Board and Administrative Policies
Our Mission
Policies
- EF(LEGAL) – INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
- EF(LOCAL) – INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
- EFB(LEGAL) – INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES: LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAMS
- Guide to RISD Library Book Selection Criteria
- School Library Programs: Standards and Guidelines for Texas
- Guidance for School Libraries on Collection Development Texas State Library and Archives Commission
RISD Library Materials Selection
RISD campus libraries are designed to provide a balanced collection of materials that:
- Enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration students’ varied interests, abilities, learning styles, and maturity levels.
- Stimulate growth in factual knowledge, enjoyment of reading, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and societal standards.
- Present various sides of controversial issues in an objective, balanced matter.
- Represent many ethnic, religious, and cultural groups; reflect the diversity of students and staff; and foster an understanding and appreciation of culture, class, language, ethnicity, and other differences that exist in society.
- Respect the rights and values of individuals and families.
In the selection of instructional resources, professional staff shall ensure that the resources:
- Support and are consistent with the general educational goals of the state and District and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses consistent with the District and campus improvement plans.
- Meet high standards for artistic quality and/or literary style, authenticity, educational significance, factual content, physical format, presentation, readability, and technical quality.
- Are appropriate for the subject area and for the age, ability level, learning styles, and social and emotional development of the students for whom they are selected.
- Are designed to help students gain an awareness of our pluralistic society, fostering an understanding and appreciation of culture, class, language, ethnicity, and other differences that exist in society.
- Reflect the diversity of students and staff.
- Are designed to provide information that will motivate students and staff to examine their own attitudes and behavior; to understand their duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges as citizens participating in our society; and to make informed choices in their daily lives.
Library Books Selection Process
The selection of library materials (including donations) should be guided by RISD Board Policy; Campus Library Inclusion Guidelines; published professional reviews and knowledge of how materials would fit into the current collection.
Materials considered for purchase must be favorably reviewed in at least two professional review journals (i.e., Booklist, School Library Journal, etc.), and the reviews must include at least one grade level served by the purchasing campus. Not all books, particularly nonfiction books, are reviewed in professional journals. If a review for a nonfiction book or a book in a formulaic series does not exist in a professional review journal, it may be purchased at the Library & Information Technology Educator’s professional discretion after thoughtfully weighing the factors listed below. In all cases, the Library & Information Technology Educator should err on the side of caution when considering any material for which no professional reviews exist.
- Publisher’s reputation
- Author’s reputation
- Curricular needs
- Endorsement by a professional association
- Need for a balanced, diverse collection
The following are not to be used in place of reviews. Although they may be consulted, purchases of these items must follow the same review procedures as other titles.
- Award lists or individual award titles
- National, state, or local reading lists
- Catalogs, in whole or part
- Lists or individual titles categorized by interest level, reading level, or topic
- Vendor-generated lists
- Advertisements
- Free or donated books
- Recommendations or requests from individuals
Reconsideration of Instructional Resources
Step I:
When a formal or informal complaint is received, the principal will explain the rationale for the use of the material. The principal should be prepared to address why materials are in use and how the materials support, enrich, or enhance the curriculum. Providing information about correlation of material to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) is also appropriate. At this time the principal may choose to offer a concerned parent another resource to be used by that parent’s child in place of the challenged material.
According to Board Policy EFA(LOCAL), the following principles should guide staff in responding to challenges of instructional resources:
- A parent of a District student, any employee, or any District resident may raise an objection to an instructional resource used in a school’s educational program, despite the fact that the professional staff selecting the resources were qualified to make the selection, followed the proper procedure, and adhered to the objectives and criteria for instructional resources set out in this policy.
- A parent’s ability to exercise control over reading, listening, or viewing matter extends only to his or her own children.
- When instructional resources are challenged, the principles of the freedom to read, listen, and view must be defended as well.
- Access to challenged material shall not be restricted during the reconsideration process.
- The major criterion for the final decision on challenged materials is the appropriateness of the material for its intended educational use. No challenged instructional materials shall be removed solely because of the ideas expressed therein.
Step II:
Following the meeting with the concerned parent/citizen (and regardless of the outcome), the principal will fill out the Building Level Report on Consideration of Instructional Materials, maintain a campus copy, and send it to the Director of Library & Information Technology.
Step III:
If a parent/citizen wishes to formally challenge a resource, the principal shall provide the complainant a copy of the Board Policy EFA(LOCAL), a copy of the Reconsideration of Instructional Resources portion of the IOG (Steps I-XIII), and a Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials.
Step IV:
If the complainant submits a completed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials, a copy of the form should be kept on file at the campus, and the original should be sent to the Director of Library & Information Technology. (A concerned citizen/parent may submit only one Request for Consideration of Instructional Materials at a time in order to give each request the thoughtful consideration that it deserves.)
Materials will be reviewed in the order received, one at a time, one per level. If a material is challenged at multiple levels, it will be reviewed at the lowest level first.
Step V:
The principal will establish a campus level reconsideration committee, which will consist of a building administrator, teacher, curriculum director/central subject specialist, two parents, and a Library & Information Technology Educator. If desired, another representative, such as a student, may serve on the committee. It is recommended to have an odd number of people to avoid split decisions.
All members of the reconsideration committee shall view the challenged material in its entirety. The committee shall meet promptly and determine whether the challenged material conforms to the principles of selection set forth in the Board Policy. The decision of the building level reconsideration committee will impact only that particular building.
Step VI:
The committee will report their findings by filling out the Building Level Committee Report on the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials. A copy of the form should be kept on file at the campus, and the original should be sent to the Director of Library & Information Technology.
Step VII:
The campus principal is responsible for communicating the committee’s decision to his/her staff and providing a copy of the completed Building Level Committee Report on the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials to the complainant.
Step VIII:
Within seven (7) days of receiving a copy of the committee’s report, the complainant may appeal the decision of the building level reconsideration committee to the Director of Library & Information Technology by submitting the appeal request in writing along with a copy of his/her Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials.
Step IX:
Upon receiving an appeal, the Director of Library & Information Technology will establish a district level reconsideration committee. After reviewing the challenged material in its entirety, the committee will complete the District Level Committee Report on the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials.
Step X:
The Director of Library & Information Technology is responsible for communicating the central decision to the building principals, who have responsibility to inform all staff members.
Step XI:
The Director of Library & Information Technology is responsible for communicating the central decision to the parent/citizen making the request for formal review.
Step XII:
The concerned parent/citizen may appeal any decision of the central level reconsideration committee to the Board, or its designee, by filing a written request with the Superintendent within seven (7) days of the committee’s decision. The request should include copies of the Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials, Building Level Committee Report on the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials, and the District Level Committee Report on the Reconsideration of Instructional Materials as well as dates of conferences with the principal or designee.
Step XIII:
A Building Level Reconsideration Committee or a District Level Reconsideration Committee decision may be reevaluated after a period of five (5) years.
Request Forms
You can contact your school LITE or campus administrator to obtain a form.
You can also download the Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form here. Please complete and sign the form, and schedule a meeting with your campus principal to submit the form.