Response to LA Times editorial: Grading
California's Schools, August 7
More relevant than using outcomes (test
scores, graduation rates) in rating schools is an "input" factor: the
quality of the library.
Study after study shows that that students living in states
with better school libraries do better on tests of reading achievement.
California ranks near the bottom of the
country in school library quality and is dead last in the ratio of school
librarians per student. Our students get
little help from the public library: According to the latest "most
literate cities" report, six California cities (including LA) are in the
bottom ten out of 76 in library quality. Our low reading scores are
no surprise.
Children of poverty have
little access to books at home, in their neighborhoods, or at school, and few
can afford e-readers and e-books. This lack of access helps explain their low
reading achievement. For many of these children, the library is their only
source of books.
Stephen Krashen
Professor Emeritus, University of
Southern California
Most literate cities:
Impact of libraries and librarians: Lance, K. C. The
Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement. http://www.lrs.org/impact.php; McQuillan,
J. The Literacy Crisis: False Claims and Real Solutions. Heinemann; Krashen,
Stephen, Syying Lee, and Jeff McQuillan. 1998. “Is the Library Important?
Multivariate Studies at the National and International Level.” Journal of Language and Literacy Education 8.1
(2012): 26–36.
Poverty and access to books: Krashen, S (2004). The
Power of Reading. Heinemann and Libraries Unliimted (Second Edition)
e-readers, e-books: Krashen, S. 2011. Kindelizaton:
Are Books Obsolete? Journal of the California School Library Association, CSLA
3(2):10-11.
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