The State Board of Education received the textbook committee's recommendations for social studies and arts materials and was briefed on the legal and procedural steps that follow committee action.

The department explained the review process: the board-appointed textbook committee evaluates candidate materials, scores them on a rubric and issues recommendations. Presenters said the committee's scores use a three-tier color scheme in the packet: scores in the 90s (blue) are the highest recommendation, the 759 range (yellow) are recommended, and scores below the threshold are not recommended. Committee members physically review and rate materials during the adoption cycle.

Presenters emphasized confidentiality: the recommendation list in board packets remains under contract-development confidentiality rules until the board takes formal action. Department staff said state law previously delayed public access until vendor and governor contracts were signed but that recent changes make materials public once the board approves the list; however, the committee's report and vendor materials remain restricted until contracts are final. Presenters told board members they should not discuss committee contents publicly in ways that could be construed as deliberation prior to a public board vote; department staff cautioned that the textbook adoption process carries criminal penalties for certain breaches of the procurement/confidentiality rules.

Process details: after the board votes to approve the committee recommendations, vendors sign state contracts and the governor signs contracts; once contracts are executed the materials are made available for public review at libraries and other authorized locations and local boards may then select materials to purchase for their districts. Local boards may still seek approval for a non-state-listed textbook through an alternate review process but if the state board rejects a title, state funds cannot be used to buy it.

Board members were shown the committee packet and scoring examples and were told department staff and the department's textbook administrator (Carol Jones) are available to answer committee- or rubric-related questions. Board members asked about committee membership and were told membership lists will be provided.