Unfortunately, we have to take action once again. On Monday, January 7, Superintendent Tara Taupier and Chief Financial Officer Corbett Elsen presented the Fiscal Advisory Draft recommendation to certificated staff. Certificated staff like school librarians were not included in this budget meaning that, in this current draft budget, they are proposing that certificated librarians will be eliminated as of the 2019-2020 school year.
This is not acceptable and the school board needs to hear from you today!
Donations of $10-$25 help us support school librarians!
California school districts are required to provide library services to their students and teachers. [Ed Code section 18100] Services provided by non-credentialed personnel shall not include those activities requiring possession of a valid Teacher Librarian Services Credential. [Ed Code section 44868] The Teacher Librarian Services Credential authorizes the holder to instruct pupils in the choice and use of library materials; to plan and coordinate school library programs with the instructional programs of a school district; to select materials for school and district libraries; to coordinate or supervise library programs at the school, district or county level; to plan and conduct a course of instruction for those pupils who assist in the operation of school libraries; to supervise classified personnel assigned school library duties; and to develop procedures for and management of the school and district libraries.
The California Model School Library Standards, adopted by the state board of education in 2010, include the following: “The school library is staffed by a team consisting of a credentialed teacher librarian and paraprofessional staff”. A credentialed teacher librarian is essential to an effective school library program, yet only nine percent of school libraries in California are staffed with teacher librarians.