Model School Library Standards Approved in CALIFORNIA

YIPPEE!  The excitement began in March 2009, when the State Board of Education asked for Model School Library Standards.  Lots of hard work by lots of dedicated educators and advocates resulted in some very significant standards for California school library programs.  Kudos to all involved.  Here is the press release from the California Department of Education.
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REL#10-107
CONTACT: Pam Slater
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHONE: 916-319-0818
September 16, 2010
E-MAIL: pslater@cde.ca.govpslater@cde.ca.gov>

State Schools Chief Jack O’Connell Applauds State Board of Education’s Adoption of School Library Standards

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today applauded the State Board of Education for voting to adopt the Model School Library Standards for California Public Schools.

"Students need to know how to access, evaluate, and use information effectively so they can become information-literate," said O’Connell. "The new, rigorous School Library Standards will help our efforts to prepare students for success in the hypercompetitive global economy that is powered by information and knowledge. The School Library Standards complement the newly adopted Common Core Standards in English-language arts. Implementation of these standards will help students to learn and use 21st century skills, apply responsible research practices, act with respect for others when using digital devices, and continue to grow as life-long learners.“

The State Board of Education authorized the California Department of Education (CDE) in March 2009 to develop the School Library Standards based on California Education Code Section 18101 that required the State Board of Education to adopt standards, rules, and regulations for school library services. More than 60 research studies throughout the nation have shown that students attending schools with good libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than their peers in schools without libraries.

The CDE worked with the California School Library Association and other education stakeholder groups to develop the newly adopted standards.
The School Library Standards include:

·         Standards for students that delineate what students should know and be able to do at each grade level, kindergarten through grade six; or grade spans, seven to eight, and nine to twelve.
·         Program Standards that describe the collections and resources, including technology and staffing, that are expected in an effective school library that will enable students to achieve the School Library Standards for students.

The prepublication draft of the School Library Standards is posted on the California Department of Education Web page at School Libraries Curriculum Resources: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/lb/. The final publication is expected to be available early in 2011.

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The California Department of Education (CDE) is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. The core purpose of CDE is to lead and support the continuous improvement of student achievement, with a specific focus on closing achievement gaps. For more information, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov or by mobile device at http://m.cde.ca.gov/. You may also follow Superintendent O'Connell (@SSPIJack) on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/sspijack.


Pam Slater
Public Information Officer
Communications Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 5602
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-319-0818
916-319-0100 (fax)
pslater@cde.ca.gov