Spearfish School District 40-2
6000 INSTRUCTION

Board Policy                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Code: 6205

                                                                   SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The legal responsibility and final authority for the choice of educational materials to be used in the school district is vested in the Board of Education. These materials include, but are not limited to, books, periodicals, newspapers, computer software, instructional kits, audio-visual titles and manipulatives.

Since the Board is a policy-making body, it delegates to professional personnel of the district the authority for the selection of these materials in accordance with this policy.

Selection of instructional materials will be a regular part of the district’s curriculum review process and will be made at the recommendation of the Superintendent/Designee with input from administration, faculty and, when appropriate, students and/or parents.

Selection of library materials will be made at the recommendation of building-level librarians with input from administration, faculty and, when appropriate, students and/or parents.

In all instances, selection of instructional materials and library materials shall support the mission, vision, and beliefs of the school district and shall target identified student outcomes and state and district standards.

The final decision on purchase shall rest with the superintendent or his designee, subject to approval by the Board.

The Board believes it is the responsibility of the district:

— To provide materials that will enrich and support an integrated curriculum; promote creative and critical thinking, address diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, learning styles and maturity levels of the students served.

— To provide materials that will promote construction of knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values and ethical standards.

— To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop, under guidance, the practice of critical analysis of all

media and a deep understanding of different points of view.

— To provide materials representative of religions and ethnic and cultural groups, showing their contributions to our American heritage;

— To place principles above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library media centers.

The right of parents to review, supervise or restrict materials which their children use in their studies will be protected, but this is not to be construed to allow the personal taste or preference of one individual to be imposed upon all members of the community or all students in a particular class. Individuals or groups shall be allowed to object to the use of any materials through the procedures set out in Board Policy 6400 Challenged Materials.

Curriculum and Resource Materials Selection

Staff members involved in selection of curriculum and resource materials shall use the following criteria as a guide:

— Educational significance.

— Contribution the material makes to the curriculum and to the
interests of the students.

— Favorable reviews found in professional selection sources.

— Favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel, when possible.

— Reputation and significance of the author, producer or publisher.

— Contribution the material makes to breadth of representative viewpoints on controversial issues.

— High degree of potential user appeal.

— High artistic quality and/or literary style.

— Quality and variety of format.

— Value commensurate with cost and/or need.

— Timeliness.

— Integrity.

— Lasting value.

Adopted June 16, 1975
Revised October 1987
Revised November 23, 1998

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