It’s a large purchase — $346, 537 — but textbooks at Homewood-Flossmoor High School will now come with electronic resources for students and faculty.
At its Jan. 19 meeting, the school board agreed to purchase 14 new textbooks, two workbooks and one supplementary paperback for the Applied Academics, Math, Social Science, Physical Education and World Language departments. In addition, H-F students will have access to online interactive homework and exam preparation and teachers will have additional resources.
Nancy Spaniak, director of curriculum, told board members the books will be purchased with a five-year license. The online information is on a six-year license. Using the online services will reduce the need for the heavy books students lug around.
“The books won’t update, but the (online resource) news portions will be updated weekly,” she said.
Students using the world language texts will be able to access the online component in language labs, via their phones and personal computers. The program serves various computer platforms.
The district is surveying students to determine how many don’t have access to electronic devices or Internet access at home so that they can be accommodated.
Board members acknowledged this is a hefty purchase, but they want to keep student resources as current as possible.
Schools did get partial state reimbursement through the Illinois Textbook Loan Program from 1975 until 2010 when the Illinois legislature stopped allocating funding. A portion of the yearly H-F registration fee goes toward book fees.