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Instructional Materials Policy - Beaverton, OR

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Instructional Materials Policy - Beaverton, OR

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Go to the Associated Documents tab for a PDF of the full Administrative Regulations and a Conversation Guide for Principals with prompts to encourage concerns to be resolved locally.

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The School Board delegates the responsibility for selecting instructional materials for Board approval to the superintendent. The superintendent, or designee, shall be responsible for establishing the selection procedures, appointing appropriate committees, accepting recommendations from committees assigned to the task, and approving the final recommendation when instruction materials are to be approved by the Board.

Policy also states that teachers, administrators and residents of the community shall be involved in a process designed to ensure that each student will be educated to the fullest by means of a wide variety of materials which will be provided to meet curricular needs and the greatest possible diversity of student interests. To the extent possible, all instructional materials used as part of the educational curriculum of a student shall be approved by the Board and available for inspection by the parents or guardians of the student prior to their use.

"Instructional material for purpose of Oregon law is defined as any organized system which constitutes the major instructional vehicle for a given course of study, or any part thereof." OAR 581-011-0050. The district defines these materials as instructional content provided to the student through textbooks, supplemental texts and library books regardless of format, encompassing printed or representational, audiovisual, and electronic or digital materials. This includes books, periodicals, newspapers, pictures, videos, television recordings, internet sources, software, and audio recordings.
Core Adopted Instructional Materials:
Instructional materials adopted and paid for by the District for use by all teachers with all students.

Supplemental Adopted Instructional Materials:

Instructional materials adopted and paid for by the district, in addition to the Core Adopted Instructional Materials. These may be adopted during the regular adoption window or adopted later in response to student performance data. These materials are selected by teachers for use based upon the needs of their students and their professional judgment.
Teacher-selected additional instructional materials:
Instructional materials selected by teachers for use in individual classrooms, in addition to the district-adopted instructional materials.
Selection Criteria for Instructional Materials
Materials selected will be carefully evaluated based on the following selection standards and guidelines. In most instances, the selected materials should meet a significant number of the criteria listed below, although a single resource need not meet all the criteria in order to be selected. Materials will be selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses. These criteria apply to the selection of new materials for multiple school use, single school use and individual classroom and library use as well as materials donated to the district.

Standard 1: Materials shall be consistent with and provide both support and
enrichment for the district's general educational goals, its selected program
goals and the objectives of specific courses.

Standard 2: Materials shall meet high standards of quality in: factual content,
educational significance, readability, artistic quality and/or literary style
presentation, physical format and technical quality.

Standard 3: Materials shall be appropriate for the ability level, learning styles,
emotional and social development of the students for whom the materials
are selected.

Standard 4: Materials shall promote growth in factual knowledge and critical thinking.

Standard 5: Materials shall stimulate growth in the areas of literary appreciation, social
and aesthetic values and ethical standards.

Standard 6: Selected materials shall support a balanced approach to controversial
issues that will include representation of various points of view even when
those opinions represented are controversial. The inclusion of controversial
materials does not imply endorsement of the ideas by district personnel.

Standard 7: Materials shall represent the contribution of all people regardless of age;
gender; belief system (e.g., religious, spiritual, political, social); racial,
ethnic and cultural origin; socio-economic background, diverse ability or
disability.

Standard 8: Materials selected will be in compliance with all criteria and procedures as
outlined on OAR 581-011-0050 to -0119 and ORS Chapter 337.
Selection of Adopted Instructional Materials

As a part of the district's curriculum review process, a committee, hereby known as the project team, consisting of teachers, administrators, students, community members, and parents will be established. The Board shall affirm the list of members of the project team. The project team shall be given the charge to determine the necessary characteristics of instructional materials to be selected for a particular subject area of discipline. Such characteristics must be consistent with:

Existing state and district board policies and administrative regulations

State achievement standards for students

The curricular and instructional philosophy of the district

State and district selection criteria for instructional materials (see page 2)

Any guidelines unique to the curricular area which are established through the review process by the project team

1. The project team will oversee the review of available materials and recommend materials which meet the developed criteria;

2. The materials under consideration shall be available for a period of time for interested residents to review, study and make suggestions if they wish. Comments and recommendations from community residents will be given thorough consideration by the project team. In addition, appropriate notices will be placed in district publications sent to area residents concerning the curriculum review process and timeline;

3. The project team shall prepare a budget for purchase of the recommended materials. Costs shall reflect the per student expenditure needed to provide the materials that are essential, in line with the state recommendation. In the event that an independent adoption is recommended, the above detailed cost guidelines still apply.

4. The deputy superintendent will review materials recommendations submitted by the above committee for recommendation to the Board.

5. The Board will review, discuss and adopt the instructional materials to be used in schools during the ensuing adoption cycle for each curricular area;

6. If applicable, the superintendent shall notify ODE within 30 days of the Board independently adopting instructional materials.

7. Teachers will choose instructional materials for use from among the materials approved by the Board;

8. Every student must have access to the adopted materials necessary for instruction and be able to access such materials at home as needed.

9. Parents shall have access to all adopted instructional materials for review.

10. The district may revise learning targets between state adoption years, prompted by changing state standards, emerging research, or program changes. Should the district find that adopted materials and staff development do not adequately facilitate student learning as evidenced by lack of achievement growth on state standards and district learning targets, the deputy superintendent for Teaching and Learning may:

1. Authorize further data gathering and analysis.

2. Authorize further targeted staff development.

3. Form a committee to consider potential additional supplemental materials adoptions that address learning targets based upon data gathered and analyzed.

Principals may delegate the responsibility of selecting library materials to district librarians who will accept input from faculty, students and parents. The district librarians shall select materials by examining literary reviews, lists of recommended books and standard bibliographic tools. The selection of library materials reflects the educational philosophy, instructional goals and the selection criteria for instructional materials. In addition, the district endorses the American Library Association Bill of Rights and the American Association of School Librarians statement of Access to Resource and Services.

Principals are responsible to ensure that technological resources purchased are used in accordance with the "electronic Communications" guidelines provided in Board policy IIBGA and administrative regulation IIBGA-AR.
Teacher-Selected Additional Instructional Materials

1. Teachers may use their professional judgment to select additional learning materials in accordance with Selection Criteria for Instructional Materials contained within this document to supplement and enrich the instructional program.

2. All Teacher-Selected Additional materials required by the teacher for student use shall be carefully previewed by the teacher to ensure the instructional value is appropriate to student age level and classroom subject matter. These materials must be used within legal copyright limits and publisher licensing agreements.

3. Parents and guardians are to be informed of the use of supplementary materials, and to the extent possible, all supplementary instructional materials shall be available for inspection by the parents or guardians of the student prior to their use.

4. When the proposed materials may conflict with district criteria, the teacher shall complete the following process:

1. Submit a Teacher-Selected Additional Instructional Materials Approval Form to their principal or designee.

2. If use of the additional materials is approved, the teacher will then inform parents/guardians regarding the intended use of these materials.

1. Sample Parental Permission Form for Teacher-Selected Instructional Materials

2. Sample Parental Permission Form for Film/Video

3. If a parent/guardian opts their student out of the additional materials, the teacher shall provide alternative instructional materials for that student.

1. The showing of movies and videos must be limited to specific educational purposes. A full-length or clip of a movie or video recording may only be shown in school if the content is relevant to the curriculum and specific educational objectives, is appropriate to the age and maturity of the students, is a productive use of class time and will not cause classroom disruption. For specific details, refer to the Guidelines for the Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials EGAAA AR.

2. A movie or video recording with a G, TV-Y or TV-G rating may be shown to any grade (K-12) with teacher discretion. An alternative assignment must be provided for any student whose parent or guardian denies consent to view a film/video.

3. Staff shall follow District Board Policy, INB - Studying Controversial Issues before requiring student use of controversial learning resources. PG, PG-13 and R rated films or film clips and TV-Y7, TV-PG, TV-14 and TV-MA television programs or program clips shall be considered controversial within the meaning of this policy and require prior approval of the principal and parent notification/permission according to the following guidelines:

PG, PG-13 and R rated films/videos or TV-PG, TV-14 or TV-MA television programs shall be considered controversial at the elementary level

PG-13 and R rated films/videos or TV-14 and TV-MA television programs shall be considered controversial at the middle level

R rated films/videos or TV-MA television programs shall be considered controversial at the high school level

X or NC-17 films/videos shall not be used in the Beaverton School District.

1. Theatre Arts specialists will complete the Play Rationale/Comment Form and submit it and a copy of the script to the building principal prior to publicizing the production or casting.

2. The building principal may review the rationale/comment form to identify evidence of educational value and any concerns about potential sensitivity of topics in the recommended piece in a timely manner determined by the building administrator and Theatre Arts specialist. If there is mutual agreement of support for the proposed play selection, the process should move ahead to step 4.

3. The building principal and the Theatre Arts specialist may begin a dialogue regarding the educational value of the piece as well as discuss any concerns over its topic and/or content. If concerns exist, the building principal, in consultation with the Theatre Specialist, will invite others into the conversation to assist in the decision making process. Invitees could include representatives from Site Council, classroom teachers, the school neighborhood community, District Theatre Arts specialists, and others to be determined by the play selection team at the site. The outcome of the conversations would either be a recommendation to move forward with production, or a recommendation to make another choice of plays to perform. Ultimately, the principal will be responsible for the final decision.

4. Theatre Arts specialists will publicly announce selected play titles two weeks prior to auditions and after step 2 or 3. In the absence of expressed concerns, play production will proceed. Should community members express concerns within that time frame, the site may decide to stop production planning and begin the collaboration process in step 3.

Reconsideration of Instructional Materials
Although care is always exercised in selecting instructional materials, there will be occasions when a member of the community, staff or a district administrator may find certain classroom or library instructional materials inappropriate and wish to request a reconsideration of their use. In such an event, the concerned individual shall contact the teacher or librarian in an attempt to informally resolve the issue but should understand that under no circumstances should the materials in question be removed from circulation as a way to reach agreement.

If the concerned individual is not able to resolve the concerns informally with the teacher or librarian, they shall share their concerns with the building principal, but should understand that under no circumstances the materials should be removed from its intended use. The principal shall try to resolve the matter informally using the Instructional Materials Conversation Guide for Principals. The principal shall acknowledge receipt of all written or verbal requests for reconsideration of the use of instructional materials throughout the process.

If the concerned individual is not able to resolve the concerns with the principal, this formal process shall be followed:

1. The concerned individual will complete the form for Request for Reconsideration of Library and/or Instructional Materials and submit it to the school principal. If the principal is raising the concern, he/she should also complete the form;

2. The principal shall notify all staff members who are directly involved in the request

3. The principal shall forward the "Request for Reconsideration of Library and/or Instructional Material" and other relevant documentation to the Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Teaching & Learning;

4. The principal and the Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment shall ensure that the materials in question shall continue to be used for their designated purpose as originally intended until the formal procedure is complete.

5. The Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment shall notify the Deputy Superintendent of the request for reconsideration.

1. The Deputy Superintendent will review the documentation to ensure that the steps have been followed. When this has been confirmed, the Deputy Superintendent will charge the Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment to form and chair a committee to review the request for reconsideration. The Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment will personally contact the individual requesting reconsideration to clarify the issue;

2. Final action on a request shall be taken by the administration no later than 25 school days after the principal receives the completed "Request for Reconsideration of Library and/or Instructional Material";

3. The individual making the request for reconsideration may withdraw the request at any time during the review process.

Establishment of a Review Committee
The Deputy Superintendent will charge the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Administrator to establish a review committee and serve as chair. The membership shall be representative of the school district by including teachers from the same grade level or subject at which the material(s) is being used, members of the community, parents, district librarians, and a principal(s). The committee may also include student(s). There will be an odd number of participants on the committee. The specific number of representatives from the various categories will be dependent upon the nature and use of the material in question.
Committee Review Procedure

1. Committee members will receive copies of the completed Instructional Materials Conversation Guide for Principals and the Request for Reconsideration of Library and/or Instructional Material.

2. The committee will meet in an open session.

3. Opportunity shall be afforded the person(s) or group questioning the material to meet with the committee and to present their opinions. Committee members may ask the presenter(s) questions for the purpose of better understanding or clarifying their presentations.

4. The committee will review the material in question and form opinions based on the material taken on a whole and not on passages taken out of context. The committee should take into account the applicable instructional objectives and materials selection criteria as well as the age and development of the students using the material.

5. The committee will formulate their recommendations and prepare a written report for the Deputy Superintendent using the Instructional Materials Reconsideration Review Committee Report. This report will present both majority and minority opinions and include a recommendation to retain the material in its original location, to relocate the material to an advisory location, or to remove the material.

6. If the majority report is supported by less than ⅔ of the committee, then the Deputy Superintendent shall convene a three person panel in Teaching & Learning of two executive administrators from the appropriate level and an Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.

1. Disposition of the request shall be made known to all parties in the action including committee members, the person submitting the request, the principal, the teacher involved, and all teachers in that subject area.

2. The final decision shall be sent to all district administrators.

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IIA - Instructional Resources/Instructional Materials - Beaverton School District

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The School Board delegates the responsibility for selecting instructional materials for Board approval to the superintendent. The superintendent, or designee, shall be responsible for establishing the selection procedures, appointing appropriate committees, accepting recommendations from committees assigned to the task, and approving the final recommendation when instruction materials are to be approved by the Board.

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From NCTE
The materials below can be used by educators as useful tools in preventing and combating censorship. All of these resources are free access and do not require permission for use. Additional support is available for current NCTE members.

These guidelines present criteria and procedures that ensure thoughtful teacher selection of novels and other materials.

Focusing on materials broadly defined in classrooms and schools today, a committee of English educators updated a 2004 position statement originally detailing censorship of "nonprint" materials. This new statement bridges censorship issues across varied modalities and texts.

During this era of high-stakes testing, technology-based instruction, and increased control over students' expression due to school violence, students' right to write must be protected.

The Literacy & NCTE blog maintains a repository of posts on intellectual freedom.

This position statement explains why rating books, or 'red-flagging," is a form of censorship that schools should not practice.

NCTE members can access over 600 book rationales on the first-ever online rationale database. A newly updated How to Write a Rationale document is also available. This database can be searched by title, author, and grade level to help educators find a rationale for a book to use in the classroom or that is being challenged. New pieces of literature can be found to incorporate into curriculums or classroom libraries to further enrich students' learning.

This updated statement supports the truth that it is an individual English educator's (teacher's, researcher's, and librarian's) right to translate, produce, and curate past and new knowledge and dispositions within broadly accepted disciplinary parameters in order to advance the common good.

This statement explains why classroom libraries play a key role in providing access to books and promoting literacy. It states NCTE's support for efforts to provide teachers with the ability to exercise their professional judgment in developing and maintaining classroom libraries.

This foundational NCTE position statement gives model procedures for responding to challenges, including a citizen's "Request for Reconsideration of a Work."
From NCAC
This is a collection of materials for parents, students, educators, and authors with information on how to effectively fight challenges to books in schools.

School officials have broad discretion to establish curricula and decide what materials to include in their classrooms and libraries. However, parents, special interest groups and others sometimes attempt to impose their personal beliefs on the public school system and demand the removal of educational materials. Follow the link for some general considerations school administrators should take into account when such challenges arise.

The freedom to read stories about people of diverse sexual and gender identities can validate and empower all youth, especially those who may identify as LGBTQ. LGBTQ representation in literature can also promote tolerance and acceptance of all human difference, including sexual and gender identities. This source offers an overview of common arguments made by would-be censors and techniques for advocating for LGBTQ stories in your schools and communities.

The Free Expression Educators Handbook contains practical tools and advice for managing book challenges and censorship controversies in schools and school libraries. The handbook, created by NCAC in collaboration with NCTE, is intended for teachers, librarians, and school administrators.