The California State Board of Education is responsible for adopting textbooks and instructional materials for use in kindergarten through grade eight. The purposes of the instructional materials program are to: (1) establish clear standards for the educational and social content of texbooks and instructional materials; (2) evaluate instructional materials for adoption using established standards; (3) provide for the centralized administration of the adoption process; (4) allow for flexibility in the selection of texbooks and instructional materials at the local level; (5) provide objective information that school districts can use in making their selections of instructional materials; and (6) ensure that adequate funds for purchasing instructional materials are available. This report is organized into five parts: (1) a description of the adoption program; (2) a history of the program and previous legislative action; (3) relevant statistical data, including enrollment and fiscal data; (4) identification of unmet needs and estimated cost of meeting those needs; and (5) recommendations of ways to improve the program. (JD)