Scroll down to the end of the document to see a copy of the local Textbook adoption Schedule.
Rationale:
Instructional Materials Evaluation and Adoption
The California State Board of Education (SBE) has constitutional authority to adopt textbooks for grades one through eight (Article IX, Section 7.5 of the California Constitution) and statutory authority to adopt instructional materials for kindergarten. Education Code sections 60200-60206 describe the process for the adoption of instructional materials for these grades and mandate that submitted materials be evaluated for consistency with the adopted content standards and specific evaluation criteria approved by the SBE. Below are the steps of adopting instructional materials in the state of California.
Step 1: Legal compliance review. This step verifies that all instructional material is in compliance with the Education Code as well as the State Board of Education guidelines set forth in the Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content (2000 Edition). Instructional material that does not meet these standards must be revised to comply or be withdrawn.
Step 2: Public review and comment. Samples of the instructional material submitted for adoption are available for public review at the Learning Resources Display Centers. Written comments are forwarded to the Curriculum Commission and the State Board of Education for consideration. There are three public hearings held prior to adoption:
Local Selection.
Local educational agencies (LEAs), also known as school districts, have the authority to conduct their own evaluation of instructional materials and to adopt the materials that best meet the needs of their students.
LEAs must adopt materials from the state approved list. All instructional materials used in California public schools must be in compliance with Education Code sections 60040-60045 and 60048. Some local educational agencies conduct adoptions on an agency wide basis; others delegate authority to individual school sites to select their own materials.
LEAs and schools are encouraged to use the content standards, the curriculum frameworks, the SBE -adopted evaluation criteria, and the reports on each adoption as resources when making their own decisions. Although the state evaluation criteria are developed for K-8 adoptions, these criteria may also be useful in the design of evaluation criteria for high schools.
Adoption Schedule
Primary adoptions (i.e., the first adoption following the approval of new evaluation criteria) are conducted every six years for the four core curriculum areas. The upcoming cycle for these primary adoptions is as follows: history-social science (2005), science (2006), mathematics (2007), and reading/language arts (2008). Primary adoptions in foreign language, visual and performing arts, and health are to be conducted every eight years. The SBE does not adopt instructional materials for physical education.
Instructional Materials
Standards aligned instructional materials are a critically important component of California’s education system. The four key elements of that system are:
Today’s “textbooks” are more than just printed editions. They are comprehensive instructional programs delivered in both print and electronic media. The programs typically include: work books and study guides, teachers’ editions, electronic and online content, and professional development for the teacher. The programs are based on scientific research and include pedagogical approaches and instructional strategies that enable California students to meet and master state standards. Additional resources include teacher guides, practice and enrichment workbooks, and supplemental resources.
These instructional materials address the full range of learners in California’s classrooms, with specific attention given to the learning needs of English learners, special education students, students with learning difficulties, and advanced learners.
Opportunity to Learn -- The Williams Settlement
Lack of textbooks and other instructional materials that reflect a state's current academic standards can be a factor in litigation charging a state or school system with failure to provide its students with the "opportunity to learn" the knowledge and skills for which they are being tested.
The Eliezer Williams, et al., vs. State of California, et al. (Williams) case was filed as a class action in 2000 in San Francisco County Superior Court. The plaintiffs include nearly 100 San Francisco County students, who filed suit against the State of California and state education agencies, including the California Department of Education (CDE). The basis of the lawsuit was that the agencies failed to provide public school students with equal access to instructional materials, safe and decent school facilities, and qualified teachers.
The case was settled in 2004, resulting in the state allocating $138 million in additional funding for standards-aligned instructional materials for schools in the first and second ranks (known as deciles) determined through the 2003 Academic Performance Index (API) Base. The settlement includes another $50 million for implementation costs and other oversight-related activities for schools in deciles one through three (2003 API Base). These two amounts were included in the state budget, signed in July 2004 by Governor Schwarzenegger. Another $800 million will be provided for critical repair of facilities in future years for schools in deciles one through three (2003 API Base). The settlement will be implemented through legislation adopted in August 2004: Senate Bill (SB) 6, SB 550, Assembly Bill (AB) 1550, AB 2727, AB 3001. Up to 2.3 million California public school students may benefit from funding from the Williams case settlement.
As a result of the Williams case, the CDE has proposed changes to the School Accountability Report Card (SARC) that all schools must update and publish annually. The proposed changes will help all schools report the overall condition of their facilities, the number of teacher misassignments and vacant teacher positions, and the availability of textbooks or instructional materials. The proposed changes were submitted to the State Board of Education, which approved the changes at its meeting on November 9, 2004. The new Williams-related reporting elements are being amended into the 2003-04 SARC template, which is expected to be released by December 15, 2004. More information is available at the SARC Web page.
Williams Settlement Complaints Process
If basic resources are not provided, individuals can initiate the following complaints process. The complainant:
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