I would like to suggest that library advocates share the forwarded article with local school board members and superintendents rather than their local school librarians.
Why?
Because chances are that your local schools do NOT employ school librarians.

Only 8% of Michigan Schools employ a full-time certified school librarian and only 18% employ either a full or part-time school librarian.
(See chart below).
Michigan ranks 47th in the nation in terms of the ratio of students to school librarians and ranks 46th in the nation in 4th-grade students scoring proficient or above in reading as measured by the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP).  

One of the SLJ articles referenced by Deb Kachel lists Michigan as one of the states that have lost the highest percentage of FTE School Librarians between 2009-10 and 2015-2016.
A graph of the loss of certified school librarians in Michigan is found below.

Jim Neal, ALA President, in his March article for American Libraries states: "In this environment of inter­dependency, we, as a family of libraries, must embrace advocacy for school libraries as foundational to the success of our collective work for students who love to read, as we prepare them for college, career, and life."
https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/03/01/fight-for-school-libraries/

In addition, April is School Library month!  This has been recognized by Governor Snyder in his proclamation of April as School Library Month in Michigan.  bit.ly/MIaprilslm
Thus, April would be a great time to send letters to local school board members and superintendents.  A sample letter which can be personalized can be found here: bit.ly/MIslltr

Michigan MUST support effective school libraries supported by certified school librarians in order to improve literacy in our state.  

Thank you for sharing the April 2018 Phi Delta Kappan article "Why school librarians matter: What years of research tell us" by Deborah Kachel and Keith Curry Lance (http://www.kappanonline.org/lance-kachel-school-librarians-matter-years-research/) widely; but, thank you especially for sharing it with local school boards and superintendents.

If you have any questions or need additional data, please let me know.
Thank you so much!
--Kathy Lester


 


Kathy Lester, MLIS, MA
Advocacy Chair, Past-President 2014
Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME)
SIGLIB Steering Committee
Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL)
School Library Media Specialist / Technology Coach
SL21 Model Library, 2017-2018
SL21 Exemplary Ranking - Michigan School Libraries for the 21st Century 2016-2019
East Middle School, Plymouth-Canton Schools
ISTE Making IT Happen Award Winner
2017 MAME Michigan School Library Program of the Year
2012 State Librarian's Excellence Award Winner


On Tue, Mar 27, 2018 at 3:56 AM, Christine Hage via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:
Please share with your local school librarians.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Deb Kachel <dkachel69@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, Mar 26, 2018 at 9:06 PM
Subject: Newly Published School Library Research

Hello School Library Advocates

 

Keith Curry Lance and I have conducted some recent research and  hope you will help us spread this info out on your state networks and social media. Our research is gaining attention and has been published by School Library Journal and Phi Delta Kappan. Here are the links. In addition, please read the Jessen article that shows how students in our poorest communities and largely black communities have the fewest school libraries and librarians. Jessen poses this as a “canary in the coal mine” harkening of a resegregation of schools, led by the charter movement that has the least library services for students due to no oversight.

 

I hope you find these articles helpful in your work to ensure that all K-12 students can learn with adequate school library services.

 

Phi Delta Kappan http://www.kappanonline.org/lance-kachel-school-librarians-matter-years-research/

 

Several School Library Journal articles: Landing page https://www.slj.com/school-librarian-state-union/#_

 

Thank you for all your continued support, Deb

 

************************************************

Debra E. Kachel

Legislative Liaison, Pa. School Librarians Assn.

dkachel69@comcast.net

717-575-3886 (cell)

Twitter @SchLibAdvocate

PA Library Legislation Webpage

PA School Library Project




Christine Lind Hage
Director, Rochester Hills Public Library
Division Councilor, United for Libraries
500 Olde Towne Road
Rochester, MI 48307-2043
248/650-7122

The E's of Libraries®: Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, Engagement


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