Keeping textbooks current a challenge for Iowa districts

DES MOINES - Keeping up-to-date textbooks and other learning materials in Iowa's classrooms is increasingly challenging as subjects evolve, standards change and budgets tighten, school officials say.

While many school officials say their materials have not necessarily fallen behind the times, they say maintaining current learning materials in the classroom is becoming more difficult.

In the 21st century classroom, learning materials no longer consist of just textbooks. Desktop and laptop computers, tablets, computer programs - all have become instructional tools, and all of them, like textbooks, require periodic updates.

'I'd say that we've been able to manage, but it is difficult,” said Mary Ellen Maske, deputy superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District. 'We're making sure we are choosing the best materials and not letting the budget affect the quality of the materials we choose.”

Evolving educational landscape

Part of the challenge for schools to keep fresh materials in their classrooms is the rapid pace of change in subject matter and instructional requirements, school officials said.

Maske said implementation of the Iowa Core, which began in 2010, has driven schools to tailor curriculum to the new academic standards. That, in turn, has created a need for new materials in many cases.

'As Iowa Core has been rolled out over the last several years, I think textbook companies are working fast and furious to keep up with any change in curriculum,” Maske said.

The state last week approved new science standards, which officials said will create a new way of teaching science subjects. And the state's STEM program places an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math subjects, encouraging hands-on experiences.

They are among changes that push schools to adjust curriculum and instructional materials.

'We know science isn't just textbooks. It is lab materials,” said Charles McNulty, associate superintendent of the Waterloo Community School District. 'The science piece is a much different content area than it was when I was in high school. And it needs to be.”

But sustaining current materials in classrooms is becoming harder each year as state education funding lags, school officials say.

From 2001-2010, state funding for kindergarten-through-grade-12 public schools on average increased 3.3 percent annually. Since 2011, that average increase has been 1.9 percent.

Maske said the Cedar Rapids district has been reducing its budget in light of recent state funding levels.

'The current environment is a great concern moving forward,” McNulty said.

He said the Waterloo school district has done its best to plan for lean budgets and not fall behind with its classroom materials.

'It certainly is a challenge in that it demands some very structured programming and a significant plan of curriculum and an instructional rotation you're going to stay committed to,” McNulty said. 'Waterloo has done a great job over the last three years anticipating the fiscal environment and anticipating the needs of our students.

'We are on target. Going into the 2015-2016 school year, we're very comfortable where we are updating our curriculum. But given that (recent funding), there is certainly concern about the future.”

School officials were disappointed when Gov. Terry Branstad struck down $56 million that state lawmakers had approved for schools to use on one-time projects for the 2015-2016 school year. Some districts said they had planned to use the money on textbooks and other classroom materials.

Branstad has defended the funding levels and his veto by saying they are fiscally responsible, and he does not think schools or any other state government operations should spend one-time funding streams, such as the $56 million allocation he vetoed, on annual expenses.

Maske said state funding levels are having an effect on classroom materials.

'Over the years, we have had to reduce the amount that we have spent on instructional materials,” Maske said. 'We've reduced it but kept on our cycle as much as possible.”

Concern for the future

The educational challenges and financial limitations on their districts have not yet caused schools to rely on outdated instructional materials, school officials said. But many expressed concern for the coming years.

'There's a limit to great planning,” McNulty said. 'There's always a need to ensure that when we value something that our value is also funded ...

'I think Iowa has always put its children first, its communities first, and our education has always been held in high regard. I hope that continues.”