Important Information
Eligible materials under the Education Law
- hard-covered or paperback books
- courseware or other content-based instructional materials in electronic format
- workbooks designed to be written in and used up
- manuals
- newspapers and news magazines
- reproductions of downloaded NYS Common Core ELA/Literacy and Mathematics Curriculum Modules
Materials NOT allowed
The following items are not provided by the Textbook Program:
- dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases (Dictionaries assigned as a textbook substitute are considered textbooks.)
- Supplementary textbooks, novels, fiction, magazines, newspapers, audiovisual materials normally housed in a school library for short-term use
- Tests, testing materials, prep/review materials
- Teachers’ editions
- Review books
- Materials in kit form
- Books or materials advocating or supporting a religious belief
- Internet on-line services
- Any material for Pre-K students
This is a loan library of textbooks and paperback novels
The books that are provided belong to one of our 19 participating districts. The students may write their names on the inside front cover of the book. Any other writing, drawing, highlighting or marking of the pages in any way is not allowed.
Requesting Materials
Obtain the student’s textbook list from the non-public school. Complete the textbook loan form and sign it. The textbook loan form is due by June 1st. Submit the form to the Textbook Program by email, fax or mail.
The usual wait time for items that must be ordered during the months of June-September is between 6-8 weeks. Late submissions will delay your receipt of textbook orders.
Approval
After we receive the textbook loan form, the information will be sent to the student’s home district to request approval to provide the textbooks. Students must be registered with their home district. If there are any problems in the approval process, you will be notified and may need to provide further information.
When the student is approved, we will begin to process the loan request.
Obtaining Materials
When the loan request is filled, we will deliver the books to the non-public schools that are in our delivery area starting the last week of August. We deliver textbooks to schools in Columbia, Greene and Rensselaer counties. We also deliver to some schools in Albany and Schenectady counties. If the non-public school is located outside of our delivery area, the textbooks can be delivered to the student’s home district office for pick-up by the parent. Also, arrangements can be made for parents to pick-up the textbook order from our office. We do not mail or ship textbooks to students.
In the case of late loan form submissions, course changes after the start of school, late return or non-return of textbooks from the previous school year, parents may be asked to pick up books at the Questar III office after the month of September.
eBooks/iBooks
If a non-public school requests an electronic format text, we will obtain access codes and provide the code directly to the textbook coordinator at the non-public school for distribution to the students. Questar III does not provide the electronic device to obtain the iBook/eBook content. If a student receives the electronic format of a textbook, they will not be provided a hardbound copy.
Return Deadline
It is the parent’s responsibility, as the borrower, to return all books to the Textbook Program or their school district in a timely manner. Textbooks are on loan to the students and are expected to return in the same condition at the end of the school year as when they were loaned out.
All textbooks and paperback novels are to be returned by June 30th. A $10.00 late fee will apply after that date. The parent will be billed for any book that is not returned after July. If a book is damaged or lost, the parent is responsible to pay for or replace the book. If the book is not paid for or replaced, the parent will be billed.
A copy of any bill sent to the parent will also be sent to the home district for further collection efforts.
Course Change
Contact us immediately if the student has a course change or withdraws from the non-public school. If a student adds or drops a course, the Textbook Exchange Form must be completed and submitted to us. Books that are no longer needed must be returned to us as soon as possible.
Requests for a Second Set of Textbooks
If a student needs a second set of textbooks under an IEP or 504 plan, complete a second set request form. The request must be approved by the student’s home district. Only textbooks are provided in second sets. A second copy of consumables or paperbacks will not be provided. Further instructions can be found on the request form.
Home School, Exchange or Boarding Students
All resident pupils are eligible for the loan of textbooks K-12, unless home schooled or in an exchange program. Students who are instructed at home do not meet the provision in Education Law 701 of being enrolled in public or private school. Exchange students are not residents of the participating school districts. Boarding students must be residents of the participating school districts.