PRINTER'S NO. 2661
No. 422 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY ZUG, FAIRCHILD AND PHILLIPS, SEPTEMBER 21, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SEPTEMBER 21, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Establishing a Special Committee on State Textbook Evaluation to
2 assess the quality of the textbooks used in the schools of
3 the Commonwealth.
4 WHEREAS, The numerous textbooks and other learning materials
5 available to Pennsylvania students and schools share no
6 consistency in quality; and
7 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives desire
8 the finest quality education for all Pennsylvania students; and
9 WHEREAS, Current and accurate information is an essential
10 component of every textbook in our Commonwealth's classrooms;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, The creation of a Special Committee on State
13 Textbook Evaluation would have the positive impact of helping
14 schools evaluate their text selections, showing the public that
15 the House of Representatives cares about the quality of
16 textbooks and putting textbook companies on notice that inferior
17 books have no place in classrooms in this Commonwealth;
18 therefore be it
1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a
2 Special Committee on State Textbook Evaluation to evaluate texts
3 on all core subjects for elementary, middle and high school
4 levels and disseminate ratings of the texts by subject and grade
5 as nonbinding advisory information for public use; and be it
6 further
7 RESOLVED, That the Special Committee on State Textbook
8 Evaluation be formed within 60 days of adoption of this
9 resolution; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That the committee have the following members:
11 (1) One member of the House of Representatives to be
12 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
13 (2) One member of the House of Representatives to be
14 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
15 Representatives.
16 (3) Two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the
17 House of Representatives from lists submitted by Statewide
18 teacher organizations such as the Pennsylvania State
19 Education Association, the Pennsylvania Federation of
20 Teachers and the Keystone Teachers Association.
21 (4) Two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader
22 of the House of Representatives from lists submitted by
23 Statewide teacher organizations such as the Pennsylvania
24 State Education Association, the Pennsylvania Federation of
25 Teachers and the Keystone Teachers Association.
26 (5) One member each to be appointed by the Speaker of
27 the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader and the
28 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from a list
29 submitted by Statewide school board organizations;
30 and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That the Special Committee on State Textbook
2 Evaluation meet at least three times a year; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That committee members elect their own chairperson
4 to choose and determine dates, times and meeting sites and
5 notify members of all relevant information; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the chairperson notify original appointing
7 authorities of member vacancies, allowing those authorities to
8 solicit replacement members; and be it further
9 RESOLVED, That the committee solicit textbooks for
10 evaluation, including texts presented by school districts,
11 textbook companies or citizens of this Commonwealth; and be it
12 further
13 RESOLVED, That the committee decide the number of texts
14 evaluated in a given period; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That an initial meeting take place for the
16 committee to decide the criteria for evaluating texts; and be it
17 further
18 RESOLVED, That a voucher of members' reasonable expenses
19 related to their official duties be submitted to the Chief Clerk
20 of the House of Representatives for reimbursement; and be it
21 further
22 RESOLVED, That the recommendations of the textbook evaluation
23 committee be in no way binding upon any Pennsylvania educational
24 institution; and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That the committee reports its evaluations no later
26 than November 30, 2006.
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