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POLICY NAME: Educational Resources Policy	POLICY NUMBER: 402
AWSNA POLICIES AND PRACTICES AREA:                    VERSION: 5 & 6                                  2	APPROVED: September 20, 2022
DOCUMENT HISTORY: v2: Clarified grammar and punctuation throughout, strengthened first sentence under heading Rationale.	REVIEWED: May 13, 2024

Rationale
BC Waldorf Schools provide a wide range of acceptable learning resources at varying levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal and representation. The primary role of learning resources is to support and enrich the implementation of educational programming at BC Waldorf Schools. As such, the choice of learning resources are reviewed regularly and updated as needed to ensure they meet the general intentions of Waldorf education as set out in the AWNSA Principles for Waldorf Schools as well as best practice for BC Independent Schools as stated in the Ministry of Education and Child Care Learning Resource Policy. 

Scope
This policy pertains to BC Waldorf School educators selected by their specific school to ensure the implementation of this policy. Principals, Management, and Boards are ultimately responsible for supporting educators to fulfil their duty to this policy. 

Policy Statement
BC Waldorf School educators select learning resources according to pedagogical understanding and best practice for BC Schools as set out above. Schools will ensure that selected learning resources are up to date and align with current educational best practice and curriculum. Schools will ensure that criteria for selection of learning resources and the procedure for requesting reconsideration of learning resources is accessible to parents/guardians and students as appropriate. 

Definitions

Learning Resource refers to any material with instruction content or function that is used for teaching/learning purposes. Learning resources may include: textbooks; other books; supplementary reading and information materials; charts; community resource people; agencies or organizations; dioramas; film; flash cards; games; globes; learning kits; data files; maps; models; motion pictures; music; periodicals; pictures; regalia; slides; sound recordings; transparencies; video recordings; computer programs; and ceremony. 

Procedures

Selection of Learning Resources
BC Waldorf Schools shall consult with the Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium as is necessary when selecting learning resources. The following criteria will be used in the selection of learning resources at BC Waldorf Schools as they apply: 

• Learning resources support and are consistent with the educational mission, vision, and values of the specific school as well as the aims and objectives of specific courses. 
  
• Learning resources meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation. 
  
• Learning resources are appropriate for the subject area and the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles and social development of the students for whom they are selected. 
  
• Learning resources meet the requirements set by copyright and privacy legislation. 
  
• Learning resources assist students in making connections between what they learn in school and real life applications. 
  
• Learning resources help students gain an awareness and understanding of the cultural diversity of their society and the contributions of diverse groups. 
  
• Learning resources provide equal representation with consideration of sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, socio-economic status, physical or mental ability, or any marginalized group. 
  
• Learning resources motivate examination of attitudes and behaviours, and encourage those who use them to comprehend duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges as participating citizens in our society. 
  
• Learning resources help meet specific curriculum objectives (example: biased content may be used to show how to recognize ideology). 
  
• Learning resources are used to direct toward an equitable view. 
  
• Emphasis will be placed on the selection of Canadian learning resources when possible and where appropriate. 
  
• Learning resource selection is an ongoing process which will include the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost or worn materials still of value. 

Reconsideration of Learning Resources 
Teaching employees may challenge learning resources used in BC Waldorf Schools based on the appropriateness of the material. Parents/guardians may also question learning materials used for their children. Though access to the learning resource in question will not be restricted during the reconsideration process, the outcome of the process may include the removal of the learning resource from school use and this will be communicated appropriately. 

The major criterion for the final decision about a learning resource is the measure of its appropriateness for its intended educational use. 

Each BC Waldorf School shall have school specific procedures for a request for learning resource reconsideration. School procedures may include some of the following elements: 

• A signed form submitted to a pedagogical leader that describes the learning resource and why it is considered not appropriate; 
  
• A communication channel between pedagogical leader and teaching employee who used the learning resource; 
  
• The forming of a reconsideration committee or team, including teaching employees; ● A review process where learning resource is measured against selection criteria such as that above; 
  
• The completion of a report post-evaluation with a decision attached; 
  
• A meeting with the complainant to go over evaluation of learning material; and, ● Access provided to the specific school’s appeal process if the issue is not resolved. ​

BC Waldorf Collective - AWNSA Registered Initiative, Associate, and Full Member Waldorf Schools of BC