Idaho Department of Education

Curricular Materials Adoption Procedures

The Curricular Materials adoption process has its basis in Sections 33-118 and 33-118A, Idaho Code. It is further defined in IDAPA 08.02.03, subsection 128, Rules Governing Thoroughness.

The adoption process provides for the continuous review and evaluation of new curricular materials. This process ensures that Idaho schools have quality products available to purchase at a guaranteed low price, and equal availability to all Idaho school districts. This process maintains local control in the choice of instruction materials by providing multiple lists of approved materials. The adoption process also provides, through a contract with each publisher, a contract price that is good for the length of the adoption cycle. This ensures quality for each school district and allows for the best materials at the lowest possible price for Idaho’s schools. It is recommended that districts choose materials from the list of vetted and approved materials. School districts are not required to choose materials from this list.

Idaho adopts materials in the areas of reading, English, spelling, speech, journalism, languages other than English, art, drama, social studies, music, mathematics, business education, career education and counseling, vocational/ technical education, science, health, physical education, handwriting, literature, driver education, and limited English proficiency. In addition, computer science and computer applications are adopted annually.

Materials are adopted in Idaho on a six-year rotating schedule. The intent of the adoption process is to generally approve all materials meeting the established criteria and to reject those items that are considered unsuitable for use in their designated subject area.

There are advantages to adopting curricular materials at the state level:

• Contract prices are adhered to for six years, which saves money for the schools.
• Publishers are required to lower the price to Idaho if they lower it to any other state after the Idaho contract has been signed.
• Most textbook publishers maintain inventory at the state depository, Caxton Printers, Ltd. which reduces delivery time and shipping costs
• Contracts help ensure adopted materials will be available for the life of the contract (6 years).
• Materials are screened for quality, organization, vocabulary and graphic presentation. Textbooks publishers must submit Manufacturing Standards and Specifications for Textbooks (MSST) standards compliance form for each title.
• Materials are screened for fair representation on such issues as environment and industry.
• Instructional materials are screened and thoroughly reviewed by subject area experts to ensure that essential elements are covered.
• Any materials reflecting adversely upon individuals or groups due to race, ethnicity, class, gender, or religion are not approved.
• Small school districts are guaranteed to get the same textbooks and complementary materials as larger school systems.

Curricular materials
in Idaho are defined as textbooks and instructional media including software, audio/visual material and internet based instructional material (Section 33-118A, Idaho Code). Idaho is a multiple adoption state and adopts a number of materials in a designated subject area from a variety of publishing companies. This is consistent with the belief that a variety of materials has value and usefulness to the schools.

The Curricular Materials Selection Committee, the members of which are appointed by the State Board of Education (SBOE) for a five (5)-year term, has the responsibility of overseeing the adoption process for the state. The Executive Secretary of this Committee is an employee of the Idaho Department of Education and is a voting member of the committee.

The membership shall consist of not less than ten (10) total members from the following stakeholder groups:

• certified Idaho classroom teachers
• Idaho public school administrators
• Idaho higher education officials
• parents
• trustees
• local board of education members
• members of the Division of Career Technical Education
• Idaho Department of Education personnel

The Committee, assisted by specialists from throughout the state, meets for one week in June to review and correlate all materials to the Idaho Content Standards and specific course requirements. The Committee votes on the materials and those recommended are forwarded to the SBOE for official adoption for Idaho’s schools. All meetings of the Committee are open to the public.

Adoption Guide
Following formal adoption, contracts are mailed to the publishing companies. After the return of signed contracts, the listing of newly adopted materials will be published in the annual Adoption Guide found in the resource files below.

Regional Centers
A state curriculum library is maintained at Caxton as required by Idaho Code 118A. Adopted materials are housed in this library and available to the public. In addition, seven (7) Regional Centers maintain libraries of adopted materials that are available to the public as well as college students and local schools.
Regional Centers

Textbook Adoption Process
The citizens of Idaho may request that the Committee reconsider any material under adoption. The Committee considers all requests and maintains the rights to either recommend continued adoption or remove any materials from the adopted list.
The Textbook Adoption Process: Request for Reconsideration of Materials

Adoption consideration:

Be familiar with local, state, and federal rules that govern selection and approval processes:

• State: The Curricular Materials adoption process has its basis in Idaho Code §33-118 and Idaho Code §33-118A. The process is further defined in IDAPA 08.02.03.128.
• Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind
• National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS): The National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) offers information about responsibilities for providing specialized materials for students with print disabilities.

OER are teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purpsoing by others.

Open education resources include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge.

Publishers are eligible to submit English learner and mathematics materials for the 2022 curricular materials review. Please see the Publisher Information resource files for additional information and documents.