Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509080016
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But, no one involved in picking books can say what the change will be or when it will happen.
Computerization and a desire by the government in both Richmond and Washington, D.C., to give more local control are feeding the change.
In Richmond, there's talk of the state Board of Education no longer issuing lists of approved textbooks to local school divisions.
Dewey Oakley, administrative assistant to the state's superintendent of public instruction, said education officials talk about this more now than they did five years ago.
But, he said, this is only one of several possibilities being discussed by state education officials.
Oakley said the state education officials want to give local school divisions as much flexibility as possible. Also, he said, the state would save money if the state Department of Education didn't evaluate textbooks.
Oakley, however, believes computerization will have a more profound effect on textbook selection than abandoning the state-issued approved list.
"Computerization is growing on us quite rapidly," he said, adding that computer software acquired through national or worldwide computer networks will replace traditional textbooks in the not-too-distant future.
Many colleges are already using computers, in combination with desktop publishing, to put together their own textbooks, said Judy Self, Salem's director of elementary education. She also predicts that within 10 years, many public schools will be doing the same.
"Teachers would love to develop their own textbooks," she said.
By using bits and pieces of material from various publishers and various books, Self said teachers could put together texts that fit their individual situations.
Teachers serve with parents and school administrators on evaluation committees that make recommendations to the superintendent about textbooks. By the time superintendents make their recommendations to their school boards, the texts and their publishers have been studied extensively.
Sandra Tunnell, Botetourt County's supervisor of elementary and middle schools, said the selection process takes at least six months.
The frequency at which school divisions change books varies, but most change what they call a "series" every year or once every two years.
A series in Roanoke, said David Partington, director of secondary education for Roanoke, has one subject and includes related workbooks and kits for all grade levels kindergarten through 12.
The cost of changing textbooks can run from $16,000 for a small school division like Craig County, up to a high of about $1 million for a large division like Roanoke.
Roanoke County has spent about $700,000 on textbooks this year, said Garland Life, assistant superintendent for instruction. And Salem has budgeted slightly more than $193,000 for books this year, Self said.
Tunnell said Botetourt spends about $250,000 to change a series of textbooks.
Donald Ford, assistant superintendent of schools in Craig County, said the county adopts a series of books every two years, and each book can average about $30 to $40. Some books cost up to $70.
The state Department of Education reimburses part of the textbook cost to local school divisions. But generally the local divisions must bear about 60 percent of the total cost, Self said.
However, she said, budget cutting in Richmond might reduce or eliminate that aid.
Some school divisions also recoup a little of the cost by selling books being replaced. But some divisions keep the old texts for several years for supplemental use.
For information on textbook selection in your area, call:
Roanoke County - Garland Life, assistant superintendent for instruction, 562-3718
Roanoke - David Partington, director secondary education, 981-2876; or Mary Hackley, director elementary education, 981-2300.
Salem - Judy Self, director of elementary education, 389-0130.
Botetourt County - Sandra Tunnell, supervisor of elementary and middle schools, 473-8263.
Craig County - M. Dallas Helems Jr., superintendent, or Donald Ford, assistant superintendent, 864-5191.
by CNB