Linking Libraries and Academic Achievement

PUBLIC HEARING:  STANDARDS OF ACCREDITATION
The Board of Education has scheduled five public hearings on Standards of Accreditation for the evening of January 17, 2006 to begin at 7 p.m. at the following locations:  Richmond, Loudoun County, Chesapeake, Waynesboro, and Wytheville.  Specific locations will be announced at a later date.

Contact: Margaret Roberts, executive assistant to the Board of
Education, (804) 225-2924; Margaret.Roberts@doe.virginia.gov

If we want to have a voice in how school libraries are viewed especially with the 65% controversy that is raging nationwide, (see article at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/education/04solution.html ) and with the controversy over the National Center for Education Statisitics definition of school libraries,(Athletics counts as a classroom activity, including coaches’ salaries, but librarians, guidance counselors, food service workers and school bus drivers do not, under guidelines created by the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the federal Department of Education.) then we need to communicate our concerns to those who are in the position to enact change; our Board of Education and our legislators.

If you are genuinely concerned about funding, facilities, the role of the school library, or others aspects of school library programs within the instructional program of the school, here is your opportunity to make your voice count.

Last year, the Virginia Education Association went on record as saying that the standards for library programs need to be revised and recently the National Council of Teachers of English sent a resolution to the US DOE outlining their support for school library programs. We must do our part to continue to educate others about the value of library programs. Remember that no other area of the instructional program is reponsible for supporting teaching and learning for all grades and all subjects in a building as well as purchasing the materials needed to ensure that high quality resources are available to all throughout the school day and beyond.

I encourage you to become informed on this matters which impact academic achievement for all our our students.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 6th, 2006 at 1:44 pm Filed under Advocacy and. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.