HINCKLEY-FINLAYSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PARENTAL REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
POLICY # 607
Parents, guardians, or an adult student, 18 years old or older, may review the content of the instructional materials used in the instruction of a minor child or an adult student. If the parent, guardian, or adult student objects to the content, they may contact the school district to make reasonable arrangements for alternative instruction. Alternative instructive may be provided by the parent, guardian, or adult student if the alternative instruction, if any, offered by the school board’s designee does not meet the concerns of the parent, guardian, or adult student. The school district is not required to pay for the costs of alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or adult student.
School personnel may not impose an academic or other penalty upon a student merely for arranging alternative instruction under the provisions of this policy. School personnel reserves the right to evaluate and assess the quality of the student’s work.
Exemptions from this policy are: spontaneous classroom discussion which is not intended as part of the planned content of instruction, current events or other materials that are used incidentally; and that the request relates to the content of the instructional materials only and does not include who, when, or where it is provided.
Learning expectations in the alternative instruction are clearly stated and that the evaluation is based upon those expectations.
A parent’s right to decline certain instruction for their own child will not interfere with the rights of others to receive that instruction.
To review instructional materials, the parent , guardian, or adult student must contact the building principal.
SOME OPTIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION:
- Individual study during that class period which accomplishes the learner outcome(s).
- Home study utilizing materials provided by the district. If alternative materials are used that are not available in the district, the district will require that they be provided at the parent’s expense.
- Instruction provided by another agency such as a church or community organization. Districts may not participate financially in sectarian instruction.
- Other alternatives which accomplish the learner outcome(s) which are proposed by the parent, after rejecting a district proposal, and paid for by the parent.
- Accomplishing the learner outcome(s) in another class through integration of the curriculum.
PROCEDURE:
- A parent, guardian, or adult student wishing to review instructional materials make written request to the building principal of the school for the instructional materials they wish to review and the reason they want to review the materials.
- The principal will contact the teacher, who is in charge of the instruction, to obtain the materials.
- Upon examination of the instructional materials the parent, guardian, or adult student, who wishes alternative instruction, must contact the BUILDING PRINCIPAL and state in writing their objections to the materials.
- The BUILDING PRINCIPAL, will arrange a meeting to make arrangements for the alternative instruction, if alternative instruction is appropriate.
- If the alternative plan offered by the school is unsatisfactory to the parent, guardian, or adult student, they may propose their own plan in writing to the BUILDING PRINCIPAL.
- The school (BUILDING PRINCIPAL) reserves the right to accept or reject the alternative plan.
- The school may evaluate the quality of the student’s work in the agreed plan. If the work is not completed to a satisfactory level, the school may withhold credit. Quality must be the same as expected in the classroom.
- The school district is not required to pay for the costs of alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or adult student.
Re-Approved 02/12/2018
STATEMENT OF CONCERN REGARDING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Request initiated by ___________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________
Telephone (w)_____________________ (h) _______________________________________
1. District learner outcome addressed by the material in question:
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________ __________________
2. Specific description of instructional material in question:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Have you examined the material in its entirety? Yes _____ No _____
If no, please explain. _______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. What is your concern(s) about this material? Please be specific.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________ ________________
Signature of Concerned Person(s) Date
ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION CONTRACT
Date _______________ _____ Parent Proposal
_____ School Proposal
Person initiating request _______________________________________________________
Student name ________________________________________________________________
School student is attending _____________________________________________________
Course/subject affected by request ______________________________________________
Specific content or materials in question: _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Learner outcome to be addressed: _______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Materials to be used: ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Method of instruction: _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Method of assessment of the student’s work (to be completed by school personnel):
______________________________________________________________________________
Completion date: ______________________________________________________________
Agreed to by:
Parent, guardian, or adult student __________________________________ Date _______
Instructor _______________________________________________________ Date _______
Principal ________________________________________________________ Date _______