Professional Report

certification of the state board’s resolution.

Those qualified to vote on the proposal are the electors residing in the school districts, containing territory which the state board is proposing for transfer. If a majority of voters approve the transfer, the net indebtedness of the previous district shall be assumed by the “new” district in the same ratio that the assessed valuation of the transferred area bears to the assessed valuation of the original district as of the effective date of the creation of the new district. Not included in the net indebtedness is any loan made to a district from the lottery profits education fund if the taxes charged to one or more bankrupt taxpayers equals or exceeds ten per cent of the total amount of the school district’s taxes charged on such tax lists and duplicates. The state board is also charged with apportioning “equitably” any available funds and with determining to which ESC the “new” district will be assigned. If an entire district is transferred, the board of education of the transferred district is abolished. If only part of a district is transferred, any board member with a legal address in the transferred territory ceases to be a board member. With the approval of the governing board of the educational service center and the recommendation of the state superintendent of public instruction, the state board may by resolution transfer all or any part of a school district with less than $4,000 of assessed value for each student to a district which has more than 25,000 students in average daily membership. However, such a resolution of transfer can be adopted only if the receiving district has approved a resolution approving the proposed transfer. The board will furnish free all necessary required textbooks and workbooks adopted by the board. The board “loans” the books to students. A separate budget item is required for free textbooks. Textbooks include electronic textbooks, defined as “computer software, interactive videodisc, magnetic media, CD-ROM, computer courseware, on-line service, electronic medium, or other means of conveying information to the student or otherwise contributing to the learning process through electronic means.” Selection of textbooks by board: adoption is by a majority vote of all members at a regular meeting during which a new text is adopted. There is no requirement that local school districts adopt their textbooks or electronic textbooks from lists provided by an ESC. While a district board of education is the sole authority in determining and selecting textbooks, reading lists, instructional materials, and academic curriculum for its schools, boards are also required to establish a parental advisory committee (or another method of review) for parents to review the selection of textbooks and reading lists, instructional materials, and the “academic curriculum” used in the district’s schools. For students who enter third grade beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, no school district shall promote a student to the fourth grade if the student scores in a range designated by the state board of education See TEXTBOOK SELECTION below.

TEXTBOOKS

3329.06

3329.08

TEXTBOOK SELECTION

3313.21 3313.212

THIRD GRADE READING GUARANTEE

3313.608