s practice is to attempt to resolve concerns on an informal basis  beginning at the lowest level:
  1. Classroom teacher, or librarian,
  2. Principal or administration,
  3. Executive Directors of Leading Learning.
  1. If, after meeting with the teacher, or librarian there still remains dissatisfaction, an individual may request a formal review by an instructional materials review committee.
  2. Requests for review of instructional materials are limited to the following:
  1. A secondary student currently enrolled in and attending a District school;
  2. A parent or guardian of a student currently enrolled in and attending a District school; or
  3. A District employee

  1. Limitations in frequency
  1. A review committee may limit reviews to one request at a time to review instructional or library materials. Multiple review committees may be formed if the number of challenges merits this action as determined by the district or school administrator, taking into account available resources so as to not disrupt carrying out the schools main functions and purpose.
  1. A review committee should work within a reasonable timetable and is recommended to complete the review within 45 school days or less.
  2. Any item which has been subject to review under this policy and retained or removed may not be subject to another request for review for three years.

  1. Requesting a review
  1. Those who wish to file a request for review must first read or review the instructional material as a whole before filing the request.
  1. Students are not to be required, requested, or encouraged to complete reading or reviewing instructional material in which they have discovered content they believe is sensitive material as defined herein.
  1. Having read or reviewed the material in question, an individual who desires to request a review shall complete the Request for Review of Instructional Materials form and file it with the school administration.
  2. After verifying that procedures have been properly followed, the Principal or District Designee shall establish a school or district instructional materials review committee to conduct the review.
  3. The review committee’s decisions will be applicable at the level reviewed (District/School).
  4. Anonymity of the individual submitting the book challenge shall be maintained by the individual who receives it, unless the individual chooses to waive anonymity.
  1. Anonymity will also be given to committee members.

  1. Review Process
  1. Items under review will be actively checked out through an Internal Library Loan (ILL), to eliminate additional costs of purchasing the same materials for review.
  2. The instructional materials review committee's primary purpose is to determine whether the item contains sensitive material or otherwise violates this policy.
  1. Before engaging in any discussions with other committee members or decision-making, each member shall read or review the item in its entirety (for written items) or review it as a whole (for non-written items).
  2. The chair shall schedule such meetings as are necessary for the committee to discuss the item and make its determination.
  3. The committee's determination shall be made by majority vote.

  1. The instructional materials review committee may arrive at any of the following conclusions:
  1. The material does not contain sensitive material or violate policy and will be retained and made fully accessible in the school setting.
  2. The material does not contain sensitive material, or violate policy, but will have restricted access
  1. By restricting physical access to the material and requiring parental permission to obtain access, or
  2. By evaluating the age-appropriate use of the material and restricting the age group for which it will be accessible.
  1. The material contains sensitive material with no serious value, or otherwise violates this policy and will be removed from the school.

  1. If a book is removed because it contains sensitive material, a similar book, within a genre of equitable perspective, may be purchased to replace it, that adheres with this policy.
  1. After the committee has made its final determinations, it shall submit a written report explaining its findings and the grounds upon which their findings are based.
  1. A copy of the report shall be provided by the principal, district administrator or designee to the person who requested the review, to the district, and to USBE: USBE Reporting Tool Utah Code § 53G-10-103(4)(b)(iii) (2022)
  2. The determination of the instructional materials review committee regarding materials may only be appealed to the District on the basis of non-compliance with established policy. If non-compliance is verified by a District review committee, the review process shall be repeated using a new committee.
  3. The same materials can only be challenged for review after three years.

  1. A review of school-approved and other instructional materials will follow the same procedure outlined above.
  2. If a parent of a student, or a secondary student 18 and older, determines that the student's participation in a portion of the curriculum or in an activity would require the student to affirm or deny a religious belief or right of conscience or engage or refrain from engaging in a practice forbidden or required in the exercise of a religious right or right of conscience, the parent or the secondary student may request:
  1. A waiver of the requirement to participate; or
  2. A reasonable alternative that requires reasonably equivalent performance by the student of the secular objectives of the curriculum or activity in question as defined in Utah Code § 53G-10-205.

Approvals

  • Board Approved Temporary Pilot: August 9, 2022
  • Pilot will run through September 26, 2022
  • Board Approved September 27, 2022

Rules & Regulations

  1. MATERIAL REVIEW COMMITTEES

  1. All review committees should review according to these Materials Review Committee Protocols 
  1. APPEALS

  1. Only the original requestor may appeal the decision of a Review Committee based upon the proper execution of the process, per this policy, and not the decision itself. The appeal can be made in writing to the school principal within ten (10) school days. Appeal forms can be found using this link.
  2. If an appeal is filed, it shall be reviewed by a district-level committee.
  1. The Committee shall  be comprised of parents or school/district administrators who did not participate in the initial Review Committee.
  1. The Appeals Committee will determine the amount of time needed for an adequate review, not to exceed 30 school days.
  2. The Appeals Committee may make a final determination as follows:
  1. Uphold the original decision
  2. Require a new committee review
  1. The appeals committee’s decision shall be final.
  1. TRAINING

  1. The District will include this policy in its training for school librarians, teachers and curriculum staff.
  1. PROCUREMENT

  1. Books or materials that contain sensitive materials shall not be procured.

Citations

Utah Code  53G-10-103

Rule R277-217-18 and 19

Utah Code § 76-10-1201(7) (2013)

Utah Code § 53G-10-103

Rule R277-628-2(1)

Utah Code § 76-10-1235

Policy 7200

Policy 6164

Policy 7300

Utah Code 53G-10-402(6)

Request for Review of Instructional Materials

USBE Reporting Tool

Utah Code § 53G-10-103(4)(b)(iii) (2022)

Utah Code § 53G-10-205

Materials Review Committee Protocols

Materials Review Appeal Form

Approvals

  • Board Approved Temporary Pilot: August 9, 2022, Pilot will run through September 26, 2022, Board Approved September 27, 2022

Alpine School District | 575 N 100 E, American Fork Utah, 84003 | alpineschools.org | 801-610-8400

Alpine School District does not discriminate in its programs, activities, or employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender or sexual orientation. | additional information: alpineschools.org