156.407 Selection of textbook reviewers -- Review and evaluation process. (1) The chief state school officer shall, not later than February 1 of each year in which an adoption is to be made, solicit applications for filling twelve (12) positions for textbook reviewers. (2) Solicitation shall be statewide for all appointments and include specifications which ensure candidates have professional expertise in the subject areas to be reviewed if appropriate for the appointment. (3) The State Textbook Commission, at its first yearly meeting, shall select textbook reviewers based on a list of qualified applicants prepared by the chief state school officer and giving consideration to the recommendations as specified in KRS 156.405. (4) The Department of Education's curriculum and instruction specialists shall serve as staff to the commission and reviewers. The staff shall: (a) Orient and train the commission and reviewers regarding departmental policy and review procedures; (b) Make available existing standards and criteria for textbook evaluation; and (c) Provide supplies and sample textbooks for the review process. (5) The textbook reviewers shall develop subject specific criteria for textbook review and evaluation in the following textbook areas: (a) Subject content, including its relationship to the academic expectations; (b) Audience; (c) Format; (d) Readability; (e) Accuracy; and (f) Ancillary materials. (6) On or before July 15, the State Textbook Commission shall develop general criteria, review and approve subject specific criteria, and provide the standard criteria and evaluation forms to be used by the commission and textbook reviewers. (7) Based upon approval of the standard criteria and evaluation forms, the textbook reviewers shall review textbooks and programs. The committee shall submit evaluation forms for each textbook or program reviewed in each of the five (5) areas, set forth in subsection (5) of this section, with comments related to strengths and weaknesses in each area. (8) The State Textbook Commission shall review the work of the textbook reviewers and based on this review and any of its own reviews of textbooks or programs, establish a state multiple list of recommended textbooks and programs. The list of recommended textbooks and programs shall be free of factual error. Copies of all evaluation forms submitted by the textbook reviewers shall be made available to commission members and maintained on file within the Department of Education for the cycle length of the books. For those materials placed on the state multiple list of recommended textbooks and programs, the Department of Education shall publish a consumer guide that includes summary results of the evaluations and any factual error identified in the textbooks, and shall distribute it to all public schools in the state. Effective: July 14, 2000 History: Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 419, sec. 3, effective July 14, 2000. -- Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 266, sec. 9, effective July 14, 1992. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 476, Pt. IV, sec. 147, effective July 13, 1990. -- Created 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 138, sec. 5, effective July 15, 1988. 2018-2020 Budget Reference. See State/Executive Branch Budget, 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 169, Pt. I, C, 3, (5) at 1310.