ALA calls on Dept. of Education to highlight school librarians as states prepare to ‘Race to the Top’

Contact: Jenni Terry
Press Officer
ALA Washington Office
202-628-8410
703-380-2764 (cell)
jterry@alawash.org

For Immediate Release
August 31, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) recently filed comments to the Department of Education regarding the Race to the Top Fund, a competitive one-time grant program funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that aims to encourage and reward states that are leading education innovation and reform.

The ALA’s comments highlighted the need for the Secretary of Education to strongly acknowledge the important role that school libraries play in a student’s education and to encourage states submitting proposals for Race to Top Funds to include resources for school libraries. The comments also called for an increase to the number of school libraries served by a state-licensed school librarian.

“State statistics consistently show that schools with a school library staffed by a state-licensed school librarian produce better test scores. More importantly, these schools produced well-rounded students that are prepared to function in a global society,” American Association of School Libraries (AASL) President Cassandra Barnett said.

“A school library staffed by a state-licensed school librarian adds another classroom to the school and another teacher to help boost achievement scores, help struggling readers, and teach the 21st-century skills that are so critical to a student's education.”

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