For purposes of this policy, "curricular materials" means systematically organized materials designed to provide a specific level of instruction in a subject matter category, including:

Curricular materials used as part of the educational program of the Corporation shall be approved by the Board, and the Board shall make approved curricular materials available for rental or purchase by each student enrolled in a public school located in the attendance area served by the Board if that school is in compliance with the minimum certification standards established by the State Board of Education.

The annual rental rate for curricular materials shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the retail price of the curricular materials. The Board may charge a student the cost of the student’s use of disposable materials, software copyright licenses, and hardware to utilize software provided. If a software site license is not charged on a per student per school year basis, the Board shall approve a sum to be paid by each student that divides the cost of the license between all students expected to use the licensed software. If hardware such as a laptop computer or a tablet is required to access the curricular materials approved by the Board, the Board shall approve a sum to be paid by each student expected to use the hardware.

If a student has paid rental or use fees for curricular materials, such as textbooks, electronic textbooks, consumable hardware, computer software, digital content, disposable materials, software copyright licenses, hardware to utilize software provided, or other curricular materials, and the student transfers, withdraws, is expelled, or is unable to complete or continue to participate in a class, or activity, or utilize a school service for which the student or his/her parents have paid the applicable rental or use fee, the Corporation shall refund an amount equal to the total fee multiplied by the percentage of the semester, grading period or activity season remaining at the time the student transfers, withdraws, is expelled from the class, quits, or is cut from the activity, so long as one-fourth (1/4) or more of the semester, grading period, or activity season remains and the amount of refund, rounded up to the nearest dollar amount, equals or exceeds $5.00.

If a student transfers, withdraws, or is expelled from school, or withdraws or is cut from a school activity for which the student or his/her parents have paid fees for curricular materials and are owed a refund of all, or a proportionate share of any fees amounting to at least $5.00, the Corporation shall promptly refund such fees if the address of the student or his/her parent is known or if requested by the student or his/her parents by the end of the school year in which the fees were paid, or within thirty (30) days, whichever is longer. The right to a refund fee shall be forfeited if not requested by the end of the school year in which the right to a refund accrues, or within 30 (thirty) days, whichever is longer. Parents and students shall be given written notice of this policy at the time of school enrollment.

The Corporation may write-off any outstanding unpaid fees for rent or use of curricular materials of $5.00 or less, if not paid by the end of the school year following the school year or activity season in which the debt for nonpayment of fees for curricular materials was incurred.

Unpaid fees for rent or use of curricular materials in excess of $5.00 may, at the discretion of the school treasurer or his/her designee, be written off one (1) year after the end of the school year or activity season in which the debt for nonpayment of fees for curricular materials was incurred. Fees in excess of $5.00 may be written off at any time, if the principal, or his/her designee, determines the student’s parents, or the student, if age eighteen (18) or older or an emancipated minor, is unable to pay.

The Board shall prescribe reasonable rules and regulations for the care, custody, and return of curricular materials and hardware.

If a student or his/her parents have purchased textbooks and/or electronic textbooks and move from the Corporation, the Corporation shall, pursuant to I.C. 20-26-12-26, evaluate the student’s curricular materials and offer to purchase the curricular materials at a reasonable price for resale to any family that moves into the Corporation during the school term.

The curricular materials approved by the Board shall include a research based core reading program.

Supplementary materials required by a special education student’s Individualized Education Program shall be provided without additional charge. The supplemental materials provided to students receiving special education services shall be in a format that allows the student to utilize the materials. When necessary for a special education student to benefit from curricular materials, the materials shall be provided in NIMAS (National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard) format and shall be certified by NIMAC (National Instructional Materials Access Center), or the publisher of the materials may authorize the Board to reproduce the curricular materials in a format such as large type or audio that allows the special education student to benefit from the materials.

The Superintendent may implement administrative guidelines for the selection of curricular materials that include effective consultation with an Advisory Committee of parents and professional staff members at all appropriate levels. Textbooks determined to be obsolete shall be disposed of in accordance with Board Policy 7310 - Disposition of Surplus Property.