Effective Date: March 13, 2004
Responsibility: Superintendent of Program and Schools
The Trillium list is the official Ministry list of approved textbooks. Textbooks supporting the English-language curriculum can be found at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/trilliumlist/.
1.0 Deletion of Textbooks
Textbooks approved by the Provincial evaluation process will normally be retained on the Trillium List for five school years following the date of their initial listing. The approval period for each textbook is provided at the end of its listing.
1.1 Textbooks removed from the List may be used for two school years following the year in which their listing expires; however, Boards may not purchase new classroom sets of these textbooks. Expired titles may not be used as textbooks after the two-year period has elapsed.
1.2 A number of elementary textbooks are scheduled for deletion on August 31st, 2003, but their approval period has been extended to August 31st, 2004.
2.0 Liste Trillium List Advisory Committee LTLAC
The Liste Trillium List Advisory Committee (LTLAC) will continue to serve as a forum for discussion of issues arising from the implementation of the Liste Trillium List and related guidelines.
3.0 Selection of Textbooks
If there are titles on the Trillium List for a given subject or course, the Board must select from among these materials. If no title appears at the time the Board requires a textbook for a given course, a principal in consultation with the teachers concerned may select a suitable textbook subject to the approval of the Board until a textbook approved by the Minister appears on the Trillium list.
3.1 The Trillium List includes three sections:
Secondary Textbooks: OSS
These are texts evaluated for consistency with the new curriculum. Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, the Trillium List will contain only resources of this type.
Secondary Textbook: OS:IS:
These textbooks are appropriate for the OS:IS courses which may be offered until the end of the 2003-2004 school year.
Elementary Textbooks:
The textbooks are appropriate for the Ontario Curriculum. Textbooks purchased under the 1998-99 funding initiative are approved until August 31, 2004.
4.0 Definitions
4.1 A textbook is defined as “a comprehensive learning resource that is in print or electronic form, of that consists of any combination of print, electronic and non-print materials collectively designed to support a substantial portion of the Ontario Curriculum for a specific grade and subject in elementary school or a course in secondary school. Such a resource is intended for use by an entire class or group of students.”
4.2 Supplementary resources is defined as “a resource that supports only a limited number of curriculum expectations or the curriculum expectations in a single strand, outlined in the curriculum policy document for a specific subject or course. Such a resource may be intended for use by an entire class or a group of students. Examples are readers, spellers, novels, spelling programs, dictionaries, atlases, and computer software and instructional guides.”
5.0 Board/School Selection of Textbooks:
Under the Education Act, the Minister has the authority to select, approve and list textbooks for Boards to use in schools. Boards are responsible to approve all learning materials used in their classrooms to ensure that these materials meet local needs.
5.1 Selection of Textbooks Where None Appear on the Trillium List
Section 7 of Regulation 298 applies until textbooks approved by the Ministry are available for the subjects or courses in question. Section 7 states the following:
(i) The principal of a school, in consultation with the teachers concerned, shall select from the list of textbooks approved by the Minister. The textbooks for the use of the pupils of the school and the selection shall be subject to the approval of the Board.
(ii) Where no textbooks for the course of study is included in the list of textbooks approved by the Minister, the principal of the school, in consultation with the teachers concerned, shall, where they consider a textbook to be required, select a suitable textbook and, subject to the approval of the Board, such textbook may be introduced for use in the school.
(iii) In the selection of textbooks, preference shall be given to books that have been written by Canadian authors and edited, printed and bound in Canada.
(iv) Every Board shall provide, without charge for the use of each pupil enrolled in a day school operated by the Board such textbooks as are related to the courses in which the pupil is enrolled.
5.2 (i) Role of the Curriculum Council and Subject Councils in Textbook Selection
The elementary Curriculum Council and the secondary Subject Council evaluate textbooks and compile lists of approved textbooks for use in our schools. Where textbooks appear on the Trillium List, selections must be from the list. The Curriculum Council and Subject Councils, in consultation with the Co-ordinators, will design professional development activities to assist teachers in using the new textbooks effectively. They will ensure that the textbooks selected will promote continuity of program across the grades and between schools.
(ii) Principals review the lists and ensure that all titles in use in their schools are on the list.
(iii) The list is presented to the Board in September for annual approval.
