Chapter 3329 | Textbooks, Electronic Textbooks

Section 3329.01 | Adoption and purchase of textbooks or electronic textbooks - filing of price statement.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

Any publisher of textbooks or electronic textbooks in the United States desiring to offer such textbooks or electronic textbooks for use by pupils in the public schools of Ohio, before such textbooks or electronic textbooks may be adopted and purchased by any school board, must, on or before the first day of January of each year, file with the department of education and workforce, a statement that the list wholesale price to school districts in Ohio will be no more than the lowest list wholesale price available to school districts in any other state.

No publisher of a textbook shall file a statement under this section unless the publisher complies with all of the following:

(A) At the same time as filing the statement, the publisher also files:

(1) For textbooks published before August 18, 2006, the wholesale price of an electronic file that contains the text of the textbook in rich text format, or another electronic format approved by the department, for translating the text of the textbook into braille;

(2) For textbooks published on or after August 18, 2006, the wholesale price of an electronic file that contains the text of the textbook, and of all instructional materials the publisher offers with the textbook, in the national instructional materials accessibility standard (NIMAS) code for translating the text of the entire textbook into NIMAS-approved formats, including braille, audio, digital text, or large print.

(B) The list wholesale price filed for any specified number of electronic files described in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section for the textbook and instructional materials the publisher offers with the textbook does not exceed the list wholesale price for the same number of the printed version of the textbook and materials.

(C) For textbooks published on or after August 18, 2006, the publisher sends one copy of the electronic file described in division (A)(2) of this section for the entire textbook and all instructional materials the publisher offers with the textbook in NIMAS code, at no cost, to the national instructional materials access center.

As used in this section and in sections 3329.03 to 3329.10 of the Revised Code, "electronic textbook" means computer software, interactive videodisc, magnetic media, optical media, computer courseware, on-line service, electronic medium, or other means of conveying information to the student or otherwise contributing to the learning process through electronic means.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:49 PM

Section 3329.03 | Violation of contract by publisher.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

If a publisher who files a statement under section 3329.01 of the Revised Code, fails or refuses to furnish such textbooks or electronic textbooks adopted as provided in sections 3329.01 to 3329.10 of the Revised Code to any board of education upon the terms provided in such sections, such board at once must notify the department of education and workforce of such failure or refusal, and the department at once shall cause an investigation of such charge to be made. If it is found to be true, the department at once shall notify such publisher and each board in the state that such textbooks or electronic textbooks shall not thereafter be adopted and purchased by boards of education. Such publisher shall pay to the state five hundred dollars for each failure, to be recovered in the name of the state, in an action to be brought by the attorney general, in the court of common pleas of Franklin county, or in any other proper court or in any other place where service can be made. The amount, when collected, must be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the state general revenue fund.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:50 PM

Section 3329.04 | Compliance of publisher necessary.

• Effective: May 25, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 32 - 123rd General Assembly

A board of education shall not adopt or cause to be used in the public schools any textbook or electronic textbook whose publisher has not complied with sections 3329.01 to 3329.10 of the Revised Code as to such textbook or electronic textbook.

Section 3329.05 | Purchase of other books.

• Effective: May 25, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 32 - 123rd General Assembly

Sections 3329.01 to 3329.04 and section 3329.08 of the Revised Code do not apply to the purchase of supplementary reading books, library books, reference books, or any other books except textbooks and electronic textbooks used in lieu of textbooks, required by the board of education. All of such books, except textbooks and electronic textbooks required by the board, shall be ordered, received, examined, and paid for in the same manner and by the same persons as other supplies and equipment.

Section 3329.06 | Free textbooks for pupils.

• Effective: September 26, 2003
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 95 - 125th General Assembly

The board of education of each city, exempted village, and local school district shall furnish, free of charge, the necessary textbooks to the pupils attending the public schools. In lieu of textbooks, district boards may furnish electronic textbooks to pupils attending the public schools, provided the electronic textbooks are furnished free of charge. A district board that chooses to furnish electronic textbooks to pupils attending school in the district shall provide reasonable access to the electronic textbooks and other necessary computer equipment to pupils in the district who are required to complete homework assignments, and teachers providing homework assignments, utilizing electronic textbooks furnished by the district board. Pupils wholly or in part supplied with necessary textbooks or electronic textbooks shall be supplied only as other or new textbooks or electronic textbooks are needed. All textbooks or electronic textbooks furnished as provided in this section shall be the property of the district, and loaned to the pupils on such terms as each such board prescribes. In order to carry out sections 3329.01 to 3329.10 of the Revised Code, each board, in the preparation of its annual budget, shall include as a separate item the amount which the board finds necessary to administer such sections and such amount shall not be subject to transfer to any other fund.

Section 3329.07 | Determination of textbooks required - order - payment - transportation charges.

• Effective: May 25, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 32 - 123rd General Assembly

The board of education of each city, exempted village, and local school district shall cause it to be ascertained and at a regular meeting determine which, and the number of each of the textbooks or electronic textbooks the schools under its charge require. The treasurer at once shall order the textbooks or electronic textbooks agreed upon from the publisher, who on the receipt of such order must ship the textbooks or electronic textbooks to the treasurer without delay. The treasurer forthwith shall examine the textbooks or electronic textbooks, and, if found right and in accordance with the order, remit the amount to the publisher. The board must pay for the textbooks or electronic textbooks so purchased and in addition all charges for the transportation of the textbooks or electronic textbooks out of the general fund of said district or out of such other funds as it may have available for such purchase of textbooks or electronic textbooks. If such board at any time can secure from the publishers textbooks or electronic textbooks at less than such maximum price, they shall do so, and without unnecessary delay may make effort to secure such lower price before adopting any particular textbooks or electronic textbooks.

Section 3329.08 | Selection of textbooks by board - adoption for period of four years.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

At any regular meeting, the board of education of each local, city, and exempted village school district shall determine by a majority vote of all members elected or appointed under division (B) or (F) of section 3311.71 of the Revised Code which of such textbooks or electronic textbooks so filed shall be used in the schools under its control.

Section 3329.09 | Custodian of textbooks - sale to pupils - records and accounts - proceeds.

• Effective: May 25, 1999
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 32 - 123rd General Assembly

Each city, exempted village, and local board of education shall make all necessary provisions and arrangements to place the textbooks or electronic textbooks purchased within easy reach of and accessible to all the pupils in their district. In city and exempted village school districts the superintendent of schools and in local school districts the treasurer of the board of education shall be the custodian of all textbooks or electronic textbooks purchased for the use of and furnished free to all the pupils attending public schools of such district. They shall distribute such textbooks or electronic textbooks, keep such records, maintain such accounts, and make such reports as the board requires. The board may employ such additional help as is necessary to properly administer this section.

This section does not prohibit any pupil, or the parent of any pupil, from purchasing textbooks or electronic textbooks for their own use, or the use of their children or wards in the schools of the district in which such purchaser resides. The board in each school district upon the request of a pupil, or the parent of any pupil, shall sell to such individual making the request textbooks or electronic textbooks of the kind requested at a price not to exceed the cost paid therefor plus ten per cent. The proceeds of such sales shall be credited to the fund from which payments are made by the board for the purchase of textbooks or electronic textbooks. As used in this paragraph, the word "pupil" includes any school-aged child who resides in the district.

Section 3329.10 | Superintendent, supervisor, principal, or teacher not to act as sales agent for textbooks or equipment.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

A superintendent, supervisor, principal, or teacher employed by any board of education shall not act as sales agent, either directly or indirectly, for any person, firm, or corporation that files school textbooks or electronic textbooks with the department of education and workforce, or that sells school apparatus or equipment of any kind for use in the public schools. A violation of this section shall work a forfeiture of their licenses to teach in the public schools.

Last updated September 12, 2023 at 1:51 PM