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Hinsdale Township HSD 86 committee to send 2027 curriculum materials to full board after parent urges restored textbook lists
Summary
At an April 8 Academic Committee meeting, a parent urged the district to restore and publish textbook lists and to set clearer reading expectations; staff described the 2027 materials-adoption timeline and said samples will be on public display before the board’s first reading on April 30.
The Academic Committee of the Board of Education of Hinsdale Township High School District 86 agreed April 8 to forward proposed 2027 curriculum materials to the full Board for consideration on April 30 after a public speaker asked the district to restore a publicly available textbook list.
Kim Tarro, the only registered public commenter, told the committee she would like the district to "restore a textbook list for classes so parents over the summer for a class the kid is registered for have an opportunity to get their hands on the textbooks" and urged clearer expectations about how many full-length books students in the same course should read.
Committee members and district staff described the adoption process: department chairs from both high schools assess needs and recommend new or supplementary materials; recommended items are compiled by course and department, with physical samples available to committee members and a 30-day public display at the District Administrative Center before the first board reading. Staff said many courses use a mix of digital and paper resources and that teachers provide printed packets when students lack online access.
A staff presenter noted the cost of some texts, citing an AP biology text listed at about $185, and said teams often choose to keep such expensive texts available in classrooms rather than require students to take them home. The presenter emphasized that "a book is not the curriculum," describing the curriculum as the combination of labs, lectures and classroom experiences.
The committee approved the March 18 Academic Committee meeting minutes by roll-call vote (Members Acris, Greenspan and Statzula recorded as Aye) and discussed committee scheduling: members agreed not to meet in May, to present the materials to the full Board on April 30, and to reconvene in June to review committee structure for the next school year. Staff said the standardized testing calendar is part of the district calendar and will be published in May; principals will notify families of any weekend SAT/ACT dates or additions.
Next steps: the proposed 2027 materials will be placed on public display for 30 days at the District Administrative Center before the Board’s first reading; the full Board is scheduled to review the materials on April 30. The Academic Committee will not meet in May and plans to meet in June to discuss next year’s committee work.
