Instructional Resources Selection

The Instructional Resources & Support Office, in conjunction with each curriculum office, facilitates the selection of core instructional resources. Core resources include textbooks and other print and digital resources provided in multiple copies for use by a total class or a major segment of a class for learning of the grade level or course Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS). To learn more about the selection process, please review the information below. You may also email instructional.materials@gcpsk12.org or call 678-301-6828.

Criteria for the Selection of District Instructional Resources

The following general criteria shall be used in selecting and evaluating district instructional resources:

Resources shall support and be consistent with the system's mission, vision, and goals.
Resources shall directly support instruction of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) for a variety of learners, including but not limited to, students with disabilities and Multilingual Learners.
Resources shall promote rigorous instruction and future readiness as appropriate for intended students.
Resources shall meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation.
Resources shall be appropriate for the subject area.
Resources shall be appropriate for the age, emotional development, and social development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
Resources shall have aesthetic, literary, or social value.
Resources shall be written/produced by competent and qualified authors and publishers.
Resources shall avoid bias and present content with sensitivity relative to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, English proficiency, faith, socioeconomic status, or disability.
Resources as a whole shall contribute to exposing students to a range of positive examples representative of Gwinnett's diverse community including both a national and global perspective.
Physical format, medium, and appearance of resources shall be suitable for their intended use.
Resources shall comply with requirements for student data privacy and architectural specifications as established and reviewed by the divisions of Data Governance and Information Management Technology.
Resources shall meet Georgia State Board of Education requirements and regulations.

Selection Process Priorities

Review, Pilot, and Adoption Process

The selection of materials requires a multi-tiered review and evaluation process consisting of many or all of the following steps:

Request for vendor resources that meet general criteria, are aligned to the AKS, and meet specific criteria established for the specific course
Independent teacher review opportunity open to teachers within the content area
Teacher Review Committee (TRC) analyzes resources submitted by vendors
Instructional Resource Review Committee (IRRC) of teachers, community members, business partners, and parents further review the resources recommended by TRC
District-wide pilot, allowing the use of selected resources with students
Teacher feedback collected during and after the pilot
Public Review opportunity
Analysis of all data collected from the review, pilot, and Public Review
Recommendation for Board adoption
Delivery, training, and implementation of adopted materials to all schools

Pathway of Review, Pilot, Adoption, and Implementation

Request

September to December (Months 1 - 4)

Curriculum Directors coordinate with Instructional Resources & Support to request that a course be part of an upcoming review.
These four months include the entire Gwinnett Education Management Systems (GEMS) process.
Subjects are typically on an 8-year review rotation.
Exceptions to the set rotation exist such as: new course offerings, standards changing at the state level, and expiration of currently adopted resources.
Specific criteria utilized for the core instructional resources selection with a focus on support and alignment to the AKS.

Solicit

December & January (Months 4 & 5)

Vendors are asked to provide potential resources that align to the Academic Knowledge & Skills (AKS) for the requested course.
The Instructional Resources & Support office contacts vendors and solicits through an extensive, internal data base.
Requests and needs are simultaneously solicited through the Georgia Procurement Registry.
Potential resources may be sent directly to the Instructional Resources & Support office or provided as part of an annual Expo.

Review/Procurement

February & March (Months 6 & 7) / April to July (Months 8-11)

Curriculum Directors, teachers, and other stakeholders such as parents and community members are invited to review the proposed resources and provide feedback.
The Curriculum Director, using data from the review process (Open Review, Teacher Review Committee, Instructional Resources Review Committee), selects one or more resource for pilot.
Some resources require additional levels of review such as CHEAC.

Pilot

August to November (Months 12 - 15)

Each potential resource is piloted by teachers and their students with representation from each of the 5 District Board areas.
All pilot resources are implemented in classrooms for a minimum of 4 weeks, but commonly implemented between 6 and 8 weeks.
Preferably, two resources are piloted by the same group of teachers and students for each course during the first semester. Exceptions can include post AP and specialty courses due to a lack of high-quality resources.
Throughout the entirety of the pilot data, feedback, and preferences are collected from teachers, students, and the public.

Review

December & January (Months 16 & 17)

During the pilot
- Teachers and students complete several detailed surveys.
- All resources are made available in print & digital format for the public to provide feedback (public review open for a min. of 30 days in Oct.)
Pilot teachers are brought together for Consensus meetings in which they review all collected data, provide additional individual feedback, discuss their experience, and collectively agree upon the one resource that best meets the needs of students.

Adopt

February to July (Months 18 - 23)

One core resource per course is recommended by the Superintendent for adoption by the Board of Education.
Once resources are approved for adoption by the Board of Education, Instructional Resources & Support procures the resource and coordinates the distribution of print materials to all schools.
Concurrent with coordination of print materials, the Instructional Resources & Support office works alongside IMT to establish availability and accessibility of digital components for adopted resources.

Implement

2025-2026 Instructional Resources Review

Health - Sex Ed

Elementary
- 5th Grade Health - Sex Ed
Middle
- 6th Grade Health - Sex Ed
- 7th Grade Health - Sex Ed
- 8th Grade Health - Sex Ed
High
- HS Health - Sex Ed