Support SB478 for Stronger School Libraries in California
Senate Bill 478 (Ashby) will create a Statewide School Library Lead working with K-12 credentialed librarians, classified library staff, classroom teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators to synthesize, integrate, and expand literacy work to students in a coherent and comprehensive manner.
We made it easy to send an email to your senators to support school libraries in California.
Without fully staffed and stocked school libraries, your children miss out on access to spaces to practice the joy of independent inquiry, finding and evaluating reliable and relevant information sources, and nurturing their own well- being during stressful times in the safe spaces that are libraries.
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Yet, California is 50th among U.S. states (including D.C.), with one teacher librarian for every 9,054 students.
The research on school libraries and improved reading scores is very clear. According to a 2018 study:
“data from more than 34 statewide studies suggest that students tend to earn better standardized test scores in schools that have strong library programs.Further, when administrators, teachers, and librarians themselves rated the importance and frequency of various library practices associated with student learning, their ratings correlated with student test scores.”
A Library Lead will expand the State’s investment in early literacy, work with school districts throughout the state on improving library services and free reading resources, and facilitate the integration of media and information literacy into school district curriculum.
Access to a quality school library is a critical equity issue. Many of our California communities are considered “book deserts.” This is especially true in elementary schools where free reading materials are likely to be 20 to 30 years old, and not culturally relevant for today’s students. Working with local school leaders, the Library Lead can assist in the local curating process and provide expert assistance in upgrading these collections.
It only takes a moment to send an email to your senators to support school libraries in California.
Finally, teacher librarians are uniquely credentialed in the content area of information and media literacy as outlined in the Model School Library Standards. A state-level Library Lead will support instructional collaboration between teacher librarians and content area teachers, as well as with literacy coaches and administrators.
Ask your CA Senator to support SB478.