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Overview

California is one of 22 states that has a textbook review or "adoption" process. Instructional materials adopted by the state are in turn used by California's public schools.

According to the California Department of Education: “Adoptions in the core subject areas are a powerful leverage point for educational reform and improvement in student achievement. The impact of instructional materials on classroom learning is significant and has been shown to be an essential tool for teachers in today’s classrooms. Recent research underscores the educational importance of textbooks and instructional materials, not only as the primary mode of access for California’s students to State Content Standards and the knowledge and skills they must master, but also as an indispensable platform for fostering teacher learning and a key component of ongoing professional development. Because of the limited staff development dollars available in the state, thousands of new and experienced teachers look to model lessons and instructional materials for instructional decision making support and for teaching strategies they can adopt that will enable them to accomplish the goals established in the curriculum frameworks.” (Source: Overview of Standards, Curriculum Frameworks, Instructional Materials Adoptions, and Funding, CDE February 2006.)

The state adopts instructional materials at the K-8 level. Core subjects are adopted every six years and non-core subjects are adopted every eight years. There are no adoptions at the high school level. However, school districts must certify that the instructional materials they use at the high school level meet state standards.

Primary K-8 adoptions (i.e., the first adoption following the approval of new evaluation criteria) are conducted every six years for the four core curriculum areas. The upcoming cycle for these primary adoptions is as follows: history-social science (2005), science (2006), mathematics (2007), and reading/language arts (2008). Primary adoptions in foreign language, visual and performing arts, and health are to be conducted every eight years. The State Board of Education does not adopt instructional materials for physical education.

The state legislature is required to set money aside to cover the costs of supplying instructional material to every student. California has a “double guarantee” that students will receive free materials (provided by the state) in core instructional areas.

California Constitution Article 9, section 7.5 states: “The State Board of Education shall adopt textbooks for use in grades one through eight throughout the State, to be furnished without cost as provided by statute.”

Williams Settlement requires the state to ensure that each student in each grade in each public school has core instructional materials in each subject. The lawsuit was brought by ACLU, MALDEF and others to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to learn.