Frequency of National Center for Education Statistics Data on School Libraries

Concern: State libraries and education departments need accurate, timely, comprehensive data in order to assess their school libraries.

United States Code Title 20. Education, Chapter 76. Education Research, Statistics, Evaluation, Information, and Dissemination, Subchapter Education Sciences Reform, Part C. National Center for Education Statistics, Section 9543, Duties, 1 states, “The Statistics Center shall collect, report, analyze, and disseminate statistical data related to education in the United States and in other nations, including (1) collecting, acquiring, compiling (where appropriate, on a State-by-State basis), and disseminating full and complete statistics”

Paragraph 1 states, “the existence and use of school libraries” shall be a set of data collected, and

Paragraphs 4 states that the Statistics Center mandate includes “assisting public and private educational agencies, organizations, and institutions in improving and automating statistical and data collection activities, which may include assisting State educational agencies and local educational agencies with the disaggregation of data and with the development of longitudinal student data systems;

Staff from numerous state library agencies and state departments of education have created a standard set of data elements and definitions in expressed intent to conduct an annual report of all school libraries; this standardized annual school library report project fits within the mandate of the Statistics Center.

Action: The Affiliate Executive Committee did not approve this concern for submission to the Affiliate Assembly body.

Charters and Legislation for Schools

Concern: Oklahoma Association of School Library Media Specialists (OASLMS) is concerned about the development of charters and/or other governing contracts or legislation for schools and school districts which can impact school library media centers.

Action: This concern was approved by the Affiliate Assembly Executive Committee and forwarded to the Assembly for review where it was combined with job loss concerns from Regions 2, 8, and 9.

Concern: The elimination of school librarians allows for the elimination of library programs and the exemption of school librarians from statutory requirements. This lowers standards and compromises the quality of school library programs and adversely affects student achievement.

Action: The AASL Board responded:

• AASL continues to work with the ALA Washington Office on passing the SKILLS Act.
• Anne Eubank was asked to review the Instructional Classification toolkit for any necessary updates.
• Partnering with other organizations to support the role of LMS in instructional programs is part of the L4L initiative.
• The Crisis Toolkit is in place and addresses the elimination of school librarians and programs and felt an additional white paper on the topic was not necessary.

Job Elimination and NCES

Concern: The elimination of school librarian jobs and the continuance of NCES classification of school librarians as 'support staff' rather than 'instructional staff.'

Action: This concern was approved by the Affiliate Assembly Executive Committee and forwarded to the Assembly for review where it was combined with job loss concerns from Regions 6, 8, and 9.

Concern: The elimination of school librarians allows for the elimination of library programs and the exemption of school librarians from statutory requirements. This lowers standards and compromises the quality of school library programs and adversely affects student achievement.

Action: The AASL Board responded:

• AASL continues to work with the ALA Washington Office on passing the SKILLS Act.
• Anne Eubank was asked to review the Instructional Classification toolkit for any necessary updates.
• Partnering with other organizations to support the role of LMS in instructional programs is part of the L4L initiative.
• The Crisis Toolkit is in place and addresses the elimination of school librarians and programs and felt an additional white paper on the topic was not necessary.

NCES Classification

Concern: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) classification of school librarians as instructional staff.

Action: The Affiliate Executive Committee did not approve this concern for submission to the Affiliate Assembly body.