By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 9/11/2007
Just how important are school librarians? California media specialist Mary Poeck testified in the House yesterday about the crucial role her profession plays in achieving the goals of No Child Left (NCLB) Behind and urged lawmakers to support the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLs) Act, which would require a highly qualified librarian in every school.
Speaking to members of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Poeck, a coordinator of library media services for the Vallejo City Unified School District in California, said multiple studies have shown that “there is a clear link between school library media programs and student achievement, when those libraries are staffed by an experienced school library media specialist.”
She went on to say, “[The SKILLs Act] is critical to meeting the goals of NCLB in that it requires school districts, to the extent feasible, to ensure that every school within the district employs at least one highly qualified school library media specialist in each school library."
The American Library Association has applauded the objectives of NCLB, but says the law’s requirement that there be “highly qualified” teachers in core classes should be extended to school libraries.
"Through the personal experience and national statistics conveyed in her testimony, Ms. Poeck makes a slam-dunk case for including school libraries and school librarians in any legislation concerning this country’s educators," says ALA President Loriene Roy.
NCLB is up for reauthorization and the SKILLs Act is being suggested as an amendment to the law.
