State Textbook and Instructional Material Review Process
Each year, the state provides schools with State textbook allocations to purchase instructional materials for a range of grade levels and courses. To ensure the instructional materials are high-quality, the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee in coordination with the Oklahoma State Department of Education and Oklahoma content experts, conducts an evaluation of instructional materials. Approved materials demonstrate alignment to certain academic criteria and are placed under a statewide purchasing contract to ensure districts can purchase approved materials at the best price.
| State Textbook Approved List & Subject Cycles |
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In 2020, HB 3466 (amending 70 O.S. § 16) was passed making changes to the State Textbook Committee structure and review process to strengthen the quality of state-level instructional materials reviews. The new process requires a three-tiered system of evaluation is conducted with the assistance of a review committee composed of subject area experts.
State Textbook and Instructional Materials Review Process
Beginning in 2021-2022, the OSDE, in coordination with the State Textbook Committee, selects teams of subject matter experts through an application process. These content experts conduct a comprehensive review of instructional materials submitted through the state-level bidding process. Subject matter experts are selected through an application process and utilize a subject-specific rubric to evaluate submitted textbooks and instructional materials. Subject-specific rubrics contain a three-tiered rating system with the following labels:
- Exemplifies Quality
- Approaching Quality
- Not Representing Quality
Evaluations completed by subject matter experts are submitted to the State Textbook Committee with recommended ratings. The State Textbook Committee considers the recommended ratings and has the opportunity to ask for further justification from the review team(s) prior to adopting a final rating for each textbook or instructional material and including it on the approved textbook list. Completed rubrics for each evaluated textbook or instructional material, including the review team's recommendations, will be made publicly available.
State Textbook Committee Subject Cycle Review Timeline
- In 2024-25, the subject cycle review includes Fine Arts, Computer Science, and Technology Education.
- In 2023-24, the subject cycle review includes PK-2nd Early Childhood Comprehensive and PK-12th Mathematics.
- In 2022-23, the subject cycle review included 6-12 ELA and PK-12 World Languages Other Than English.
- State textbook allocations are scheduled each July.
The anticipated timeline for a subject cycle review is:
- April: Content review team applications open, Current year publishers submit an initial "intent to bid"
- June: Publishers submit a final bid
- July: Publishers submit sample materials in final form
- July - October: Content review teams conduct textbook and instructional material evaluations
- November: State Textbook Committee votes to approve textbook and instructional material ratings and approved list.
- January: Textbook Caravan - Sponsored by the Oklahoma Educational Publishers Association
- January - April: District-level evaluations of textbook and instructional materials
- July: State Textbook allocations available to districts to purchase materials approved previous November.
For more information about the State Textbook Committee, the subject cycle review, and publisher information of currently approved textbooks and instructional materials visit the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee page.
