Brevard Public schools will be getting new math textbooks next fall, and eight different companies currently have math instructional materials under review for possible adoption. Upon completing its research, a textbook committee will make a recommendation to the school board in January. There will be room for petitions for 30 days after the choices are made and —  barring substantial objections —  the recommendation will become final in March.

While the Florida Board of Education prohibits teachers from sharing their view on potential textbooks during the adoption process, student may weigh in regarding their expectations.

Sophomore Layla Auter said the current Pearson textbook for Algebra 2 honors has been a good one.

“Other than for homework I don’t really use the textbook too often, but I like this year’s textbook.  I guess for next year I hope it’s as straightforward and easy to understand as this one.”

Sophomore Sasha Karlsson also said the Pearson book is user-friendly.

“I like the current math textbook because they have odd answers in the book and it covers a lot of things and has examples for each lesson,” she said.

Karlsson also is hoping the new math textbooks will be accessible from the internet.

“I think it would be nice to have an online version just in case I need it and didn’t want to bring the whole textbook with me,” she said. “Having an online version probably wouldn’t lead me to using it more only because I do my homework at home and everything so I have the textbook. But it would be a good addition to the textbook.”

Karlsson did express one quibble with the Pearson textbook. 

“I think they should have a little bit more explanations in the textbooks for different concepts instead of a long definition and a couple of examples,” she said.

By Olivia Blackwell