Social Studies Textbooks Up for Adoption

Published August 2, 2013

New K-12 social studies textbooks proposed for use in Tennessee public schools are now on display for review by parents, students and community members.

As in past years, the public can review all textbooks at any time during the six-year adoption period, but public comments on the proposed social studies textbooks must be submitted by September 11, 2013, to be considered by the publisher. Forms are available at each site for public input.

Citizens interested in reviewing the proposed social studies textbooks should contact the director of the textbook collection site in their area. The directors for the two locations in Middle Tennessee are listed below.

Debra Jackson
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Blvd.
Nashville, TN
(615) 963-5480
e-mail: djackson@tnstate.edu

Kim Ralston
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN
(615) 898-2543
e-mail: Kim.Ralston@mtsu.edu

Public comments regarding the proposed social studies textbooks should be sent to Morgan Branch, director of textbook services, Tennessee Department of Education, 11th Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower, Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0379 by September 11, 2013. Citizens with questions about the process may email Morgan.Branch@tn.gov or call (615) 253-3160.

After the public comments have been submitted and the Tennessee Textbook Commission has completed its review, commission members will vote on the new editions to recommend to the State Board of Education for the 2013 official list of textbooks, after which state board members will make the final decision on the official list.

Once the State Board approves the official list then Williamson County Schools will follow School Board policy 4.401 which states:

A textbook adoption committee, approved by the Board, shall be composed of three (3) or five (5) teachers, or supervisors and teachers, now teaching or supervising the respective subjects. They shall hold professional certificates and have three (3) or more years of experience as teachers or supervisors in the public schools.

At least one copy of each text to be considered by the adoption committee shall be available to the Central Office during the review period for examination by School Board members, principals, teachers, and the general public. The public will be made aware of the dates these materials are available for review.

A review committee, comprised of one teacher from each school, will preview all state-approved textbooks and provide input to the textbook adoption committee. The textbook adoption committee will make the final textbook selection.

The textbook adoption committee’s selection will then go before the Board for approval.