File:  IJ - INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The School Committee believes that materials appropriate to the needs of the school program must be available to each student and teacher.  These will be furnished by the School Committee subject to budgetary constraints.

The task of selecting instructional materials for programs will be delegated to the professional staff of the school district.  Because instructional programs and materials are of great importance, only those that meet the following criteria will be approved by the Committee:

1.  They must present balanced views of international, national, and local issues and problems of the past, present and future.

2.  They must provide materials that stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic and ethical values.

3.  They must help students develop abilities in critical reading and thinking.

4.  They must help develop and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity and development in the United States and throughout the world.

5.  They must provide for all students an effective basic education that does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, physical disabilities or sexual orientation.

6.  They must allow sufficient flexibility for meeting the special needs of individual students and groups of students.

SOURCE: MASC - Cross Reference Update 2023

LEGAL REFS.:  M.G.L. 30B:7; 71:48; 71:49; 71:50

BESE regulations 603 CMR 26.00

CROSS REF.:   KE, Public Complaints

IGA/IGD, Curriculum Development and Adoption

NOTE:  A broad policy, such as the sample above, can establish the framework for the selection and adoption of all instructional materials used in the school      district.  Regulations, however, might be needed to cover procedures for selection of textbooks and supplementary and library materials.