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Board weighs AP Psychology textbook adoption, opt‑out rules and parent notification
Summary
Trustees discussed a recommended AP Psychology textbook pilot, parental access to curriculum, and an opt‑out process tied to a recent court ruling; staff said the textbook will enter a 30‑day public review and return for adoption on Oct. 15.
The Rockland Unified board spent an extended portion of its meeting discussing a recommendation to adopt a new AP Psychology textbook and the district’s processes for parental review and opt‑out.
Associate Superintendent Marty Flowers explained the curriculum team reviewed materials, piloted the recommended textbook (a fourth‑edition Myers AP Psychology text) and is proposing a 30‑day public review before the board considers formal adoption on Oct. 15. Flowers said parents were invited to participate in the review and that some pilot classrooms had used the book during the 2024–25 pilot.
Trustees pressed staff on practical steps: how parents find syllabi and textbook excerpts, whether the pilot ran a full year, and how an opt‑out would work following the Supreme Court decision referenced in the discussion (cited as Mahmood v Taylor). Superintendent Stock and Flowers described a district opt‑out process: parents can review materials online or in district curriculum rooms, contact the principal to request an appointment, and, if necessary, submit a district opt‑out form; district staff said the form is intended to be confidential and to trigger a conversation so an alternate assignment can be considered where feasible.
Trustees also questioned the pilot’s scope and committee composition. Staff said the pilot process examined multiple textbooks and ultimately piloted one option with a committee of six (teachers, department head and two parents). Flowers reported preliminary pilot pass rates for AP Psychology at about 86.4 percent (86 of 209 students reported), subject to confirmation.
Trustees asked staff to provide clearer, more timely parent notification—ideally showing syllabi and sample textbook sections while students choose spring courses—so families can make informed choices before enrollment. The board requested a memorandum listing notification options and proposed language to ensure the board and public receive earlier notice about pilots and curriculum review timelines.
The item was informational; adoption will return to the board after the required 30‑day public review period under California Ed. Code 60202.
