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(1) Definition. Instructional materials are to be defined as items that are designed to serve as a major tool for assisting in the instruction of a subject or course. These items may be available in bound, unbound, kit or package form and may consist of hardbacked or softbacked textbooks, consumables, learning laboratories, slides, films and filmstrips, recordings, manipulatives, electronic media (instructional computer programs, online services, laser discs, CD-ROM, etc.) and other commonly accepted instructional tools. Hardware to utilize aforementioned resources are not considered "instructional materials" by this policy's definition.

(2) Duties of the School Board. The duties and responsibilities of the School Board are to provide adequate instructional materials for all children in accordance with Florida Statutes, Chapter 1006.28. In accordance with section 1006.28, Florida Statutes, adequate instructional materials is defined to mean a sufficient number of textbooks or sets of materials serving as the basis for instruction for each student in the core courses of mathematics, language arts, social studies, science, reading, and literature, except for instruction for which the school advisory council approves the use of a program that does not include a textbook as a major tool of instruction.

(a) The duties and responsibilities of the Superintendent related to the administration of instructional materials shall include all rules, regulations, and guidelines as prescribed by Florida Statutes. These responsibilities include the evaluation, selection, requisition, purchase, distribution, use, management, accountability, records and reports concerning instructional materials and resources.

(d) The Superintendent shall notify the Department of Education by April 1 of each year the state adopted instructional materials that will be requisitioned for use in the district. This notification shall include a district plan for instructional materials use to assist in determining if adequate instructional materials have been requisitioned.

(4) Duties and Responsibilities of Principals. The principal at each school shall be responsible for implementing the current district approved administrative procedure related to instructional materials as prescribed in Florida Statutes. Duties shall include proper use of instructional materials, communication to parents the manner in which instructional materials are used to implement the curricular objectives of the school, collecting money for lost or damaged books and reimbursement for instructional materials, the sale of instructional materials, disposition of funds, conservation, care and accounting for instructional materials and textbooks, and accurate records and reports, 1006.28, Florida Statutes.

(5) Money Collected for Lost and Damaged Books; Enforcement. It shall be the duty and responsibility of each principal to collect from each pupil or the pupil’s parent the purchase price of any instructional materials the pupil has lost, destroyed, or unnecessarily damaged and to report and transmit such amounts so collected to the Superintendent. If such material so lost, destroyed, or damaged has been in school use for more than 1 year, a sum ranging between 50 and 75 percent of the purchase price of the book shall be collected. Such sum shall be determined by the physical condition of the book. The failure to collect such sum upon reasonable effort by the principal may result in the suspension of the pupil from participation in extracurricular activities or satisfaction of the debt by the pupil through community service activities at the school site as determined by the principal.

(6) Evaluation and Selection of Instructional Materials. The evaluation and selection of instructional materials shall follow the guidelines as prescribed in Florida Statutes and district approved administrative procedure. A committee representing the educational community shall be involved in the evaluation and selection of instructional materials at the district and school levels.

(7) Review of Challenged Instructional Materials. When requests for review of challenged instructional materials are received, the guidelines and procedures outlined in the current district approved administrative procedure for instructional materials shall be followed. Representatives of the school community shall be involved in the review process.

(9) Reimbursement for Instructional Materials. Schools may request a reasonable reimbursement for workbooks, weekly newspapers, consumable instructional materials, or breakage. All students shall receive supplies equal to the value of money paid and all students shall receive like instructional materials with no discrimination because of inability to pay.

(a) Giving or lending the materials to other public education programs within the district, or state, to teachers to use in developing supplementary teaching materials, to students, or to any charitable organization, governmental agency, private school, or state.

(b) Selling the materials to used book dealers, recycling plants, pulp mills, or other persons, firms, or corporations upon such terms as are most economically advantageous to the school district. All monies by reason of sale shall be deposited in the district school fund and added to the district appropriation for instructional materials.

Statutory authority: 1001.41, F.S.

Law implemented: 1006.28, 1006.40, 1006.41 and 1006.42, F.S.

Policy amended: October 8, 1991; February 8, 1993; April 13, 1993; November 22, 200