Textbook selection can be long, arduous process
Payden Kennedy is hunched over his math book at Patriot Learning Center in Falcon.
"I like books like this that tell straight facts," he says. "I like pictures and graphs that explain more. Sometimes I read the book cover to cover the first week I get it."
His teacher, Eric Lustig, prefers textbooks that have lots of "drill and kill" - teacher lingo for lots of review. Whether they get what they want depends on an arduous and painstaking process that starts with the publisher, goes through task forces and public meetings and ends with a vote by the Falcon School District 49 board. It takes about two years for books to make their way through D- 49's process - sometimes longer if they are tested in classrooms.
But considering how much money is spent on textbooks, district officials say it's worth the time to make sure they're buying what's right for their students, and don't get stuck with costly books because they've made a poor decision.
Nationwide, textbooks are an $8.5 billion business, according to the Association of American Publishers. In District 49, which has about 13,000 students, $750,000is spent each school year on texts and other instruction materials. Colorado Springs School District 11, with about 29,000 students, spends about $1 million yearly. The small rural Edison School District 54JT spends $50,000 a year.
Not every district's procedure is as long and as tedious as D-49's. In smaller districts, like Edison, and those that allow schools to choose their own textbooks, like D-11, the process can be over in a matter of weeks or months, not years. But D-49 is one of many Colorado districts that choose for all their schools.
The Falcon district changes books every five to six years, but to make things easier, the district staggers its purchases by subject matter. This year, the district is choosing social studies, foreign language, fine arts and business books for fall. The school board will vote on the books in March.
"It's hard to choose," says SusieMcPherson, a Patriot social studies teacher who recently got a chance to look at the offerings. "There are so many gadgets that go with the books - CDs, workbooks that sort of thing."
After publishers send mountains of samples and give presentations, the district spends months whittling the choices down to books that meet their standards of learning, that will keep students' attention, and that are economical.
But it's not just the state and district standards that are reviewed, says John Weishaar, D-49's director of curriculum, instruction and alignment. Reviewers also look at whether a book is grade-appropriate; provides diversity that features women and minorities in important roles; is written clearly and is appealing; has accurate, current information; and provides real-life applications.
Jodi Fletcher, a Falcon social studies teacher involved in the process, says the hours put into choosing books is extraordinary, but well worth it. "I'm thrilled with it all, especially when the new books are passed out. The kids just light up when they get to put their names on the book card."
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Contact the writer: 636-0371 or carol.mcgraw@gazette.com
