Review of Instructional Materials by Parents Guardians and Students
Authority
The Board adopts this policy to ensure that parents/guardians and students have an opportunity to review instructional materials and have access to information about the curriculum, including academic standards to be achieved, instructional materials and assessment techniques.[1][2]
Definition
Instructional material means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of its format, including printed or representational materials, audiovisual materials, and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the Internet). For purposes of this policy, the term does not include academic tests or academic assessments.[2]
Guidelines
Upon request by a parent/guardian or student, the district will make available existing information about the curriculum, including academic standards to be achieved, instructional materials and assessment techniques.[2][3][4][5]
The following conditions shall apply to any request:
To assist the school district in providing the correct records to meet the needs of the requesting party, the request must be in writing, setting forth the specific material being sought for review.
The written request will be sent to the building principal.
The district will respond to the parent/guardian or student within ten (10) school days by designating the time and location for the review.
The district may take necessary action to protect its materials from loss, damage or alteration and to ensure the integrity of the files, including the provision of a designated employee to monitor the review of the materials.
No parent/guardian or student shall be permitted to remove the material provided for review or photocopy the contents of such file. The taking of notes by parents/guardians and students is permitted.
Under federal law, the rights provided to parents/guardians to inspect any instructional materials used as part of the student’s educational curriculum transfer to the student when the student turns eighteen (18) years old or is an emancipated minor. These rights do not transfer under state law; therefore, parents/guardians retain their rights to access information about the curriculum and to review instructional materials.