6162

Instruction

Supplemental Instructional Resources

The Hamden Board of Education (the “Board”) is committed to providing such books, supplies, material, and equipment as it deems necessary to meet the needs of Hamden Public Schools (“District”) instruction (collectively, “supplemental instructional materials”).   Such supplemental instructional materials are in addition to any textbooks/primary instructional materials and materials housed in the District’s library media centers, which materials are governed by separate Board policies.

The Board hereby delegates to the Superintendent or designee(s) the authority for the selection of supplemental instructional materials in order to meet the educational objectives of the District and in accordance with this policy.

The Board recognizes the importance of equipping District classrooms with a wide assortment of supplemental instructional materials to promote teaching and learning within the District. Supplemental instructional materials must be selected in order to promote quality learning experiences for students.  Supplemental instructional materials shall be selected in accordance with the following goals:

1. Enrich and support the curriculum and/or educational goals of the District;
2. Be appropriate for the subject area and/or age, emotional development, maturity, ability level, learning styles, and social, emotional, and intellectual development of the students for whom the materials are selected;
3. Include a wide range of materials of various levels of difficulty and representing differing points of view; and 
4. Include a wide range of authors and illustrators from a variety of demographic backgrounds.

All supplemental instructional material must be age-appropriate.

Additionally, no R-rated movie shall be shown to students unless prior approval is received from the building principal and Superintendent, and parents and guardians of students who will be shown the movie are notified of its nature and possible offensive content and give permission for their child to view it.

The Board recognizes that, despite the care taken to select supplemental instructional materials, parents or guardians may occasionally object to a particular supplemental instructional material for their child.  Parents or guardians who object to their child using a particular supplemental instructional material shall explain the basis for their objection to the teacher or the building principal.  If the issue cannot be resolved at the building level, the parent or guardian may present the issue to the Superintendent or designee, who shall consider the request in accordance with applicable law and whose decision shall be final.

 

Legal Reference:

            Connecticut General Statutes

            10-221 Boards of education to prescribe rules, policies, and procedures

10-228 Free textbooks, supplies, material and equipment

 

 

Policy revised:	March 10, 2026	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Policy approved:	May 11, 2004	Hamden, Connecticut