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In support of becoming an exemplary school district, 91ÖÆƬ³§ Academic Services is committed to providing quality curriculum resources, professional learning, services, and instructional materials that significantly improves student achievement. The process for the selection of instructional materials provides an opportunity to make informed decisions in the selection of quality, state curriculum aligned instructional materials.

Throughout this process, Academic Services, in collaboration with 91ÖÆƬ³§ employees, publishers, and community stakeholders, will accomplish the following goals:

• Preserve the integrity of the adoption process,
• Provide opportunities for feedback and input on proposed selections,
• Select the best instructional materials for students and teachers, 
• Follow state and district policy in the instructional materials selection process for the selection for:
  • AP Physics 1
  • AP Psychology
  • AP Chinese
  • AP African-American Studies 
  • AP Biology 
  • AP Pre-Calculus 
  • AP Statistics
  • CTE - Agricultural Science
  • CTE - Arts and AV
  • CTE - Business, Marketing and Finance
  • CTE - Education and Training
  • CTE - Hospitality
  • CTE - Human Services
• Support the final instructional materials selections with professional learning opportunities and technical assistance.

OVERVIEW OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ADOPTION PROCESS

In academic school years where we have Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) based adoptions, the State Board of Education will review all instructional materials from a variety of publishers. Every publisher will receive an alignment to the content area TEKS with a percentage. 91ÖÆƬ³§ will determine an additional local acceptable percentage for district approval.

In academic years where we have Advanced Placement (AP), International Bachelorette (IB), or Dual Credit courses that go through an instructional materials adoption, their prospective institutions suggest instructional materials aligned to their curriculum and/ or framework.The DIMC will select instructional materials from these suggested lists. 91ÖÆƬ³§ will determine an additional local acceptable percentage for district approval.

The Texas Constitution, Article VII, Section 3, requires the SBOE set aside sufficient money to provide free textbooks for all children attending public schools in the state. In accordance with this requirement, the SBOE allocates a portion of the Available School Fund, which comprises money set aside by the state from various revenue sources for the support of the public school system. The Texas Legislature appropriates the funds for instructional materials.

Selection of new instructional materials, during academic years with a proclamation, begins when the SBOE issues a proclamation calling for bids in selected subject areas and/or grade levels. The adoption process is complete with the selection and implementation of new materials by school districts.

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In years where we have TEKS-based textbook adoptions, the review and adoption process determines the instructional materials eligible for adoption by the State Board of Education (SBOE). The process starts when the SBOE revises or adopts new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and is complete with the selection and implementation of new materials by school districts.

The SBOE creates an adoption cycle for subjects in the foundation curriculum (English and Spanish language arts and reading, math, science, social studies) to ensure materials in those subjects are reviewed once every eight years. Review of materials for the enrichment curriculum may occur less often. Enrichment subjects are languages other than English, health, physical education, fine arts, career and technology education, technology applications, religious literature, and personal financial literacy.

For non-TEKS-based textbook and instructional materials adoption teachers used suggested textbook lists from the CollegeBoard website. These lists are developed by AP teachers, college professors, and field-experts. The textbooks on the list prepare students for the content and skills needed to prepare for the AP, IB, or final exam. 

Proclamations

The SBOE uses a proclamation to call for new instructional materials or new information about currently adopted instructional materials. The proclamation lists the subject areas scheduled for review. It contains a schedule of adoption procedures, requirements of publisher participation, links to the required TEKS and English Language Proficiency (ELPS), and instructions for providing electronic files for braille and large-print materials. Proclamations are named for the year the materials go into the classroom. 

Instructional Materials Adoption

After considering the evaluations of the state review panel members and TEA staff recommendations, the Commissioner of Education recommends that the instructional materials be placed on the adopted or rejected list, based on the number of TEKS covered. To be eligible for adoption, instructional materials must meet at least 50% of the elements of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the subject and grade level for which the materials are intended in both the student version and the teacher version of the instructional materials.

Instructional materials must cover at least 50% of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the subject and grade level or course in materials intended for student use and materials intended for teacher use. In determining the percentage of the TEKS covered by instructional materials, each student expectation counts as an independent element of the TEKS (TAC §66.66(b)(1)). Instructional materials must cover the TEKS for the subject area and grade level or course for which the materials are intended as specified in TAC §66.27(h).

Instructional materials must cover 100% of the required English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) in the materials intended for student use and the materials intended for teacher use. 

Instructional materials must be free from factual errors at the time they are delivered to schools (TAC §66.66(b)(3)). 

Printed materials intended for use by the student must comply with the standards in the latest edition of Manufacturing Standards and Specifications for Textbooks, approved by the Advisory Commission on Textbook Specifications (TAC §66.66(b)(2)). 

Special Instructional Materials

The TEA contracts for the development of braille, large type and recorded versions of adopted instructional materials. To facilitate the timely delivery of print instructional materials in accessible formats, publishers submit digital files that conform to the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) to a designated braille producer following the adoption. After all required corrections and editorial changes have been made to both the print version and the digital files; publishers must also submit updated digital files to the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC). Publishers of state adopted electronic instructional materials are also encouraged to comply with the technical standards of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, Section 508.

Local Adoption, Ordering, and Fulfillment

In years where we have TEKS-based textbook adoptions, local authorities for each school district or open-enrollment charter school set their own policy for selecting the most appropriate instructional materials for their students. Upon making their decisions, school districts and open-enrollment charter schools place their orders with the TEA through the Educational Materials and Textbooks (EMAT) online system, a statewide electronic instructional materials management tool that processes Texas public education instructional material requests, orders, payments, and deliveries. Adopted instructional materials are purchased with funds from the Instructional Materials Allotment (IMA).

If you have any questions regarding the nomination process or instructional materials under consideration, please contact the following content representatives. 

• Career & Technical Education (CTE): Sherrill Giddens (sgiddens@aisd.net)
• AP Chinese, AP Physics 1, AP Precalculus, AP Statistics, AP Psychology, AP African American Studies, and AP Biology: Mary Morris (mmorris5@aisd.net)