RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A year after Virginia overhauled its review process to improve the quality of textbooks used in public school classrooms, the publisher whose error-plagued history books helped spur the change is refusing to submit its offerings for state Department of Education scrutiny.
The Washington Post says Five Ponds Press plans to introduce a series of elementary-level science books that it will market directly to school systems, bypassing state review. The newspaper says the publisher didn’ respond to its requests for comment.
The move angers legislators who voted to bolster regulations. Del. David Englin of Alexandria tells the newspaper that it seems “improper — and possibly fraudulent” to claim the series meets Virginia standards without state review.
Virginia schools are allowed to use non-approved textbooks, but few do so.
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Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com