Textbooks up for public review

COSTA MESA — The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has made six prospective high school textbooks available for public review through April 25.

Afterward, the school board will consider approving the books for use in grades 10-12, but such action would be separate from any board approval of district money to fund book purchases, said Thomas Antal, the district’s director of secondary curriculum and instruction.

The textbooks up for review are “AP Psychology,” “International Business,” “Comparative Politics,” “Introduction to the Human Body,” “Environmental Science for AP” and “Everything’s an Argument.”

The international business textbook is needed in case a new course on the subject comes to fruition, Antal said.

Other books, like the one on comparative politics, are for a class that is being brought back and needs an updated textbook. In environmental science, the field is fast-moving so any textbooks need to be updated, Antal said.

Once the review period is closed, the textbooks will go before the school board for approval, district spokeswoman Laura Boss said in an e-mail.

“AP Psychology” is expected to be the first book to go before the school board at its April 26 meeting, Antal said.

A curriculum committee made up of participants from each school site vets all textbooks before they go before district administration, the superintendent and then the public, Antal said.

Residents can review the books by appointment from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the District Education Center, 2985 Bear St., Costa Mesa.

To make an appointment call (714) 424-7551.