[Libs-Or] [Fwd: [alacoun] School Library cuts in President's FY2011 budget proposals]

[Suzanne Sager]

FYI,

Suzanne L. Sager
Oregon ALA Chapter Councilor

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[alacoun] School Library cuts in President's FY2011 budget 
proposals
Date: 	Tue, 2 Feb 2010 14:27:44 -0500
From: 	Norton, Sylvia K <Sylvia.K.Norton at maine.gov>
To: 	ALA Council <alacoun at ala.org>



*Below is a** press release from the ALA Washington Office about cuts to 
school library funding**.  **All librarians should be concerned when 
federal funding to improve education fails to include school libraries 
as it also fails to recognize our common values for learning and 
equity.  It is too easy to look at $400 billion** for a 21^st century 
education** **and think that** of course we will **have money for school 
**library collections to engage students and promote reading or **to 
fund **school librarian**s to teach how to navigate information for 
digital citizenship. S**pecific language is needed if we want books, 
information, and school librarians in our school libraries. ** **I am 
all too aware **in my state level work **that the current lack of 
specific language saying "**school **library" or "**school **librarian" 
in No Child Left Behind has negatively affected school libraries**.  
**Too many lack staff and resources for effective programs while the 
NCLB dollars for reading and technology are spent on **a literacy 
specialist who chooses **classroom **book **collections or **website 
evaluation is taught by a tech integrator **without the information 
specialist training and knowledge of a school librarian.  Now, with 
future policy at stake, it is important that we make sure school 
libraries and school librarians are specified.  A federal investment for 
all students to be 21^st century learners should mean a school library 
program with the instruction and resources provided by a school 
librarian.**  ***

 

Sylvia K. Norton

School Library/Technology Planning Coordinator

State E-rate Coordinator

Maine Dept. of Education/Maine State Library

64 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333

207-287-5620

*******

/AASL Division Councilor/

/American Library Association/

Press Officer

ALA Washington Office

(202) 628-8410

jterry at alawash.org <mailto:jterry at alawash.org>

 

 

For Immediate Release

February 1, 2010

 

President's FY2011 budget proposals calls for cuts to school library 
funding

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Obama's FY2011 Budget Proposal to Congress 
released today included a $400 billion investment into education but did 
not include specific funds for school libraries. Additionally, the 
budget called for a consolidation of the funds for the Improving 
Literacy Through School Libraries Program, which takes the funds out of 
reach for most school libraries.

 

"This Administration says it wants to focus on programs that are 
effective, but it has not only recommended policy that will keep school 
libraries underfunded, but it will also eliminate funds for a program 
that the Department of Education has evaluated twice and found to be 
effective both times," American Association of School Libraries (AASL) 
<http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/index.cfm> President Cassandra 
Barnett said. AASL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

In January 2009, the Department of Education released the Second 
Evaluation of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program, 
which indicated that students attending schools participating in this 
program are performing higher on state reading tests than students in 
schools that do not take part in the program. Additionally, the study 
stated that in schools that participated in the program in 2003-04, the 
percentage of students who met or exceeded the proficiency requirements 
on state reading assessments increased by an extra 2.7 percentage points 
over the increase observed among nonparticipating schools during the 
same time period.

"In his State of the Union Address, President Obama stated that 'In the 
21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class 
education.' Yet, the President's budget neglects funding for a program 
that provides the type of learning experiences that develop the critical 
thinking and collaborative skills that are key to global competiveness," 
Barnett said.

 

"School library programs focus on the skills that prepare students to be 
independent learners capable of assessing and recognizing their personal 
strengths and weaknesses thus graduating college or career ready. A 
world-class, 21^st century education includes instruction from a school 
librarian -- a teacher who knows the school's curriculum and effective 
techniques necessary to cross disciplines and integrate information and 
technology literacy. Yet, Obama's budget and policy proposals neglect to 
support the role of school librarians and, as a result, too many of our 
nation's schools will not have school librarians or essential school 
library programs."

 

 


-- 
Portland State University logo

Suzanne L. Sager
Library East, Cataloging
Portland State University

503-725-8169
503-725-5799
sagers at pdx.edu

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