Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears library materials process overhaul under Senate Bill 13; proposed titles to be posted for 30 days
Summary
District staff told the board they are implementing requirements from Senate Bill 13 for library transparency: proposed additions will be publicly posted for 30 days before board consideration and parents can submit formal challenges through an online form routed to curriculum or campus officials.
District curriculum staff presented changes to the Santa Fe ISD library review and approval process driven by Senate Bill 13 and local policy alignment. Presenters said the district already uses vendor tagging (Destiny software) and campus librarians vet books; new steps will add a public posting and board review layer for proposed additions.
Miss Healy, who works with curriculum and instruction and library oversight, described key elements: proposed library materials will be posted on the district library webpage for 30 days before being brought to the board; parents will be able to review proposed titles online and submit a formal challenge using a district form that routes to the curriculum and instruction department or the campus principal; advanced or adult‑themed high school books are already shelved separately and require a signed parental request for a student to check them out.
Trustees asked how challenges are processed. Staff said challenges can be reviewed by the district curriculum-and-instruction (C&I) team or handled initially by campus principals and, if unresolved, would be brought to the board. A trustee praised the district’s local policy and the presentation and cited a recent Supreme Court decision referenced by staff as reinforcing district discretion in book selection.
The item was presented for information; no board vote was required at this meeting. Staff said a list of proposed titles would be posted the following month for public review and potential challenges before being returned to the board for action.
Direct quotes in the presentation included staff descriptions of the online catalog and challenge process; staff also identified Destiny software as the vendor the district uses to tag library materials.
