INTRODUCTION
Mississippi. Code Ann. § 37-43-19, or the Textbook Law, authorizes the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE):
a) To promulgate rules and regulations for the purchase, care, use, disposal, distribution and accounting for all books to be furnished under the terms of this chapter and to promulgate such other rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.b) To adopt, contract for, and make available for purchase, cash or credit, basal, supplementary or alternative textbooks through twelve (12) grades as provided in the school curriculum, or for any other course that it may add thereto.c) To determine the period of contract for rated and adopted textbooks which shall not be for less than four (4) years nor more than five (5) years, with the right of the board, in its discretion, to renew or extend such contract from year to year for a period not exceeding two (2) additional years and to determine the conditions of the approval or forfeiture of a contract and such other terms and conditions as may be necessary and not contrary to law.d) To have complete power and authority over additions and amendments to textbooks, advertising for bids and the contents thereof, including auxiliary materials and workbooks, advertising on the protective covers of textbooks, bids and proposals, prices of textbooks, specimen copies, cash deposits, selection and adoption, distribution, fumigation, emergencies, selling to others, return of deposits, forfeiture of deposits, regulations governing deposits, renovation and repair of books, requisition, transportation or shipment of books, and any other acts or regulations, not contrary to law, that may be deemed necessary for furnishing and loaning free textbooks to the school children, as provided in this chapter.The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is dedicated to providing all students access to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) to support instruction in schools. Mississippi's defines HQIM as materials that are externally validated, comprehensive and aligned with the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards. This material includes knowledge-building complex text and books - both digital and print, multimedia material, rigorous problems, and aligned assessments. HQIM can be used to identify students' areas of strength and opportunities for growth and are sequentially mapped and designed to prepare students to graduate ready for college and the workforce, educative for teachers, and accessible to students with differentiated needs.
When appropriated, funds for the procurement of textbooks must be used to purchase items that meet the definition of a textbook as stated in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-1: "Textbook shall be defined as any medium or manual of instruction, which contains a systematic presentation of the principles of a subject and which constitutes a major instructional vehicle for that subject."
This publication is designed to provide guidance and information for textbook publishing companies, public schools, non-public schools of Mississippi.
Textbook and instructional material issues not covered in this handbook should be directed to the MDE Office of Instructional Materials and Library Media.
Miss. Code. tit. 7, pt. 11