Student sharing of books prompts concern

Friday, Dec. 15, 2000 | 10:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Legislators are wondering about a policy adopted by an estimated one-third of the high schools in Nevada that stops students from taking books home overnight for study.

A legislative audit, released Thursday, estimates 35 percent of the high schools use a system whereby students in four or five classes often share textbooks.

As an example, an instructor teaching four periods of Algebra to 25 students each period may have 30 textbooks available.

A student can't bring a book home unless parents get special permission.

Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, said the state spends a "considerable amount of money" on testing of students for proficiency, yet the student can't take the book home to study.

"I can understand why students are testing under the norm," he said.

Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, noted that some high school students can't read or write, raising concerns about the upcoming requirement for passing a science test before graduation.

"I wonder if we're setting the students up for failure by not allowing them to bring home the books to study," Perkins said.

But Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, who headed the Legislative Audit Committee, said this shared-book concept has been around for 100 years.

Legislative Auditor Doug Peterson said textbook decisions are made by local superintendents, principals or teachers in the classroom.

Lawmakers wondered how the students coped with homework. The auditors said it was done during the school day when a student had free time.

While the high school sharing rate is 35 percent, it's only 4 percent in the elementary grades. Shared books were not considered when the auditors calculated shortages, auditor Gary Crews said.

"For the schools we examined, most classes had a sufficient number of textbooks for use by students, including students in special education programs," the audit reported. "However, we did identify textbook shortages affecting about 5 percent of the students."

The audit, which examined 45 schools, was authorized by the 1999 Legislature after complaints over the years that schools don't have adequate number of books for students.

One finding of the audit was that teachers often create their own instructional materials. In contrast to textbooks, teachers' own instructional materials are not approved by the state for content. The audit said materials other than approved textbooks were used in 42 percent of the classes that were reviewed. It included items such as computer software and instructional kits.

"Approval is necessary to ensure materials adequately support the academic standards for a subject area, and meet other statutory requirements," the audit said.

It also found that textbooks were being used in Elko and Lyon counties that were never approved by the state Board of Education.

The audit recommended several steps that it said should be undertaken by the education department. All were rejected by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mary Peterson.

Textbooks are controlled by local school districts, not the state, she said, adding that she doesn't have the staff to oversee the recommendations.

"There are no recommendations targeted to the school districts," she complained.

Among the recommendations was that the Department of Education keep up with inflation as it provides instructional funding to school districts.

In 1999 the state provided $11 million for instructional supplies, but the local districts needed to chip in an additional $15.9 million.

Auditors said the state has not included inflationary costs in funding instructional materials through the school-aid formula.