Sent to the New York Times, June 25, 2011
The US Department of Education is planning the most massive and expensive testing program ever seen on the planet, far exceeding the already unacceptable level of testing demanded by NCLB. There is no evidence that the new tests will work and plenty of evidence that they will not. If they fail, students and teachers will suffer, but testing companies will keep their profits and will get to try again.
At the same time, schools are "squeezing out librarians" (June 25). Study after study shows that quality school libraries staffed by a credentialed school librarian are related to higher reading scores.
For a fraction of the cost of the new standards and tests, which have no research support, we could easily improve our libraries and staff them with knowledgeable librarians, an option with plenty of research support.
Stephen Krashen
Research on impact of credentialed school librarians on reading achievement reviewed in Schools Libraries Work! (2008), Scholastic Library Publishing. Available at: http://www.iasl-online.org/advocacy/make-a-difference.html
Original Article: In Lean Times, Schools Squeeze Out Librarians http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/25/nyregion/schools-eliminating-librarians-as-budgets-shrink.html?emc=eta1
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