PARENT/STUDENT FAQ SHEET

Why does the State Board of Education review instructional materials?

In 1907 the Utah legislature appointed a State Textbook Commission to provide the schools of the state the best available instructional materials and to eliminate inferior or undesirable material. The basic goal of the Commission is the same today -- we want the students of Utah to have the most current, most accurate, and best-made instructional materials that are available. The official name was changed to "Instructional Materials Commission" in 2001 to more fully take advantage of all the different kinds of media that is used to instruct students.

Who is on the State Instructional Materials Commission and what do they do?

The legislature, wanting to ensure a balanced mix of stakeholders, carefully put together a commission consisting of the following: the State Superintendent of Public Instruction or his/her designee, 1 dean of education from a State College of Education, 1 school district superintendent, 1 secondary school principal, 1 secondary school teacher, 1 elementary school principal, 1 elementary school teacher and 5 lay citizens.

Each commission member receives a copy of every instructional material or program bid in Utah. This usually consists of approximately 3000 books as well as numerous other ancillary material every six months. They are personally obligated to review each material they receive.

The Commission also oversees content area evaluation committees. These specialized advisory committees meet under the leadership of the State Content Area Specialist to review each instructional material bid against the core standards and objectives and subject area rubrics. Every six months the Commission meets to evaluate the recommendations of the review committees and in turn make a final recommendation to the State Board of Education on appropriate materials for Utah schools.

How do I find out what books are recommended for use in Utah schools?

You can go to the following web site (http://www.schools.utah.gov/rims/) to check out recommended materials for Utah schools. This listing is a searchable database that is updated every six months after the State Board of Education accepts the recommendations of the State Instructional Materials Commission and its' content area evaluation teams.

My son or daughter needs to purchase an instructional material used in their school. Where can I go to buy the material?

Utah schools purchase most of their instructional materials from the Mountain State Schoolbook Depository which is located in Clearfield, Utah. Please call them at 1-800-995-1444 for more information on purchasing instructional materials or visit them at their website: www.mssd.com. You can also go to RIMs (our searchable website) and search by publisher. If you click on the highlighted publisher name, you will get the name of the local sales representative for that company who can help you in the purchase of needed material.

I heard a bill was passed in Utah that means schools don't have to purchase instructional materials off of the State list anymore. Is that true?

Yes. The bill, which went into effect in May of 2002, does not change the Instructional Materials Centers' legislative mandate. The IMC is still required to review Instructional Materials for their appropriateness for Utah's students. We are still required to set up a contract price with publishers for five years on behalf of the State Board for Instructional Materials. What has changed is that the new law allows local school boards the freedom to purchase materials they feel would teach the core curriculum in their district. At this time all 40 districts require their teachers and schools to purchase materials that have been approved on the RIMs database.

Who do I talk to if I don't like the textbook they are using in my child's classroom?

Your best bet would be to first look the book up on the State Recommended Instructional Materials list (http://www.schools.utah.gov/rims/) and see what the original evaluation says. If the evaluation does not answer your questions or concerns or the book does not appear on the list, you should call your child's teacher and/or school principal and make an appointment to discuss your concerns.