As you know, we are anticipating potentially significant budget cuts to programs in the Flexible Focus Funds, including textbooks, as a way to avoid making cuts to SEEK. Due to the uncertain nature of the eventual outcome, KDE leadership has decided to delay the textbook adoption cycle for the 2008-2009 school year.
During the 2007-2008 school year, the review of Science materials for adoption was completed. Schools are anticipating making purchasing decisions for the Science adoption cycle; however, I recommend you delay making any purchase obligations until the biennial budget is passed in final form and signed by the Governor. We are anticipating significant cuts in the textbook alottment, based on early budget discussions.
As we move forward, mathematics is the next content area to be reviewed, during the 2008-2009 school year. Many of you will recall the last time textbook funds were cut. Adjustments were not made to the textbook adoption cycle. I have heard from several of you that this was additionally burdensome. For this reason, we are completely putting the mathematics adoption on hold for a year, and will adjust the cycle from that point forward, so that schools will not be expected to pay for two adoption cycles once the funds are restored.