Wallace Elementary opens public review of library books for fall adoption

Wallace Elementary School opened a 60-day public review of library books on June 19, giving parents, teachers and other La Paz County residents a chance to inspect proposed materials before the adoption window closes Aug. 18. The review covers books for students in grades 3 through 5 at the Parker campus as the library prepares for the new school year.

State statutes require districts to make textbooks under review available at the school district office for public inspection for 60 days before formal selection, open textbook-review and selection committee meetings to the public, and notify parents of the opening and closing dates within seven school days before the review begins. Districts and schools must also post lists of books and materials purchased after Jan. 1, 2023, on their websites for at least 60 days after purchase.

The rules were sharpened in 2022, when the Arizona Legislature passed HB2439 and changed the state’s procedures for parental access to school-library books. The Senate Education Committee approved the bill 5-3 along party lines in March 2022. Sponsor Rep. Beverly Pingerelli said the measure was intended to give “transparency for parents,” while critics warned it could add burdens to schools and function as censorship.

Wallace Elementary serves grades 3 through 5 in Parker, where principal Ms. Krause leads a school day that runs from 8:00 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. The campus sits within Parker Unified School District, which serves preschool through grade 12 across six schools. The district’s curriculum and federal projects leadership team includes Wallace staff members, and the Parker Unified governing board remains the policy-making body for the district’s educational program.