Instructional material means school textbooks and other educational media that are used as the basis for instruction, including combinations of textbooks, learning kits, supplementary material and electronic media.

The US Department of Education’sOffice of Education Technology defines open educational resources (OER) as teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under a license that permits their free use, reuse, modification, and sharing with others. Digital openly licensed resources can include complete online courses, modular digital textbooks as well as more granular resources such as images, videos, and assessment items.

A. Any qualified student or person eligible to become a qualified student attending a public school, a state institution or a private school approved by the department in any grade from first through the twelfth grade of instruction is entitled to the free use of instructional material. Any student enrolled in an early childhood education program as defined by Section 22-13-3 NMSA 1978 or person eligible to become an early childhood education student as defined by that section attending a private early childhood education program approved by the department is entitled to the free use of instructional material. B. Instructional material shall be distributed to school districts, state institutions and private schools as agents for the benefit of students entitled to free use of the instructional material.

State Library (LBPH)

The department shall adopt a multiple list to be made available to students pursuant to the Instructional Material Law. At least ten percent of instructional material on the multiple list concerning language arts and social studies shall contain material that is relevant to the cultures, languages, history and experiences of multi-ethnic students. The department shall ensure that parents and other community members are involved in the adoption process at the state level. Pursuant to the provisions of the Instructional Material Law, each school district, state institution or private school as agent may select instructional material for the use of its students from the multiple list adopted by the department. Local school boards shall give written notice to parents and other community members and shall invite parental involvement in the adoption process at the district level. Local school boards shall also give public notice, which notice may include publication in a newspaper.

The department shall adopt a multiple list to be made available to students pursuant to the Instructional Material Law. The department shall ensure that parents and other community members are involved in the adoption process at the state level. The department shall establish by rule an instructional material review process for the adoption of instructional material on the multiple list. Pursuant to the provisions of the Instructional Material Law, each school district, state institution or private school as agent may select instructional material for the use of its students from the multiple list adopted by the department. Local school boards shall give written notice to parents and other community members and shall invite parental involvement in the adoption process at the district level.

In New Mexico, materials are evaluated by Level 2 and Level 3 educators selected through an annual application process. Any current New Mexico public school educator can apply to be a reviewer.Publishers are invited annually to submit materials for state review, in all core subjects. They may submit materials as Core or Supplementary. Materials submitted as Core will be reviewed for Research-based effectiveness. If they are found to be Research-based and effective, they will be reviewed by a panel of reviewers. Core materials are scored for alignment with content standards and high quality indicators. Materials scoring at 90% or higher are Recommended for adoption to the Adopted Multiple List. Materials scoring 80%-89% are Recommended with Reservations to the Adopted Multiple List. Materials scoring below 80% will not be recommended for the Adopted Multiple List. Review teams provide evidence from the materials and compose and appraisal for each title reviewed that contains evidence for the standards and high quality indicators. The recommendations from the review teams are proposed to the secretary for adoption and then placed on the Adopted Multiple List. The Multiple List and review documents are provided to district as resources when determining purchases at the LEA. Districts receive Instructional Material Funds that must be spent on Instructional Materials. Public School Districts may spend 100% of these funds on any materials on the Adopted Multiple list, however they may not expend more than 50% of their allocated funds on items not on the Adopted Multiple List. Charter schools do not have this same stipulation on purchasing from the Adopted Multiple List.

Blended learning is not the same as technology-enabled instruction. It goes beyond one-to-one computers and high-tech gadgets. Blended learning involves leveraging the internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, meaning increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of his or her learning. The definition of blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace; at least in part in a supervised brickand-mortar location away from home; and the modalities along each student’s learning path within a Course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience. Blended learning increases the awareness/support through key communication opportunities (Digital Learning Day, etc.), highlight best practices, and provide high-impact learning opportunities for practitioners in the field.

The Blended Learning Bureau:

•Increases awareness/support through key communication opportunities (Digital Learning Day, etc.), highlight best practices, and provide high-impact learning opportunities for practitioners in the field.

•Expands access to supplemental online learning courses to New Mexico students, particularly advanced placement.

•Launches and support blended learning efforts in New Mexico districts and charter schools.