Review of Texts

"The superintendent or school committee must also have access to the textbooks, workbooks, and other instructional aids to be used by the children and to the lesson plans and teaching manuals to be used by the parents."

The Care and Protection of Charles (1987)

Review of Texts

Access to instructional materials is permitted BUT ONLY to determine the type of subjects taught and the grade level of the child. In Massachusetts there is no list of approved texts as in other states. You have a great deal of freedom to select materials. If asked, most families simply list their resources or copy the text's table of contents. Charles dates from 1987, before current advances in educational technology. The Court's 1998 decision in Brunelle indicates an understanding that instructional materials may include travel, community service, films, internet coursework, mentored apprenticeships, visits to educationally enriching facilities and places, meeting with various resource people etc.

In this section of your ed plan, include a list of texts you plan to use.

The Charles Decision goes on to say, "This access is necessary only to determine the type of subjects to be taught and the grade level of the instruction for comparison purposes with the curriculum of the public schools. The superintendent or school committee may not use this access to dictate the manner in which the subjects will be taught. This would involve the school authorities in an activity beyond the legitimate scope of the State interest involved. "