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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
schools; access; instructional materials; review
Purpose
Directs school districts and charter holders to publish a listing of approved instructional materials. Requires district and charter schools to allow parents and guardians access to all instructional materials that are currently used or being considered for use.
Background
Before a course is implemented in a common school or high school, a school district governing board (governing board) must approve a course of study including a basic textbook. All supplemental books for the course are also subject to approval if the course does not include a basic textbook (A.R.S. §§ 15-721 and 15-722).
Statute requires a governing board to make a copy of each textbook available for 60 days at the school district office for public review and comment and post the textbook on the school district’s website before the governing board considers final selection. All meetings of committees authorized for textbook review must be open to the public (A.R.S. §§ 15-721 and 15-722).
On written request, school personnel designated by a governing board must make at least one copy of the instructional materials available for review by parents or guardians. Printed textbooks, supplementary books and subject matter materials can be taken by parents or guardians for review from school district premises for no longer than 48 hours (A.R.S. § 15-730).
A textbook is defined as printed instructional materials or digital content, or both, and related printed or non-printed instructional materials, that are written and published primarily for use in school instruction and that are required by a state educational agency or a local educational agency for use by pupils in the classroom, including materials that require the availability of electronic equipment in order to be used as a learning resource (A.R.S. § 15-722).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
Instructional Materials Listing and Parental Access
1. Directs each school district or charter holder to annually post, by August 1, a listing on a prominent location on its website, that includes;
a) the instructional materials, approved and adopted by the governing board or charter school governing body (governing body), used by school, grade level and subject matter for the prior school year; and
b) the title, author, organization or website associated with each individual instructional material used, but not the digital reproduction of the entirety of the instructional material.
2. Requires, a district or charter school with a website, to post a link to the school district or charter holder website where the listing is posted.
3. Requires each school district or charter holder to post, in the same prominent location as the listing, the procedures for parents and guardians to access the instructional materials.
4. Requires each district and charter school to allow parents or guardians, on written request and advance notice, access to all instructional materials that are currently used or being considered for use by a school district or charter school, including instructional materials reviewed according to existing course of study requirements.
Miscellaneous
5. Defines instructional materials as any of the following that are created and published primarily for use by teachers and pupils in school instruction, including classroom instruction, nonpupil presentations, assemblies, lectures and nonpupil-led discussion groups, or materials that are required by a state educational agency or local educational agency for use by teachers and pupils in the classroom, including materials that require the availability of electronic equipment in order to be used as a learning resource:
a) textbooks, including digital textbooks or content;
b) reading
materials, including print and digital format;
c) websites;
d) films; and
e) online applications and databases used for pupil instruction.
6. Repeals current statute allowing parents or guardians to review instructional materials upon written request.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Allows parents and guardians to access instructional materials on written and advance notice, rather than on written request and advance approval.
2. Makes a technical change.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Subjects instructional materials, that are reviewed according to existing course of study requirements, to prescribed parental and guardian review policies.
2. Specifies instructional materials, that are approved by a governing board or governing body, must be on the instructional material listing published by a district or charter holder, instead of an individual school.
3. Requires a school to post a link to the list on the school district or charter holder website, if available.
4. Requires each school district or charter holder to post procedures for parents to access instructional materials.
5. Changes the definition of instructional materials to include reading materials, regardless of whether they are mandatory or optional, that are in print or digital format.
6. Removes requirements that:
a) instructional materials be available for review for the entire school year;
b) a school-designated employee be responsible for maintaining the instructional materials; and
c) policies are outlined allowing instructional materials to be taken from school premises for review.
7. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Senate Action
ED 2/4/20 DPA 5-4-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 24, 2020
JO/gs