Bill > A4500

Introduced Session

This bill establishes minimum ratios of school library media specialists to students required in school districts. The ratios are: · in each public school having an enrollment of less than 300 students on October 15 of the prior school year, the board of education is required to employ, at a minimum, one half-time staff member who holds an educational services certificate with a school library media specialist endorsement; · in each public school having an enrollment of between 300 and 1,499 students on October 15 of the prior school year, the board of education is required to employ, at a minimum, one full-time staff member who holds an educational services certificate with a school library media specialist endorsement; and · in each public school having an enrollment of 1,500 or more students on October 15 of the prior school year, the board of education is required to employ, at a minimum, two full-time staff members who hold an educational services certificate with a school library media specialist endorsement. The bill specifies how much time in each school day the school library media specialist is required to devote to school library work in public secondary schools, which is dependent upon the enrollment in the school. The bill also requires a public school having an enrollment of 500 or more students on October 15 of the prior school year to employ a minimum of one full-time staff member to serve as a library clerk, and to employ one additional full-time staff member to serve as a library clerk for each additional 500 students enrolled in the school. In order to be college- and career-ready in the twenty-first century, students must be able to use a wide range of information resources including books, media, technology, and the Internet. All students must be able to locate, evaluate, and interpret information accurately for academic and professional success. A qualified school library media specialist is uniquely suited through educational training and professional development to provide this educational foundation for all students. Twenty-two states currently require school library media specialists in their schools and 12 use student enrollment to determine the number of school library media specialists the schools employ.

Committee Categories

Daniel Benson (D)*,  Shavonda Sumter (D)*,  Benjie Wimberly (D)*,  Ralph Caputo (D),  Thomas Giblin (D),  John McKeon (D),  Blonnie Watson (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 01/19/2017)