Virginia Law

Article 6. Textbooks.

A. The Board of Education shall have the authority to approve textbooks suitable for use in the public schools and shall have authority to approve instructional aids and materials for use in the public schools. The Board shall publish a list of all approved textbooks on its website and shall list the publisher and the current lowest wholesale price of such textbooks.

B. Any school board may use textbooks not approved by the Board provided the school board selects such books in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Board.

C. For the purposes of this chapter, the term "textbooks" means print or electronic media for student use that serve as the primary curriculum basis for a grade-level subject or course.

1980, c. 559; 2002, c. 421; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663.

A. The Board of Education shall have the authority to approve textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials suitable for use in the public schools and shall have authority to approve instructional aids and materials for use in the public schools. The Board shall publish a list of all approved textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials on its website and shall list the publisher and the current lowest wholesale price of such textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials.

B. Any school board may use textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials not approved by the Board provided the school board selects such textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Board.

1980, c. 559; 2002, c. 421; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2025, cc. 680, 683.

In approving basal textbooks for reading in kindergarten and first grade, the Board shall report to local school boards those textbooks with a minimum decodability standard based on words that students can correctly read by properly attaching speech sounds to each letter to formulate the word at 70 percent or above for such textbooks.

Code 1950, § 22-297; 1980, c. 559; 1981, c. 190; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663.

In approving basal textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials for reading in kindergarten and first grade, the Board shall report to local school boards those textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials with a minimum decodability standard based on words that students can correctly read by properly attaching speech sounds to each letter to formulate the word at 70 percent or above for such textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials.

Code 1950, § 22-297; 1980, c. 559; 1981, c. 190; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2025, cc. 680, 683.

Repealed by Acts 2008, cc. 430, 615 and 663, cl. 2.

A. Local school boards shall either enter into written term contracts or issue purchase orders on an as-needed basis with publishers of textbooks approved by the Board for use in the public schools. Such written contracts or purchase orders for textbooks approved by the Board shall be exempt from the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.).

The contract price shall not exceed the lowest wholesale price at which the textbook or textbooks involved in the contract are currently bid under contract anywhere in the United States.

If, subsequent to the date of any contract entered into by a local school board, the prices of textbooks named in the contract are reduced or the terms of the contract are made more favorable to purchase anywhere in the United States or a special or other edition of any book named in the contract is sold outside of Virginia at a lower price than contracted in the Commonwealth, the publisher shall grant the same reduction or terms to the local school board and give the local school board the option of using such special or other edition adapted for use in Virginia and at the lowest price at which such special edition is sold elsewhere and the contract shall so state.

B. Contracts and purchase orders with publishers of textbooks approved by the Board shall require the publisher to furnish an electronic file of the textbook in the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS) format that will then be deposited in the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) from which accessible versions of the particular textbook may be produced for students with print disabilities, as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1474. Publishers shall deliver the NIMAS file of the textbook on or before the date of delivery of the regular text version.

Contracts and purchase orders with publishers of textbooks approved by the Board for use in grades 6-12 shall allow for the purchase of printed textbooks, printed textbooks with electronic files, or electronic textbooks separate and apart from printed versions of the same textbook. Each school board shall have the authority to purchase an assortment of textbooks in any of the three forms listed above.

C. Every school board shall order directly from the respective publishers the textbooks needed to supply the public schools in the school division. The publishers shall ship the textbooks to the school board. The purchase price of such textbooks shall be paid directly to the publishers by the school board.

D. With the approval of the local school board and the publisher, any private school within the school division that so requests may purchase from the local school board's contract with the publisher. Such private school shall be fully responsible for ordering, purchasing, and receiving shipments of books to be provided from the publisher pursuant to this section. The local school board shall be immune from any civil liability as a result of a private school purchasing from the local school board's contract.

Code 1950, §§ 22-299, 22-300, 22-301, 22-303; 1977, c. 85; 1980, c. 559; 1995, c. 750; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2010, c. 97.

A. Local school boards shall either enter into written term contracts or issue purchase orders on an as-needed basis with publishers of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials approved by the Board for use in the public schools. Such written contracts or purchase orders for textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials approved by the Board shall be exempt from the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.).

The contract price shall not exceed the lowest wholesale price at which the textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials involved in the contract are currently bid under contract anywhere in the United States.

If, subsequent to the date of any contract entered into by a local school board, the prices of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials named in the contract are reduced, the terms of the contract are made more favorable to purchase anywhere in the United States, or a special or other edition of any textbook or other high-quality instructional material named in the contract is sold outside of the Commonwealth at a lower price than contracted in the Commonwealth, the publisher shall grant the same reduction or terms to the local school board and give the local school board the option of using such special or other edition adapted for use in the Commonwealth and at the lowest price at which such special edition is sold elsewhere and the contract shall so state.

B. Contracts and purchase orders with publishers of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials approved by the Board shall require the publisher to furnish electronic files of the textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials in the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS) format that will then be deposited in the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) from which accessible versions of the particular textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials may be produced for students with print disabilities, as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1474. Publishers shall deliver the NIMAS files of the textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials on or before the date of delivery of the regular text versions.

Contracts and purchase orders with publishers of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials approved by the Board for use in grades 6-12 shall allow for the purchase of printed textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials, printed textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials with electronic files, or electronic textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials separate and apart from printed versions of the same textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials. Each school board shall have the authority to purchase an assortment of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials in any of the three forms listed above.

C. Every school board shall order directly from the respective publishers the textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials needed to supply the public schools in the school division. The publishers shall ship the textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials to the school board. The purchase price of such textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials shall be paid directly to the publishers by the school board.

D. With the approval of the local school board and the publisher, any private school within the school division that so requests may purchase from the local school board's contract with the publisher. Such private school shall be fully responsible for ordering, purchasing, and receiving shipments of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials to be provided from the publisher pursuant to this section. The local school board shall be immune from any civil liability as a result of a private school purchasing from the local school board's contract.

Code 1950, §§ 22-299, 22-300, 22-301, 22-303; 1977, c. 85; 1980, c. 559; 1995, c. 750; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2010, c. 97; 2025, cc. 680, 683.

The Board shall adopt regulations governing (i) the purchase of textbooks approved by it for use in the public schools directly from the publishers by school boards and (ii) the distribution of such textbooks for the use by children attending public schools in Virginia.

Code 1950, § 22-304; 1980, c. 559; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663.

The Board shall adopt regulations governing (i) the purchase of textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials approved by it for use in the public schools directly from the publishers by school boards and (ii) the distribution of such textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials for the use by children attending public schools in the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 22-304; 1980, c. 559; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2025, cc. 680, 683.

A. Each school board shall provide, free of charge, such textbooks required for courses of instruction for each child attending public schools. However, a local school board may assess a reasonable fee or charge for damages or loss of school property when such property has been provided to students without charge.

B. Consumable materials such as workbooks, writing books, and drawing books may be purchased by school boards and either provided to students at no cost or sold to students at a retail price not to exceed seven percent added to the publisher's price. If sold, the local school board shall develop a policy ensuring that workbooks, writing books, and drawing books are furnished to students who are unable to afford them at a reduced price or free of charge.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a school board to charge fees to students for instructional materials, textbooks, or other materials used by a school board employee that are not directly used by a public school student.

Code 1950, § 22-305; 1980, c. 559; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2009, c. 81; 2010, c. 85.

A. Each school board shall provide, free of charge, such textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials required for courses of instruction for each child attending public schools. However, a local school board may assess a reasonable fee or charge for damages or loss of school property when such property has been provided to students without charge.

B. Consumable materials such as workbooks, writing books, and drawing books may be purchased by school boards and either provided to students at no cost or sold to students at a retail price not to exceed seven percent added to the publisher's price. If sold, the local school board shall develop a policy ensuring that workbooks, writing books, and drawing books are furnished to students who are unable to afford them at a reduced price or free of charge.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a school board to charge fees to students for textbooks and other high-quality instructional materials or other materials used by a school board employee that are not directly used by a public school student.

Code 1950, § 22-305; 1980, c. 559; 2008, cc. 430, 615, 663; 2009, c. 81; 2010, c. 85; 2025, cc. 680, 683.

Repealed by Acts 2008, cc. 430, 615 and 663, cl. 2.

Repealed by Acts 1993, c. 654, effective July 1, 1994.

Repealed by Acts 2008, cc. 430, 615 and 663, cl. 2.