Using large-scale assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of school library programs in California.

摘要

This California statewide study examined the relationship between the presence of school libraries, as defined by credentialed staffing, and student achievement, as measured by both criterion-referenced and norm-referenced assessments. The 2001 reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), mandates increased student achievement in K-12 schools and districts as a condition for receiving federal monies. Because the accountability provisions under NCLB focus on what students have learned rather than on what is taught, an outcome-based emphasis has created the need to quantitatively determine the effectiveness of specific programs.; Using the School Characteristics Index (SCI) to compare schools with similar demographics, statistically significant positive relationships were found between the presence of a school library and student achievement on all CST assessments at the elementary and middle school levels. Statistically significant positive relationships were also found between the presence of a school library and student achievement on all elementary CAT-6 (Survey) assessments and on the mathematics CAT-6 (Survey) at the middle school level. There were no statistically significant relationships found between the presence of a school library and student achievement at the high school level.; Factors within the school library at the elementary and middle school levels were also examined. At the elementary level, the size of the collection, hours of operation, presence of a video collection, types of technology offered, and offering a program of curriculum-integrated skills instruction, were found to have a statistically significant relationship to student achievement. At the middle school level, no specific factor was found to have a statistically significant relationship with student achievement. Recommendations included the need for communicating a clear library vision, working collaboratively across campus, and examining the role of the school library's program to support core instructional goals. Further study needs to examine if the same outcomes would result with other definitions of a school library program including noncredentialed staffing. In addition, an examination of the relationship between the number of students and staff served and student achievement, and the impact of scheduling and adjunct duties on program quality should be explored.