[Libs-Or] For School Library Personnel: QEM Follow-Up

[Jennifer Maurer]

Hi,
 
Yesterday I posted a request asking school library personnel to review the QEM data for their schools.  Thanks for the many replies I've already received.
 
Here is some additional info.  First, the QEM is the Quality Education Model as determined by the Quality Education Commission.  The basic premise of the QEM is to establish an objective and research-based link between student achievement and the resources devoted to Oregon schools to use as a guide in future efforts to fund Oregon schools adequately.  To learn more about it, go here:  http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=166.
 
Included in the QEM are minimum staffing and materials spending baselines for school libraries.  Annually, the School Library Consultant analyzes data provided by ODE to determine which libraries met the minimum expectations for school libraries.  The 2008 analysis is for the 2006-07 school year.  
 
In the past, there was confusion about what qualifies as library material expenditures.  This is the clarification we received from ODE:
There are two object categories in our accounting system that make up "library materials." 
1) Library Books (code 430) described as "Expenditures for regular or incidental purchases of library books available for general use by students, including any reference books, even though such reference books may be used solely in the classroom. Also recorded here are costs of binding or other repair to library books." 
2) Periodicals (code 440) described as "Expenditures for periodicals and newspapers. A periodical is any publication appearing at regular intervals of less than a year and continuing for an indefinite period." 
For both of these categories, our instructions to school districts are to include books, periodicals, and other materials that are in electronic form as well as paper form.
 
As for staffing, textbook clerks, AV clerks, and other non-library positions should not be reported as library support staff.
 
So who reports this information to ODE?  Depending on the district's size, it could be the building principal or district personnel.    
 
Finally, I will not make changes to the database of school library info provided by ODE, which is posted here:  http://www.oregon.gov/OSL/LD/school/School_Library_Data_for_2006-7.xls.  However, I will track confirmed corrections in my own version of the spreadsheet and will adjust results accordingly.  For example, if the data for Super Elementary indicates that the library was not staffed, but I learn that they had a .5 librarian and a .8 assistant, I will include Super Elementary in the count of schools that met the staffing minimums.
 
Please share this with school library personnel who may not be on this listserv.
 
Thanks,
Jen   
 
Jennifer Maurer
School Library Consultant
Library Development
Oregon State Library
250 Winter Street NE
Salem, OR  97301-3950
503-378-5011
jennifer.maurer at state.or.us
 
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