Guam § 4104 - Standards for Curriculum and Textbook Adoption.

§ 4104. Standards for Curriculum and Textbook Adoption.

In order to ensure that the students of Guam’s public and private schools receive adequate textbooks

according to their varying scholastic abilities, the following curriculum and textbook adoption standards

are prescribed:

(a) The Board adopt policies on the curricular needs of the school system, taking into account:

(1) The varying scholastic abilities of students;

(2) The varying vocational interests of students upon completing secondary education; and

(3) The changing societal expectations of education.

The Board shall adopt policies pertaining to the review, adoption and procurement of instructional

materials, equipment and supplies including textbooks and related materials for use by all students

attending school in Guam.

(b) The Board shall not delegate or negotiate the responsibility conferred in subsection (a) of this

Section unless:

(1) The delegation of this duty is for expert or professional work activities leading up to and

in preparation for the adoption of a multiple listing of textbooks; or

(2) The delegation of this duty is for expert or professional work activities leading up to

curriculum adoption; or

(3) Duties are specified by law to be shared.

(c) The Board shall establish a standing committee of the Board called the Textbook Selection

Committee (the Committee), which shall be chaired by a member of the appointed by the chairperson

of the Board and shall consist of four (4) additional members, who may or may not be members of the

Board appointed by the chairperson of the Committee. The chairperson shall make appointments from

both the public and the private school sectors. The Board shall also establish two subcommittees, one

of which shall be composed of educators from the public schools and the other of educators from the

private schools. Each subcommittee shall examine textbooks and make recommendations thereon to

the Committee, which will then make recommendations for adoption or disapproval of the proposals

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to the Board. Textbooks and other instructional materials adopted for each grade and subject field shall

come from a multiple listing to meet the varying ability levels of elementary and secondary students

in Guam. The Board shall also establish a textbook adoption calendar setting forth the subjects or

courses for each grade level that are to be selected and ordered each year, on a rotation basis, not to

exceed seven (7) years of continuous use for any one (1) textbook, and the critical dates to be met each

year. In addition, the Board shall establish a similar but separate calendar for the textbook ordering

process which will ensure that new and replacement textbooks are available in the classroom for the

opening of school each year.

(d) It shall be the duty of the Committee to:

(1) Establish the criteria for the selection of texts for use by students attending public and

private schools in Guam and ensure that such criteria are met;

(2) Review the curriculum changes and textbook adoption proposals submitted to it by the

subcommittees, and make recommendations to the Board to adopt or disapprove proposals of the

subcommittees, and state the reasons therefore;

(3) Review the list of textbooks requested by the public and private schools for the next

school year to ensure that the textbooks were selected from the multiple listing of textbooks

adopted by the Board;

(4) Recommend to the Board the amount of advance appropriation necessary to purchase the

textbooks; and

(5) Ensure that the textbook adoption calendar and the textbook ordering calendar

established by the Board are adhered to.

(e) No school official or member of any committee or subcommittee created by the Board shall

accept any emolument, money, or other valuable thing, or any inducement to directly or indirectly

introduce, recommend, vote for, or otherwise influence the adoption or purchase of any textbooks or

other instructional materials. Anyone who violates any of these prohibitions shall be guilty of a

misdemeanor and shall be removed from the position occupied.

(f) The Board shall select and adopt a multiple list of textbooks for use by elementary and

secondary grades. The list of textbooks shall be based on the recommendations of the subcommittees

established pursuant to subsections (c) and (d) of this Section. The list shall consist of textbooks for

each subject matter or course that address the varying scholastic abilities of students in Guam’s

schools. The Board shall act on the recommendation of the subcommittees and Committee within thirty

(30) days after submission.

(g) It is the policy of the Board that no public funds shall be expended to purchase religious or

sectarian books, or books used for religious or sectarian purposes.