Update: School Board Clears Way for Textbook Funding

Update: The SMUSD Board of Education approved a resolution Tuesday night that states SMUSD students have sufficient textbooks and materials. Prior to the vote, SMUSD Director of Instruction Gary McGuigan said all SMUSD schools evaluated their materials and verified they have sufficient textbooks.

SB 550 and AB 831, also known as "Williams Settlement," requires schools to conduct such evaluations in order to receive textbook and materials funding. The cost of SMUSD 2011-12 textbooks and materials is about $80,000.

A public hearing about the state of SMUSD’s textbooks and materials was scheduled at the beginning of Tuesday night’s meeting, but no one voiced concern about the district’s materials.

A breakdown of SMUSD textbooks by school can be found here. The district is not required to post the textbook information but does so as a courtesy to parents, said McGuigan.

Original article from Tuesday:

In an effort to receive funding from the state’s Instructional Materials Funding Realignment Program Account, the to address the condition of textbooks and instructional materials and consider a resolution stating they are sufficient.

“The cost of providing appropriate and sufficient student textbooks for 2011-12 is approximately $80,000,” according to a public hearing notice prepared by SMUSD Director of Instructional Services Dr. Gary McGuigan. “The cost will be covered by restricted state lottery funds, and other local funds.”

SB 550 and AB 831, also known as "Williams Settlement", set forth requirements and definitions for the sufficiency of these materials that must be met in order to receive funds, said the notice.

Following the hearing, the board will vote on a resolution stating SMUSD has provided each student with sufficient textbooks and materials. The resolution details the following criteria for meeting that goal:

• Each pupil has a textbook or instructional materials

• These materials are provided to each student, including English learners, that are aligned to the academic content standards and consistent with the cycles and content of the curriculum frameworks in the following subjects: English language arts, history-social science, mathematics, science and foreign language.

• Adequate laboratory science equipment and sufficient materials are available for science laboratory classes offered in grades K-12, inclusive.

See the public hearing notice and resolution attached to this article.