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156.405   State Textbook Commission -- Textbook reviewers. (1)  The purpose of the State Textbook Commission is to provide a recommended list of current  and  high  quality  textbooks  and  instructional  materials  to  local  school 
districts that complement the educational program in Kentucky schools; to provide 
a consumer guide to schools to aid with the selection of materials; and to provide 
for public participation in the evaluation process. (2)  The State Textbook Commission shall consist of the chief state school officer and ten  (10)  appointive  members.  The  ten  (10)  members  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Kentucky  Board  of  Education  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  chief  state  school 
officer for terms of four (4) years with two (2) appointments each year, except that 
every fourth year there shall be four (4) appointments. No member shall be eligible 
to serve more than two (2) full terms consecutively. All vacancies that occur on the 
State Textbook Commission shall be filled in like manner for the remainder of the 
unexpired terms. The Department of Education and the State Textbook Commission 
shall  receive  assistance  in  the  textbook  evaluation  process  from  professionals  and 
lay citizens who will be referred to in this chapter as the "textbook reviewers." (3)  The State Textbook Commission shall: (a)  Select  and  direct  the  activities  of  the  textbook  reviewers  who  develop selection criteria and review textbooks and programs; (b)  Develop selection criteria and evaluation forms with the help of the textbook reviewers and Kentucky Department of Education staff to be used in the state 
level review process; (c)  Approve  the  evaluative  criteria  and  forms  used  by  the  commission  and textbook reviewers; (d)  Review the textbook reviewers' evaluations, and textbooks or programs as it deems  necessary,  in  order  to  select  from  them  a  recommended  list  of  high 
quality materials; (e)  Provide notice of and the opportunity for public inspection of textbooks and programs offered for adoption and use in the public schools; (f)  Conduct  a  public  hearing  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  public  comment concerning textbooks and programs under consideration; (g)  Select, recommend, and publish a list of high quality textbooks and programs; and (h)  Publish a consumer guide and distribute it to Kentucky public schools. (4)  The textbook reviewers shall be comprised of twelve (12) individuals for the area or areas being considered for adoption. The textbook reviewers shall be approved by 
the  State  Textbook  Commission  based  on  the  recommendation  of  the  chief  state 
school officer. (5)  The textbook reviewers shall: (a)  Develop and submit to the commission subject specific evaluative criteria to be used in reviewing textbooks and programs; (b)  Review  textbooks  and  programs  to  determine  those  of  high  quality,  using evaluative criteria and forms approved by the commission; (c)  Submit  to  the  commission  reviews and evaluative forms  regarding reviewed textbooks and programs; (d)  Attend meetings and training sessions as requested by the commission and the Department of Education; and (e)  Ensure that textbooks are free from factual error. (6)  (a)  1. Eight (8) of the appointive members of the State Textbook Commission 
shall  have  had  not  less  than  five  (5)  years  teaching  or  supervising 
experience in the public schools of Kentucky and shall have had at the 
time of their appointment at least four (4) years of college training in a 
recognized institution of higher education. 2. Five  (5)  members  of  the  commission  shall  be  classroom  teachers 
actively  employed  in  the  public  schools  of  Kentucky  as  teachers  in 
subject field or fields for which the commission will select books. 3. Two (2) members shall be principals, supervisors, or superintendents of 
public schools or public school systems. 4. One (1) member shall be a member of the faculty of a public institution 
of higher education engaged in teacher preparation. 5. Two  (2)  members  shall  be  lay  citizens,  one  (1)  of  whom  shall  have  a 
child enrolled in a public school at the time of appointment. (b)  In recommending the members of the State Textbook  Commission  the chief state  school  officer  shall  give  due  regard  to  representation  from  rural  and 
urban areas and from the elementary, middle, and high school levels when the 
educational  levels  are  included  in  the  subject  field  or  fields  for  which 
adoptions are to be made. (7)  Textbook reviewers shall have the following qualifications: Six (6) of the textbook reviewers shall be instructional  supervisors and classroom teachers in various and 
appropriate  grade  levels  primary  through  grade  twelve  (12),  with  experience  and 
training in the subject areas to be reviewed. One (1) reviewer shall have expertise 
and  training  in  learning  theory  as  applied  to  the  classroom  situation.  One  (1) 
reviewer  shall  be  a  current  or  former  university  faculty  member  with  expertise  in 
the  content  area  of  the  textbooks  to  be  reviewed.  One  (1)  reviewer  shall  have 
experience  and  training  in  readability  and  formatting  of  textbooks.  Three  (3) 
reviewers shall be parents, two (2) of whom shall have a child currently enrolled in 
public schools in Kentucky. (8)  Members  of  the  State  Textbook  Commission  shall  receive  fifty  ($50)  dollars  per day  and  reimbursement  for  their  actual  expenses  while  attending  commission 
meetings.  Textbook  reviewers  shall  receive  remuneration  based  on  the  amount  of 
textbooks and programs to be reviewed and criteria to be developed as determined 
by  the  chief  state  school  officer.  Textbook  reviewers  shall  be  paid  one  hundred 
dollars  ($100)  per  day,  not  to  exceed  one  thousand  dollars  ($1,000)  annually. Textbook  reviewers  shall  also  receive  reimbursement  for  actual  expenses  while 
attending reviewer or commission meetings. (9)  The  meetings  of  the  State  Textbook  Commission  shall  be  open  to  the  public  and shall be held at least once every quarter and notice of such meeting shall be given in 
accordance with KRS 424.110 to 424.210. (10)  Not  later  than  May  1  each  year  the  chief  state  school  officer  shall  call  the  State Textbook  Commission  into  session.  The  members  of  the  State  Textbook 
Commission shall elect one (1) of its voting members as chairman and shall adopt 
administrative  regulations  for  the  procedure  of  the  commission.  The  chief  state 
school officer shall be the secretary of the commission. Effective:  July 14, 2000 
History:  Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 419, sec. 2, effective July 14, 2000. -- Amended 1996  Ky.  Acts  ch. 362,  sec. 6,  effective  July  15, 1996.  --  Amended 1992 Ky. Acts 
ch. 266, sec. 8, effective July 14, 1992.  -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 476, Pt. IV, 
sec. 146, effective July 13, 1990. -- Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 138, sec. 2, effective 
July 15, 1988. -- Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 154, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1982. -- 
Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 155, sec. 82, effective June 17, 1978. -- Amended 1976 
Ky. Acts ch. 74, sec. 6, effective March 29, 1976. -- Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 71, 
sec. 2, effective March 13, 1974. -- Created 1952 Ky. Acts ch. 184, sec. 2.