ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

HB 2439: school library books; parental review

Sponsor: Representative Pingerelli, LD 21

Committee on Education

Overview

Instructs a school district governing board (governing board) to approve all books in the school's library. Establishes posting and review procedures for books being considered for school libraries.

History

Governing boards must have policies to promote the involvement of parents of children enrolled within the school district. Statute dictates that these policies include procedures by which parents may: 1) learn about the course of study for their children and review learning materials; 2) withdraw their children from an activity or class if they object to any learning material or activity; and 3) learn about parental rights and responsibilities (A.R.S. § 15-102).

For common schools and high schools, a governing board must approve the basic textbook for each course before implementing the course. If a course does not include a basic textbook, the governing board must approve all supplemental books used in the course. All meetings of committees authorized for the purposes of textbook review and selection or approval must be open to the public. A copy of each textbook must also be made available at the school district office for public review for at least 60 days before the selection or approval of the textbook (A.R.S. §§ 15-721, 15-722).

Provisions

1. Directs a governing board, in its policies to promote the involvement of parents, to include procedures that:

a) Provide parents access to the school's library catalog of available books or materials; and

b) Allow parents to receive a list of books or materials borrowed from the library by their children. (Sec. 1)

2. Requires a governing board to approve, for common schools and high schools, all books in the school's library. (Sec. 2, 3)

3. Mandates a governing board:

a) Make available at the school district administrative office, for public review and for at least 60 days before purchase approval, a list of all books, by school site, being considered for school libraries; and

b) Notify parents and the community at large of the opening and closing dates of the public review periods for textbooks and books being considered for the school library by the most expedient means possible. (Sec. 2, 3)

4. Instructs each school operated by the school district to, for a concurrent period of 60 days, make available in the school office for review by the public a list of all books being requested for purchase for the school library. (Sec. 2, 3)

5. Makes conforming changes. (Sec. 1)

6. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1, 2, 3)

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10. HB 2439

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