Hickman County Board of Education
Descriptor Code:
Issued Date:
Descriptor Term:
4.401
08/05/24
Textbooks
Rescinds:
Issued:
4.401
12/04/23
1
SELECTION¹,
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The selection of textbooks shall be completed according to the laws and policies required by the State
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of Tennessee and the State Textbook Commission. The responsibility for textbook selection rests with
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the local textbook selection committees subject to approval by the Board. Use of textbooks and
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instructional materials not on the list approved by the State Textbook Commission is permissible if the
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Board submits a waiver to the State Board of Education and such waiver is approved. The director of
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schools shall establish a procedure for providing citizens of the community with an opportunity to
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examine proposed textbooks prior to their final adoption, 3 including public notice of time and location
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at which textbooks may be examined. Once the proposed textbooks have been approved by the Board,
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the director of schools shall post the list of all approved textbooks and instructional materials adopted
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for use across the school system on the school system's website and send a copy of the list to the
2
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commissioner of education.
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When proposing procurement of new textbooks, the director of schools shall provide the Board with a
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signed document from the textbook publisher(s) stating they have confirmed the subject textbook(s)
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comply with TCA 49-6-1019 (also known as "Prohibited Concepts in Instruction"). If a signed
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statement from the publisher is unavailable, a thorough review of the textbook(s) shall be performed by
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a qualified person familiar with the subject law and provide a signed statement.
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COMPLAINTS & RECONSIDERATION
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The director of schools shall develop forms and procedures to enable citizens to file complaints
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regarding the selection or content of approved textbooks. Following the conclusion of this
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administrative process, a complainant may appeal an outcome to the Board.
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DISTRIBUTION
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The director of schools shall designate an employee to be responsible for the purchase and distribution
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of textbooks in each school. The principal shall be responsible for seeing that each student receives the
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required textbooks at no cost to the student.
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CERTIFICATION
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Annually, before the director of schools and the chair of the Board certifies compliance of textbooks to
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the commissioner (due by October 15 of each year), each principal shall provide a signed document
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stating they have confirmed each student in their school has the correct textbook for each class and that
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teachers are utilizing the textbook as part of their teaching process.
Version Date: September 25, 2025
4.401
Textbooks
1
CARE OF TEXTBOOKS⁴
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Textbooks are property of the Board and shall be returned at the end of the school year, upon
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completion of the course or upon withdrawal from a course or school. Parents are to sign an agreement
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stating they shall be responsible for the textbooks received and used by their children.
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The following reimbursement schedule shall be used as a guide for collecting fines for lost or
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destroyed books:
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Age of Book
Amount Collected
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1 2 years
100% of replacement cost
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3 - - 4 years
75% of replacement cost
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5 or more years
50% of replacement cost
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CARE OF DEVICES
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Electronic devices used for instruction are property of the Board and shall be returned at the end of the
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year, upon completion of the course, or upon withdrawal from a school. Parents are to sign an
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agreement stating they will be responsible for the electronic devices received and used by their
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students. The signed agreement will include a reimbursement schedule for damages to electronic
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devices up to 100% replacement cost.
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The Board shall approve and periodically review a schedule of fines for damaged books. In cases
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where the book is damaged to the extent it is no longer useable, the amount collected shall conform to
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the reimbursement schedule for lost books. A fine may only be assessed in cases where the pupil or
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parent damages, loses or defaces the textbook either through willful intent or neglect.
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Following an interview with parties and an investigation, if needed, the principal may assess the
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appropriate fine and notify the parents in writing.
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The principal may include with the notice a provision stating that failure to pay the fine imposed
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within a reasonable time may result in the imposition of one of the following sanctions:
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1. Refusal to issue any additional textbooks until restitution is made;
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2. Withholding of all grade cards, diplomas, certificates of progress, or transcripts until restitution
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is made;
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3. Not allowing the pupil to take interim or final examinations or to earn course credit in the
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course for which the textbook is prescribed until restitution is made; or
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4. Reducing the pupil's grade in the course for which the textbook is prescribed by one (1) letter
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grade or ten (10) percentage points until restitution is made.
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The principal may waive the assessment of fines when in his/her judgment the student is the victim of
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uncontrollable circumstances and not responsible for the damages.
Page 2 of 3
Textbooks
4.401
1
INSPECTION
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A list of textbooks used by the schools shall be revised annually by building administrators under the
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direction of the director of schools. Textbooks shall be available for inspection by parents/guardians
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upon request, and the director of schools shall develop procedures for the inspection of materials and
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distribute these procedures to each principal.
Legal References
Cross Reference
1.
TCA 49-6-2207
Revenues 2.400
2.
TCA 49-6-2207(c), (e), (f); TCA 49-6-2202; TRR/MS
Surplus Property Sales 2.403
0520-01-18-.02
Library Materials 4.403
3.
20 USCA § 1232h(a); TCA 49-6-7003
Controversial Materials 4.801
4.
TCA 49-3-310(1)(B); TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.16(2)
Student Fees and Fines 6.709
Page 3 of 3

## Table 1

|  | Hickman County Board of | Education |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | Descriptor Term: Textbooks | Descriptor Code: 4.401 | Issued Date: 08/05/24 |
|  |  | Rescinds: 4.401 | Issued: 12/04/23 |

## Table 2

| Age of Book | Amount Collected |
| --- | --- |
| 1 2 years | 100% of replacement cost |
| 3 - - 4 years | 75% of replacement cost |
| 5 or more years | 50% of replacement cost |

## Table 3

| Legal References | Cross Reference |
| --- | --- |
| 1. TCA 49-6-2207 | Revenues 2.400 |
| 2. TCA 49-6-2207(c), (e), (f); TCA 49-6-2202; TRR/MS 0520-01-18-.02 | Surplus Property Sales 2.403 Library Materials 4.403 |
| 3. 20 USCA § 1232h(a); TCA 49-6-7003 | Controversial Materials 4.801 |
| 4. TCA 49-3-310(1)(B); TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.16(2) | Student Fees and Fines 6.709 |