7 Miss. Code. R. 11-Two-8

Current through December 10, 2024

Section 7-11-Two-8 - TEXTBOOK INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 2.0

The Textbook Inventory Management System (TIMS 2.0) is the web-based inventory system for the MDE Office of Instructional Materials and Library Media. All inventory reports active inventory (textbooks that have been purchased during the school year), surplus inventory (textbooks that are no longer used in the district, but do not qualify for disposal), and disposal inventory (textbooks that have been lost, destroyed or the copyright date is twelve years or older) must be entered into the TIMS in a timely fashion according to Mississippi Public Accountability Standard 19.2 and Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-51.

A. DETERMINATION OF DISPOSABLE TEXTBOOKS

Each local school district will determine if textbooks are unusable. Textbooks may be unusable because they are ten (10) years or older, or not relative to current state standards, or the textbooks may be physically worn to the point that continued use is not practical. Before a school district disposes of textbooks, approval must be granted by the Superintendent, and the information must be entered into the TIMS for final approval by the MDE Textbook Director.

B. METHODS OF DISPOSAL

Several approaches are available for the disposal of unusable textbooks. Listed below are methods in priority order of consideration:

1. Priority should be given to providing the unusable textbooks to students presently in attendance. School districts should maintain records regarding the number of textbooks disposed of through this method.

2. Unusable textbooks can be sold to a debinding company for paper-recycling purposes. Any funds received for the sale of textbooks through this provision shall be credited back to the school that sold the textbooks for use in the purchase of additional textbooks. Because of the small price paid for the textbooks by debinding companies, this method is not very practical unless a district has a large quantity of unusable textbooks for disposal. Records must be maintained by the district relative to the number of textbooks disposed through this method.

NOTE: The MDE will attempt to assist local districts in the location of a company that would purchase the textbooks for debinding and subsequent recycling of the paper. School districts are not required to use such company recommended by the MDE. Each district has the discretion and authority to secure its own debinding company.

CONTACT: American Book Exchange. Inc. | 600 West Lee Ext. Sardis, MS 38666 | 662-487-2556

3. Unusable textbooks may be donated to local non-profit organizations. Any non-profit organization desiring to receive unusable textbooks must make application to the local school board from which it desires to receive the donated textbooks. This application should detail the plans and intentions relative to the future utilization of the donated textbooks along with background information on the non-profit group. As part of the application to receive books, a copy of the IRS designation should be requested. When the IRS gives a designation of a 504(3)(c), this is an approved non-profit organization. In no case may textbooks be donated to any group without prior approval of the local school board of the district from which the textbooks are being requested. School districts should maintain records of the textbooks disposed through this method.

NOTE: School districts desiring assistance with the application process for the donation of unusable textbooks to non-profit groups should contact the MDE Office of Instructional Materials and Library Media. Further, districts are encouraged to utilize much discretion in the donation of textbooks to agencies outside the public domain so as not to conflict with other regulatory requirements placed upon local districts.

4. Unusable textbooks can be donated to national non-profit organizations for distribution to Third World and similar countries. Several factors should be taken into consideration when one is making donations of unusable textbooks.

* All donations should involve non-profit or similar agencies that will place the textbooks in Third World countries or in an area that experiences vast depravity as far as instructional materials are concerned.

* All agencies interested in receiving donated unusable textbooks must first complete and submit to the school district a written application. An example of a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION APPLICATION may be secured from the MDE Office of Instructional Materials and Library Media.

* All applications must be approved by the local-school board prior to the donation of any unusable textbooks to any agency submitting such application.

* School districts are urged to use extreme discretion in the donation of unusable textbooks so as not to enter into a conflict with other legal requirements.

NOTE: Regardless of which method is used, it is suggested that records be kept of inventory, date, and method used to dispose of unusable textbooks.

C. SURPLUS TEXTBOOKS

The surplus textbook program has been beneficial to schools throughout the state. A surplus textbook is one that is still in good physical condition but is no longer being used in the district. In most situations, the surplus textbooks will be from a previous adoption and may be much more current than those being used in some districts. Books with a copyright of nine (9) years of age or less should be kept in the surplus book program.

Steps to be Followed in the Surplus Textbook Program

For the surplus textbook program to operate in an efficient manner, local school districts are required to use the following steps:

1. Each school shall update the inventory of surplus textbooks at the conclusion of each school year. The inventory update shall be entered into the TIMS th starting May 1^st and must be completed no later than June 15 of each year.

2. Schools in need of additional textbooks may go to SURPLUS in the Inventory section of ClassGather. Surplus can be searched by ISBN, title, HQIM, publisher, subject, and grade.

3. If surplus inventory is available for the textbook(s) searched, schools can claim the surplus inventory.

4. When inventory is claimed, the surplus posting school will receive a request which the posting school's district textbook coordinator will review and approve or deny the claiming school.

5. If approved, a notification will be sent to the claiming school alerting them of the posting school's decision.

6. A PACKING SLIP will be generated for the posting school with the ISBN and quantity claimed, along with the claiming school's shipping address and contact information.

7. Shipping arrangements should be made by both districts' Textbook Coordinators before approval is given.

8. All freight costs incurred in the transfer of the surplus textbooks will be paid by the claiming school.

9. Once the shipment arrives at the claiming school, the claiming school must mark the Transfer as RECEIVED in ClassGather for the claimed textbooks to be added to their Active inventory.

10. This is a district-to-district function. At no time should a principal call schools to ask if they have books and if they will release the books that they own.

11. If the proper process is not followed, the ending inventory of the two districts will not be correct.

TERM	DEFINITION
Claim	The process of claiming surplus inventory from the Posting School for transfer into the Claiming School's Active Inventory
Claiming School	The school desiring the surplus textbooks who receives into Active Inventory
Posting School	The school with surplus textbooks who transfer inventory into Surplus
"School"	The school district or individual school; those managing inventory for their institution(s)

7 Miss. Code. R. 11-Two-8

Amended 9/25/2023