Skip To Main Content
Lodi Unified School District

Policy 6161.11 - Supplementary Instructional Materials

Series: 6000 - Instruction

Policy: 6161.11 - Supplementary Instructional Materials

Adopted: 05/11/1967

Last Revised: 09/01/2026

Last Reviewed: 09/01/2026

Download Policy 6161.11 - Supplementary Instructional Materials PDF (English)

Supplementary Instructional Materials

The Board of Education encourages the use of supplementary instructional materials to enrich the curriculum and enhance student learning.  Such materials shall be aligned with district goals, curriculum objectives, and academic standards and shall supplement and not supplant the use of Board-adopted basic instructional materials that serve as the primary learning resources.
 
Supplementary instructional materials include, but are not limited to, instructional materials that are designed to serve one or more of the following purposes: 
 
  1. To provide more complete coverage of one or more subjects included in a given course
     
  2. To meet the various learning ability levels of students in a given age group or grade leve
     
  3. To meet the diverse educational needs of students with a language disability in a given age group or grade level
     
  4. To meet the diverse educational needs of students reflective of a condition of cultural pluralism
     
  5. To use current, relevant technology that further engages interactive learning in the classroom and beyond
Supplementary instructional materials may be selected by the Superintendent or designee, school administrators, teachers, or curriculum council, as applicable, and obtained through donations to the district and/or available funding sources designated for these purposes.
 
The use of any supplemental instructional material shall not be rejected or prohibited by the Board or district on the basis that it includes a study of the role and contributions of any individual or group consistent with the requirements of Education Code 51204.5 and 60040, unless such study violates Education Code 51501 or 60044. 
 
As appropriate, supplementary instructional materials shall meet the criteria developed for the selection and evaluation of basic instructional materials as described in Board Rule 6161.1 – Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials.
 
Supplementary instructional materials shall be directly related to the course of study in which they are being used and shall be appropriate for the age and maturity level of the students.
 
The use or reproduction of supplementary instructional materials shall be in accordance with federal copyright law, Board policy and rule. 
 
Appropriateness of Materials
Whenever a district employee proposes to use a supplementary resource which is not included in the approved learning resources of the district, the employee shall preview the material to determine whether, in the employee’s professional judgment, it is appropriate for the grade level taught and is consistent with district criteria for the selection of supplementary instructional materials. 
 
The employee shall confer with the Superintendent or designee as necessary to determine the compliance of the material with district criteria.  The primary considerations should be the educational value, factual accuracy, appropriateness, including whether the material contains pervasive vulgarity or profanity, and relevance of the materials, as well as the ages and maturity of the students.
 
The Superintendent or designee may provide training to administrators and teachers in the selection and evaluation of supplementary instructional materials, including the criteria to be utilized and applicable legal considerations. 
 
Complaints
Complaints concerning supplemental instructional materials shall be handled in accordance with Board Policy 1312.2 – Complaints Concerning Instructional Materials and Board Policy 1312.3 – Uniform Complaint Procedures, as applicable. 
 

Legal References

Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority for the Board to enact this policy.  Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.
 
STATE
CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS
5 CCR 4600-4670 Uniform complaint procedures
EDUCATION CODE
18111 Exclusion of books by Governing Board that are sectarian, partisan, or denominational character
220 Prohibition of discrimination
233.5 Teaching of principles
242 Access to information about educational laws and policies regarding right to accurate and inclusive curriculum
243 Prohibition of discrimination; instructional materials
244 Prohibition of discrimination; instructional materials
48907 Exercise of free expression; time, place, and manner rules and regulations
48950 Speech and other communication
51204.5 Social sciences instruction; contributions of specified groups
51501 Nondiscriminatory subject matter
51510 Prohibited study or supplemental materials
51511 Religious matters properly included in courses of study
51933 Sexual health education and HIV prevention materials
60000-60005 Instructional materials; legislative intent
60010 Instructional materials; definition
60040-60052 Requirements for instructional materials
60060-60063.5 Requirements for publishers and manufacturers
60151 Approval of instructional materials that subject students to unlawful discrimination; corrective actions and financial penalty
60200-60213 Elementary school materials
60226 Requirements for publishers and manufacturers
60400-60411 Instructional materials; high schools
60605 State-adopted content and performance standards in core curricular areas
60605.8 Common Core standards
MANAGEMENT RESOURCES
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATION
Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content, 2013
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PUBLICATION
Guidance to School Officials re: Legal Requirements for Providing Inclusive Curricula and Books, Legal Alert, Jan. 2024
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS
Instructional Materials Adoptions: State and local governing board processes, roles, and responsibilities, Governance Brief, Feb. 2024
Instructional Materials Adoption: Local governing board responsibilities, Fact Sheet, Feb. 2024
State Roles, Responsibilities, and Process for Instructional Materials Adoption, Feb. 2024
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLICATION
Guidance for Local Instructional Materials Adoption, March 2024
COURT DECISIONS
Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025) 606 U.S. 522
Fowler v. Board of Education of Lincoln County (1987) 819 F.2d 657
McCarthy v. Fletcher (1989) 207 Cal. App. 3d 130
WEBSITES
CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services https://legalservices.csba.org/#
Department of Justice https://oag.ca.gov/
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights http://www2.ed.gov/ocr
California Department of Education http://www.cde.ca.gov/