Yep, this is just stupid. Virtually all the research points to the positive impact of school librarians on students especially higher standardized testing scores and yet too many administrators anbd politiicans ignore the reserch. Why? IS there some problem with their learning and decision making abilities or wth our advocacy efforts . . . or both?
New “Fast Facts” Report: School Librarian Numbers Decline from 2004-2005 to 2010-2011
“A new “fast facts” report from the Colorado Library Research Service.
From a LRS Blog Post:
Based on an analysis of National Center for Education Statistics data, public school librarian staffing numbers remained relatively stable from 2004-05 (the first year this data was reported) to 2007-08. However, these positions nationwide declined by 8 percent from 2007-08 to 2010-11, while the total number of students increased by 2 percent. In Colorado, this gap was more pronounced: school librarian positions fell by 9 percent during this time period, while the total number of students rose by 5 percent.
Direct to Full Text Report (3 pages; PDF)
Meanwhile, in the UK:
School Libraries Facing Budget squeeze, says School Library Association Survey (via The Bookseller)
School libraries are being forced to scrape by on ever-decreasing budgets, according to a new survey by the School Library Association.
Literacy charity Booktrust has advised that secondary schools should be spending £14 per pupil on books. However the survey found that nine out of 10 secondary schools are spending less on books per pupil than the recommended sum, with the average spend being just £4.28 per pupil per year. One school with 1,500 students which responded to the SLA survey revealed they spent only 31p per pupil on their library budget.
See Also: New Full Text Report from UK: School Libraries In 2012
Full text of the report discussed in The Bookseller article.
Thanks again to Gary Price at LJ InfoDocket.”
Stephen
0 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.