[Libs-Or] School Library Staffing in Oregon, 1980-2011

Wed Nov 20 13:21:08 PST 2013

Yes, there have been a large number of school library impact studies that demonstrate positive correlations between student achievement and strong school library programs run by licensed librarians. Several sites are trying to collect them, including http://www.lrs.org/data-tools/school-libraries/impact-studies/.

Oregon's study was done by Keith Curry Lance and two others in 2001. My favorite finding is this:

    Whatever the current level of development of a school’s library media (LM) program, these findings indicate that incremental improvements
    in its staffing, collections, and budget will yield incremental increases in reading scores (http://www.davidvl.org/LanceStudies/ORStudy.pdf).

I've heard rumblings from OASL and others that maybe it's time for another Oregon study. In my personal opinion -- that of a school librarian who was RIFed from school library jobs two times in her first three years in Oregon because of budget cuts -- I'm not convinced that another study to show school and district administrators would convince them to change their minds. I lean towards trying to identify "new approaches that connect/resonate with our intended audience." All that being said, as the School Library Consultant, I'll support folks as I am able.

Thanks,
Jen

Jennifer Maurer
School Library Consultant
Oregon State Library
250 Winter St NE
Salem, OR 97301
503.378.5011
jennifer.maurer at state.or.us

________________________________
From: Libs-Or [libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] on behalf of Candice Watkins [CWatkins at clatsopcc.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 10:42 AM
To: Carol Dinges; Tony Greiner; libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] School Library Staffing in Oregon, 1980-2011

There have been quite a few studies on this topic over the years. One of the most recent, very thorough, studies is the article, “Creating 21st century learners: A report on Pennsylvania’s public school libraries,” http://www.elc-pa.org/Creating21stCenturyLearners_LibraryDataReport.10.17.12.pdf. This study shows the dramatic correlation between a strong library program and student success, particularly between having a full time credentialed librarian on staff and increased test scores in reading and writing. This study was also one of the first, if not the first, to tie in and consider the Common Core Standards and AASL standards into the research.

I read somewhere recently that since the 1960s, there have been 50 or so similar research studies done that show the strong correlation between professional K-12 librarians and student success. It is very frustrating that, as Carol points out, those that hold the purse strings, except in rare instances, do not seem to listen to this research. That said, it doesn’t mean that we should stop pursuing this avenue. Perhaps a new research study for Oregon is in order? We’ll also need to find new approaches that connect/resonate with our intended audience. That’s the trick is figuring out what those new approaches will look like.

Just some of my thoughts on this issue. Thanks for bringing it up!

Candice Watkins
Library Director
Clatsop Community College

From: Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Carol Dinges
Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 8:52 AM
To: Tony Greiner; libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] School Library Staffing in Oregon, 1980-2011

As one of the former school librarians, I used to feel optimistic that the indisputable research connecting academic achievement to students’ access to quality library programs staffed with licensed librarians would resonate with decision-makers.  Unfortunately, I no longer believe that legislators, school boards, and others who hold the power care at all about anything but cutting costs.  They may put on a show of concern for students’ learning opportunities – nodding like bobble-heads – but their actions indicate profound apathy.

Carol Dinges
Lebanon Public Library

From: Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Tony Greiner
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2013 9:08 PM
To: libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us<mailto:libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] School Library Staffing in Oregon, 1980-2011

I would be very interesting to compare the horrendous decline in school librarians with the concomitant decline in SAT and OAKS scores. If it shows what I think it will show, that could be a real tool to getting librarians back in schools, books in kids hands, and more readers in the early grades.

Tony

**tony_greiner at hotmail.com**<mailto:**tony_greiner at hotmail.com**>
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> Subject: Libs-Or Digest, Vol 122, Issue 32
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> Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:30:38 -0700
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> Today's Topics:
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> 1. History of School Library Staffing in Oregon: 1980 to 2011
> (Jennifer Maurer)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:30:35 +0000
> From: "Jennifer Maurer" <jennifer.maurer at state.or.us<mailto:jennifer.maurer at state.or.us>>
> To: "'libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us'"
> <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us<mailto:libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>>
> Subject: [Libs-Or] History of School Library Staffing in Oregon: 1980
> to 2011
> Message-ID:
> <B60CC3E64AD0D941AA792F1955E3D5C337DF1A1C at OSLEXCHANGE.osl.state.or.us.local<mailto:B60CC3E64AD0D941AA792F1955E3D5C337DF1A1C at OSLEXCHANGE.osl.state.or.us.local>>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Please pardon the cross posting.
>
> The State Librarian has tracked the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) licensed school librarians employed in Oregon public schools since the 1980-81 school year. Recently we also started tracking the number of FTE school library support staff. For figures and a chart related to the 31-year span, see the attached PDF. Here is brief snapshot:
>
> School Year
>
> FTE Library Support Staff
>
> FTE Licensed Librarians
>
> Percent Change from 1980 to 2011
>
> No. of Students Per Licensed Librarian
>
> Percent Change from 1980 to 2011
>
> 1980-81
>
> n/a
>
> 818
>
> n/a
>
> 547
>
> n/a
>
> 2010-11
>
> 682
>
> 308
>
> n/a
>
> 1,822
>
> n/a
>
> 2011-12
>
> 697
>
> 203
>
> -75%
>
> 2,763
>
> +405%
>
>
> The information comes from the Oregon Department of Education. As of the last few years, some of the figures were pulled from the Oregon Statewide Annual Report Card<http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=1821>. Note that the staffing chart on PDF page 15 of the 2011-12 report card<http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/annreportcard/rptcard2012.pdf> (and for some previous years) combines figures for school library licensed and support staff. When we pointed out that this could be confusing since there is a separate row for support staff, ODE added a note to the bottom of the chart. We seek clarification from ODE staff about the separate figures for licensed versus support staff.
>
> Questions? Please ask.
>
> Thanks,
> Jen
>
> Jennifer Maurer
> School Library Consultant
> Oregon State Library
> 250 Winter Street NE
> Salem, OR 97301
> 503.378.5011
> jennifer.maurer at state.or.us<mailto:jennifer.maurer at state.or.us<mailto:jennifer.maurer at state.or.us%3cmailto:jennifer.maurer at state.or.us>>
>
> OSLIS || www.oslis.org<http://www.oslis.org>
> Learn to research. Research to learn.(c)
>
> [SLM20132border]
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