Texas Association of School Librarians
Legislative Update

Full review of the 78th Legislature

March 2004

Special Legislative Session

At this time, there is much speculation about a special legislative session to deal with school finance.  If Governor Perry decides to convene a special session, the anticipated date for its start is late April, although nothing concrete has yet been determined.  The primary rationale for such a session would be deal with the state’s financing of public education and a review of the state’s educational system.  The State House, as well as a Joint Senate and House Committee, are reviewing issues related to education, taxing, and school finance.  For additional information on these groups, you may go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/psf/.

At present, these committees have been meeting and dealing with general education and taxing issues.  So far, only invited testimony has been heard.

TLA Strategies

Since the summer, TLA has been working on formulating a strategy for school library access to digital content and the role of school libraries in education. The TLA Taskforce on Resource Sharing is looking at two primary strategies involving the expansion of TexShare and potentially a new initiative through TEA.  The formulation of these strategies also depends on the likelihood of receiving additional funds.  Anyone interested in the progress of the TLA Resource Sharing Taskforce should plan on attending a public forum to discuss these issues at TLA’s annual conference.

TLA has also initiated an effort to get superintendents to write the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Public School Finance about the need for the state to issue guidelines on the value of school library programs.

Call to Action

All school librarians are encouraged to ask their superintendents to write to their own state legislators, as well as Representative Kent Grusendorf (Arlington), chairman of the House Public Education Committee and co-chair of the Joint Select Committee, and Senator Florence Shapiro (Plano), chairman of the Senate Education Committee and co-chair of the Joint Select Committee, to ask that the needs of school libraries be considered in the Joint Committee’s work.

To write to the co-chairs, you may send your correspondence to:

  • The Honorable Florence Shapiro
    Chairman, Joint Select Committee on Public School Finance
    P.O. Box 12068
    Capitol Station
    Austin, Texas 78711

    Dear Senator Shapiro:

  •   The Honorable Kent Grusendorf
    Chairman, Joint Select Committee on Public School Finance
    Room CAP 1W.05
    P.O. Box 2910
    Austin, TX 78768

Dear Representative Grusendorf:

Additional information will be posted in Texline. To find out who represents you and to get legislative contact information, you may go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/fyi.htm. 

The following talking points were developed by the TLA office.

Texas School Libraries: Providing a Quality Education to the Children of Texas

The problems:

·         Statewide funding for student education must become more economical, with cost-effective solutions that produce results.

·         Teachers need professional support in understanding new online learning resources and technology; and they must have help integrating those resources into the curriculum. Certified school librarians are trained professionals in this area and can provide key, onsite, and flexible support to teachers, as well as students.

·         Students need constant training in the latest research protocols and resources, so that their skills transfer from grade to grade and ultimately to higher education. Libraries are the one instruction function that remains in the same format throughout a learner’s life.  

·         In a time of standardized testing and categorization of skills, students need a learning environment that also offers them a holistic view of education and provides them with the resources to discover and excel on their own.    

Why supporting school library programs will yield stronger student achievement:

·         A study sponsored by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission demonstrates that schools with strong library programs produce students who achieve higher on standardized tests. See http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/schlibsurvey/survey.pdf.

·         Approximately 60% of TAKS are process-based skills and can be taught in the library.  By reinforcing these needed skills in school libraries, students have increased opportunity to learn these core tasks and districts can provide a lower student to teacher ratio in these instances because, where certified school librarians are available, these educators also hold teaching degrees. The Texas Standards for School Libraries have been linked to key areas of the TAKS.

·         In many schools, libraries are the center for technology and learning resources.  Both students and teachers rely on school libraries not only for content but also for training.  In the case of teachers, who already struggle with continuing education opportunities, the school librarian can be an onsite educational technology consultant.

·         School libraries are the only program that serve all students throughout their academic careers and provide a needed basis to help students succeed in higher education environments. Without the availability of a full range of educational resources, particularly those that allow students to learn and explore on their own, students may have difficulty in acquiring lifelong learning skills.

Desired Outcomes:

·         State recommendation for maintenance of strong school library programs in every school in Texas.

·         State mandate that the Texas Education Agency gather data from all school districts related to district wide school library administration and per campus school library statistics, including number of certified school librarians, school library aides, facilities, resources (both print and electronic), technology, and funding.

·         State funding of statewide online instructional library resources (e.g., online encyclopedias, full text educational journals and newspapers) to yield the most cost-effective – and equitable – access model.

TASL HOME • TXLA