<div>We are getting another chance to have it recognized that our kids need good school libraries and librarians.</div>
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<div><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/u-s-house-introduced-skills-act/">http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/u-s-house-introduced-skills-act/</a></div>
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<h1 class="entry-title">U.S. House Introduces SKILLS Act</h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">Posted on</span> <a title="11:51 am" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/u-s-house-introduced-skills-act/" rel="bookmark"><span class="entry-date">January 19, 2012</span></a> <span class="byline"><span class="meta-sep">by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" title="View all posts by Jacob Roberts" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/author/jroberts/">Jacob Roberts</a></span></span><span class="comments-link"><span class="meta-sep">|</span> </span></div>
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<div style="WIDTH:270px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alawash/5707297821/in/set-72157626567199551/"><img title="Rep. Grijalva" alt="" src="http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/inside_article/grijalva_crowd_0.jpg" width="260" height="273"></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva encourages library advocates before they meet with congressional lawmakers. Photo by Lauren Ann Donia</p></div></div>
<p class="entry-content">On January 17, U.S. Representative <a title="Grijalva" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/?s=grijalva">Raul Grijalva</a> (D-AZ, 7th), along with Representatives <a title="Holt" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/?s=holt">Rush Holt </a>(D-NJ, 12th) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA, 6th) introduced the <a title="SKILLS Act" href="http://ala.org/advocacy/advleg/federallegislation/eduleg/skillsact">Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLS) Act</a>. The SKILLS Act, numbered H.R. 3776 in the House, is a companion bill of S. 1328 that was introduced in the Senate by Senators <a title="Reed" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/?s=jack+reed">Jack Reed</a> (D-RI) and <a title="Cochran" href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/?s=Thad+Cochran">Thad Cochran</a> (R-MS) back on July 6, 2011.</p>
<p class="entry-content">Both the House and Senate version of the SKILLS Act would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to do the following:</p>
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<li>Defines an “effective school library program” to be staffed by a state-certified school librarian, have up-to-date materials including technology, teaches digital literacy skills, and finally, has regular collaboration between other education professionals over curriculum.</li>
<li>Replaces Improving Literacy Through School Libraries with Improving Literacy and College and Career Readiness Through Effective School Library Programs which would award competitive grants to underserved local schools and school districts to develop an effective school library program.</li>
<li>Allows school librarians access to professional development funds under Title II of ESEA.</li></ol></div>
<p>H.R. 3776 was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. No further action has been announced for this legislation.</p>
<p>S. 1328 was introduced as an amendment to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee mark-up of the ESEA reauthorization in October 2011. That amendment was unfortunately withdrawn due to lack of support on the committee, and ESEA was reported from the HELP committee without a library provision.</p>
<a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/u-s-house-introduced-skills-act/">http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/u-s-house-introduced-skills-act/</a></div>
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<div><em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS';FONT-SIZE:10pt">Diedre Conkling</span></em><i><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS';FONT-SIZE:10pt"><br><em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS'">Lincoln County Library District</span></em><br>
<em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS'">P.O. Box 2027</span></em><br><em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS'">Newport, OR 97365</span></em><br><em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS'">Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066</span></em><br>
<em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS'">Work email</span></em></span></i><em><span style="FONT-STYLE:normal;FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS';FONT-SIZE:10pt">: </span></em><a href="mailto:diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org" target="_blank"><i><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS';FONT-SIZE:10pt"><font color="#0000ff">diedre@lincolncolibrarydist.org</font></span></i></a><i><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS';FONT-SIZE:10pt"><br>
<em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS'">Home email: </span></em></span></i><a href="mailto:diedre08@gmail.com" target="_blank"><em><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Comic Sans MS';COLOR:blue;FONT-SIZE:10pt">diedre08@gmail.com</span></em></a></div>
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<div><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/WAR-IS-OBSOLETE/297916183027" target="_blank"><font color="#3b5998">WAR IS OBSOLETE</font></a></div><span>Holding resentment is like eating poison and waiting for the other person to keel over. - Unknown Author</span></h6>
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