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Salisbury Township SD staff recommend new high‑school science texts, estimate $59,000 investment
Summary
District curriculum staff recommended replacing largely 2002‑era high‑school science materials with a mix of classroom print sets and digital licenses aligned to new Next Generation Science Standards; the board was asked to consider a roughly $59,000 investment at the April meeting.
Mrs. Basil, a high‑school science teacher leading the department review, told the Salisbury Township School District Board on March 19 that most existing high‑school science resources date to about 2002 and are due for replacement to match new state standards. She said the department evaluated multiple publishers and recommended classroom sets supplemented by digital licenses so students of varying learning styles would have access to materials.
The recommendation covers environmental science (now required for ninth graders), chemistry and biology. Mrs. Basil said shifting environmental science into ninth grade increases the number of students taking that course and that the department asked for enough print copies for classroom sets plus additional digital access for students who do not have a hard copy. "Our current resources are mostly from 2002," she said, noting instructors sometimes still see outdated references and imagery.
Administrator representatives explained the tradeoffs between purchasing hardcover textbooks (which often include multi‑year digital access) and relying solely on recurring digital licenses that must be renewed every five to six years. A presentation slide discussed per‑book license pricing and that some publishers include teacher materials online at no extra charge. Board members asked about classroom usage patterns and about whether physics materials would be available in print; presenters said physics staff use OpenStax and that some physics resources are already digital.
The presentation included a district estimate of "around $59,000" as a high‑side total for the proposed set of materials; presenters emphasized they would refine numbers based on final student enrollment and scheduling before any purchase. The administration said it plans to bring the formal purchase and approval request to the April board meeting for a vote.
Board members thanked the science department for its work and asked that staff continue to provide updated cost and adoption timing information ahead of the April meeting. The item was informational on March 19; no final purchase vote occurred that evening.
