OAR 581-022-2350: Independent Adoptions of Instructional Materials

Without prior notice to the State Board of Education, the district school board of any school district, with the assistance of teachers and administrators of the district, may adopt independently instructional materials for use in place of or in addition to those adopted by the Board, provided they meet the guidelines and criteria established by the Board. The district school board shall involve parents and citizens in the process. Such district adoptions shall be known as independent adoptions. In order to give proper notification that an independent adoption is being made, the administrative head of the district must provide the district school board, prior to placing the instructional materials into use in the local schools, the following information: (1) The subject, category, and grade level(s) in which the instructional materials will be used; (2) The title of the instructional materials; (3) The publisher of the instructional materials; (4) The copyright date of the instructional materials; (5) The date on which the district intends to install the instructional materials for use in the school system; and (6) A statement that a completed criteria checklist showing the degree to which the instructional materials meet the criteria established by the State Board of Education is on file in the district office. (Criteria checklists for the specific subject/category are available from the Department of Education.) (7) A statement of assurance that the independently adopted instructional materials will comply with the most current National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) specifications regarding accessible instructional materials. (8) Digital, electronic, or web-based materials must include an accessibility conformance report for each electronic component that documents adherence to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) identified in the circular of information and technical standards required by the Federal Rehabilitation Act, Section 508.