Combined with Texas' large size, Texas' textbook purchases far outweigh those of other buyers.

In Florida, state officials have doubled spending for textbook purchases over the last four years while California legislators are mulling various bills that could raise textbook spending from $30 a student to $60.

School administrators in Fairfax County, Va., have delayed some textbook purchases and placed limits on teachers' salary increases, all to help the state absorb an estimated $80 million in education budget cuts.

The Dallas Morning News drew attention to the possible role in the Comer case played by disappointment of conservative elements of the Texas community at the decision on textbook purchases in 2003.

For American school administrators abroad, those fluctuations in the value of the dollars have affected everything from textbook purchases and teacher recruitment to maintenance of buildings and the construction of new libraries or auditoriums.

Besides building new schools and renovating old ones, Mr. Vallone wants to put $50 million toward textbook purchases.

Because the state is so large, representing 10 percent of all textbook purchases nationwide, its decisions will have a far-reaching effect on the textbooks used in many other states.

The state reimburses school districts up to $35 per student for textbook purchases - an absurdly low sum that has lagged far behind price increases over the last decade.

In addition, several universities offer online student support services, such as online advising and registration, e-counseling, online textbook purchases, student governments and student newspapers.