Posted June 30, 2006. State Officials Mandate Librarians in Milwaukee Schools

State Officials Mandate Librarians in Milwaukee Schools

Some three dozen schools in the Milwaukee Public Schools system have been given 14 months to ensure that a licensed librarian oversees each of their libraries. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction June 26 released the results of an investigation into a Milwaukee Teachers’ Association complaint that the schools were violating rules that call for a certified librarian on staff.

According to the June 26 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the DPI report shows that only 44 certified librarian are serving 157 schools. Richard Saks, an attorney for the MTEA, said the lack of librarians is “a serious systemic problem” that affects student performance. School Superintendent William Andrekopoulos told the newspaper that “schools have to prioritize” and the choice is often between classroom teachers and “specialists” such as music and art teachers and librarians.

Andrekopoulos said schools that cannot come up with the money to pay librarians by September 1, 2007, could seek waivers from the law or be converted to charter schools, which would not fall under the same rules.

Posted June 30, 2006.