Parental Concerns About Instructional Print and Non-Print Material August 2004

School Level

1. Concerns for reconsideration of selected library-media materials will be accepted from parents/guardians of students who attend schools in the district. These concerns are to be addressed to the school principal and appropriate staff of the school where the parent’s/guardian’s student is in attendance; one or more items may be addressed.
2. After a concern regarding print and/or non-print material is expressed to the principal and appropriate staff of the school, the parties will, within fifteen (15) school days, hold an informal meeting to attempt a resolution.

District Level

1. Should the concern remain unresolved, the parent/guardian may obtain from the principal, APS Form INL-09, "Concerns About Instructional Materials." The parent/guardian should complete the form and return it to the principal within fifteen (15) school days after the parent/guardian receives the decision at the school level. Within five (5) days of receiving the completed form, the principal will submit the form to the designated cluster leader principal.
2. Within fifteen (15) school days of receiving the completed form from the principal, the designated cluster leader principal will create and chair a committee composed of six (6) others with expertise in the library-media materials selection process, three educators and three parent or community members.  The committee chairperson, the designated cluster leader principal, will determine the members, schedule, time limitations, and format for the review process.  All meetings of the committee will be open to the public and will be announced through regular channels of communication. The committee will have fifteen (15) school days from its creation to complete the following tasks.
   1. Review the concerns.
   2. Hear the testimony of the parent/guardian and others expressing interest in the issue.
   3. Set forth in writing or publicly declare a decision and provide to the designated associate superintendent findings, rationale, conclusions, and recommendations regarding the concerns.
3. The designated associate superintendent will review the findings and recommendations of the committee; and will send a written decision regarding the concern to the parent/guardian by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the cluster leader principal, principal and other district administrators within fifteen (15) school days of the designated associate superintendent’s receipt of the committee’s findings and recommendations. Recommendations of the committee may be modified, accepted, or rejected by the designated associate superintendent.

Superintendent Office

Should the concern remain unresolved, the parent/guardian may appeal by letter to the superintendent or designee within fifteen (15) school days after the decision has been mailed to the parent/guardian.

The superintendent will review the appeal and the decision of the designated associate superintendent and within fifteen (15) school days after receiving the appeal, render a written decision and send a copy to the parent/guardian by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the designated associate superintendent, and to other appropriate district administrators. This decision will apply only to the school in which the initial concern for re-evaluation was made.

NOTE: Time limitations specified in this document may be altered, extended, or shortened by the superintendent or by mutual agreement of the parties.

Cross Ref.:

• Board Policy I.01
• Concerns About Instructional Materials forms

NSBA/NEPN Classification: KEC

Revised: May 1995
Revised: April 1996
Revised: May 1997
Revised: September 2002
Revised: August 2004

This page was last updated on: December 9, 2009.