Start the conversation here

New Research Shows Reading and Writing Gains for Students with Full-Time, Certified Librarian

A just-released report shows the results of school library staffing in relation to the standardized reading and writng test scores of Pennsylvania students across all grade levels and cohort groups.

"Consistently with previous school library impact studies, this analysis found that test scores tend to be significantly higher for schools that have full-time, certified school librarians as well as for those that have such a librarian with support staff," said researcher Keith Curry Lance.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Deb Kachel on April 10, 2012 at 7:52am

In 2000, Pennsylvania commissioned a similar study that correlated PSSA reading test scores to characteristics of school library programs. We didn't have writing standardized test data at the time. What I find interesting is that the writing scores are even more strongly related to quality school library progrmas and library staffing and the impact on students with special learning needs. From the findings:

"Consistently, poor, minority, and disabled students with full-time librarians are at least twice as likely to have advanced [writing] scores as students without full-time librarians." (Slide 8)

That is very impressive in terms of clsoing the learning gap! Based on this research, schools should not be investing in expensive pre-packaged reading and writing programs when they have the "silver bullet" right in front of them--the school library program!