13 TAC §4.1
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission adopts new §4.1
with changes to the proposal, as published in the December 19, 2003 issue
of the
Texas Register
(28 TexReg 11195).
This section establishes standards for school library programs, whose general
purpose is to improve school library programs in Texas and their services
to students and the community. The standards are a professional tool for objective
assessment based on recognized measures of performance, and are based on research
that shows a correlation between school library resources and services and
greater student achievement.
Numerous comments were received during the comment period. While these
comments did result in changes to the text of the rule, they primarily changed
the text of the standards and guidelines, as identified below.
Responses to Comments on School Library Programs: Standards and Guidelines
for Texas
The agency is making the following changes due to staff observations to
clarify the intent and improve the accuracy of the standards:
1. In Standard II, Principle 3, the strategies were lettered incorrectly.
This was corrected.
2. Standard II, Principle 2, Campus Level Professional Staff to Support
Student Achievement. At the below standard level for 0-500 ADA, "Less than
0.5 Certified Librarian" was changed to "Less than 1 Certified Librarian."
3. The phrase "Guidelines and Standards" was changed to "Standards and
Guidelines" to correspond to the subchapter heading.
4. The internet location of the final document was revised to reflect the
location where the final Standards and Guidelines document will reside.
General Comments on Standards
Comment 1: A librarian commented that unless the money and staff are available,
the rest of the standards are mere words on paper. Response: The agency only
has authority to promulgate voluntary standards. The standards cannot mandate
or guarantee a high quality program. That is a local community's option and
responsibility. The standards were developed in accordance with the State
Board for Educator Guidelines for Certification of School Librarians, "Information
Power: Building Partnerships for Learning," and other documents, and outline
how libraries may contribute to student achievement.
Comment 2: A librarian commented that the standards sound good on paper
but librarians are too overworked to accomplish all that is expected. Response:
The agency understands the many pressures on librarians and teachers. However,
these standards reflect expectations established for library programs by the
Library Certification Standards developed by the State Board for Educator
Certification. The proposed standards are designed to show the impact that
librarians have in creating life-long learners. It is hoped that librarians
will use these proposed standards to create library programs that support
students as fully as possible. It is also hoped that these standards will
be a tool through which administrators will begin to understand the role of
library programs and librarians, and that librarians will use them to advocate
for exemption from the rotation.
Comment 3: A librarian commented that a computer program was developed
by a school district to provide a summative score for the entire library program
based on the 1997 standards. She asked if a similar program would be developed
for the revised standards. Response: The agency recognizes that such a tool
could be useful, but has no plans to develop such software.
Comment 4: A community member commented that she favored inclusion of criteria
for electronic organizational and data collection tools that assist with synthesis
of information for a wide variety of educational goals. Response: The agency
responds that setting criteria for specific educational support software is
not in the scope of the standards.
Numerous comments were received from a group of librarians in the Dallas
area. They recommended:
Comment 1: They asked for clarification of the language in Standard I,
Principle 2, Strategy A. Response: The agency agrees that clarification may
be useful and has revised that standard to clarify that "reading activities"
includes story-times, book-talks, reading promotions, etc.
Comment 2: They recommend a change in Standard I, Principle 2, Strategy
B. Response: The agency finds that currently 25% of high school students commonly
participate in one or more reading programs throughout the year. Recognized
and exemplary programs should exceed this percentage. As a compromise, the
agency revised the percentage of secondary student participation, but not
as low as the comments suggested.
Comment 3: They question the relevance of reading promotion activities
in Standard I, Principle 2, Strategy C. Response: The agency responds that
reading promotion and marketing the resources is basic to the library program's
mission. For clarification, the agency has changed "displays" to "reading
promotion displays" at all four levels at the exemplary level.
Comment 4: They questioned the basis for Standard I, Principle 2, Strategy
D. Response: The agency responds that this is from Information Power: Building
Partnerships for Learning (ALA) and is correlated with TEKS reading objectives
for 3rd grade reading. Collaboration is at the core of information literacy
models. This strategy was developed based on examples from state mandated
curriculum and other resources to quantify levels throughout the strategies
for librarians, as well as the professional judgment and experience of committee
members.
Comment 5: They ask where ethical use is mentioned and state that there
should be a specific statement reinforcing ethical use. Response: The agency
responds that ethical use is mentioned in regard to copyright in Standard
I, Principle 1, Strategy C and Standard III, Principle 2, Strategy D, and
in the supporting research listed in the bibliography.
Comment 6: They state that each level of Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy
A, should include the statement "related to ethics, information literacy and
technology." Response: The agency agrees and has incorporated this change
into the proposed standards.
Comment 7: They state that Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy C should reflect
that the librarian provides X% of the point-of-need training that is requested.
Response: The agency responds that staff and students may request point-of-need
training, or the librarian may offer it when she recognizes that it would
be helpful.
Comment 8: They recommend changing "schedules and conducts" to "provides
and conducts" in Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy D. Response: The agency
agrees with this suggestion and has revised the strategy accordingly. (Changed
to Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy E. A new strategy was inserted as Standard
I, Principle 3, Strategy D in response to public comment. This altered the
lettering of Standard I, Principle 3, Strategies D through G.)
Comment 9: They state that "and district personnel" should be deleted at
all levels in Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy D. Response: The agency responds
that librarians do and should conduct professional development for staff beyond
the campus, to district personnel. For clarification, the agency has changed
the wording of this strategy. (Changed to Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy
E. A new strategy was inserted as Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy D in response
to public comment. This altered the lettering of Standard I, Principle 3,
Strategies D through G.)
Comment 10: They recommend reducing the number of sessions to 4 times for
exemplary and 2 times for recognized in Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy
D. Response: The agency responds that research has shown that when librarians
provide professional development to teachers, student test scores increase.
The agency believes that this standard should reflect this research finding.
As a compromise, the agency revised number of professional development sessions
at the exemplary level. The recognized and acceptable levels were not changed.
(Changed to Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy E. A new strategy was inserted
as Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy D in response to public comment. This
altered the lettering of Standard I, Principle 3, Strategies D through G.)
Comment 11: They state that "develops and promotes" should be changed to
"promotes" in Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy E, exemplary level. Response:
The agency responds that "develops and promotes" is appropriate in this strategy.
The agency believes that librarians should be designing instruction that specifically
meets the needs of their patrons. This could include using pre-existing materials
adapted specifically to their patron base. (Changed to Standard I, Principle
3, Strategy F. A new strategy was inserted as Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy
D in response to public comment. This altered the lettering of Standard I,
Principle 3, Strategies D through G.)
Comment 12: They ask that "formal curriculum development " and "informal
curriculum development" be added to Standard II, Principle I, Strategy B and
that these terms be added to the glossary. Response: The agency added formal
and informal curriculum development to this strategy and to the glossary.
Comment 13: In regard to Standard II, Principle I, Strategy B, they ask
that "continuing education" be added to the glossary and that, if this is
the same as staff development, that one of these terms be used consistently
in the standards. Response: The agency has changed all references to "staff
development", "training", and "continuing education" to "continuing professional
education" as per the SBEC guidelines. The definition of "continuing professional
education" has been added to the glossary. In addition, a "see continuing
professional education" reference has been added to "staff development, which
is already in the glossary.
Comment 14: They say that Standard II, Principle I, Strategy B deals more
with curriculum development than advocacy, and should be moved to a more appropriate
section. Response: The agency believes this strategy is appropriately placed.
As an advocate for the library programs, librarians participate in curriculum
development. In an exemplary library program, it is appropriate for the librarian
to assume a leadership role in developing and integrating the library program
into curriculum development.
Comment 15: They state that Standard II, Principle 1, Strategy C should
be changed to "integrates staff and students or parents" and that "leadership
and management" should be removed at all levels. Response: The agency believes
that the strategy should remain as written. It is recommended practice for
librarians to involve students in an advisory committee that contributes to
the leadership and management of the school library program.
Comment 16: They recommended that professional and paraprofessional staffing
levels in Standard II, Principle 2, should be combined. Response: The agency
believes that specifications for the number of professional and paraprofessional
staff should remain separate. These are combined in the 1997 standards and,
as a result, librarians have had difficulty assessing their staffing level.
For clarification, the agency has changed the heading for this section to
"Campus Level Professional and Paraprofessional Staff to Support Student Achievement."
Comment 17: They recommend basing staffing levels Standard II, Principle
2, District Level Professional Staff to Support Student Achievement on ADA
figures rather than numbers of schools. Response: The agency responds that
the number of district staff required is more directly related to the number
of campuses than the number of students. If there are more schools, district
level personnel supervise more staff, collections, buildings, etc., regardless
of the number of students per campus.
Comment 18: They recommend inserting "plus 1 for every 30 campuses above
82" in Standard II, Principle 2, District Level Professional Staff to Support
Student Achievement, recognized level. Response: The agency agrees and has
incorporated this change.
Comment 19: They recommend inserting "plus 1 for every 40 campuses above
82" in Standard II, Principle 2, District Level Professional Staff to Support
Student Achievement, acceptable level. Response: The agency agrees and has
incorporated this change.
Comment 20: They recommend inserting changing the minimum hours to 10 for
exemplary and 7 for recognized in Standard II, Principle 2, Strategy A, exemplary
and recognized levels. Response: The agency responds that students require
enough time to complete research in the library beyond the instructional day.
Most school libraries are now open at least 5 hours per week beyond the school
day, which is the acceptable level in the proposed standards. As a compromise,
the agency has reduced number of hours recommended in the exemplary and recognized
levels.
Comment 21: They recommend inserting the phrase "Receives from the campus
or district budget an amount equal to" Standard II, Principle 3, Strategy
1 at all levels. Response: The agency agrees and has incorporated this suggestion
into the proposed standards. In addition, the agency has corrected the following
typographical errors in this section. Strategy "1" has been changed to "Strategy
"A", Strategy "A" to "Strategy B," and Strategy "B" to "Strategy C."
Comment 22: They recommend changing "budget" to "campus budget" in Standard
II, Principle 3, Strategy A, at the exemplary and recognized levels. Response:
The agency agrees and has incorporated this change.
Comment 23: They recommend changing the word "manner" in Standard II, Principle
3, Strategy A, recognized level to "in a timely manner." Response: The agency
agrees and has incorporated this change.
Comment 24: They recommend deleting the phrase, "based on a set of specifications
for a service or item" from Standard II, Principle 3, Strategy A, recognized
level. Response: The agency does not agree and responds that managers need
to understand budgetary processes for their environment.
Comment 25: They recommend deleting Standard II, Principle 3, Strategy
A and referencing Standard VI, Principle 3, Strategy C. Response: The agency
responds that Standard II, Principle 3, Strategy A concerns the budget process.
Standard VI, Principle 3, Strategy C concerns the collection development plan
process. Although the collection development plan is based on a budget process,
it does not supplant the need for professionals to understand the budgeting
process in their environment.
Comment 26: They recommend changing the wording in Standard II, Principle
3, Strategy B this to "a method such as the CREW method" at all four levels.
Response: The agency agrees and has incorporated this into the proposed standards.
Comment 27: They recommend changing the wording Standard II, Principle
4, Benefits for Students to "personal reading and information." Response:
The agency agrees and has incorporated this suggestion into the proposed standards.
Comment 28: In Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy B, they recommend changing
the average age of the collection to 15 years at the exemplary level, 18 years
at the recognized level, 20 years at the acceptable level, and 20 or greater
at the below standard level. Response: The agency responds that the recommendations
for average age are based on The CREW Method: Expanded Guidelines for Collection
Evaluation and Weeding and should not be changed.
Comment 29: They request that M.U.S.T.I.E. from Standard III, Principle
1, Strategy B be added to the glossary. Response: The agency responds that
M.U.S.T.I.E. is an acronym and should be spelled MUSTIE. The definition of
MUSTIE from The CREW Method: Expanded Guidelines for Collection Evaluation
and Weeding has been added to the glossary.
Comment 30: They recommend changing the number of subscriptions for middle
school campuses in Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy D, to 40 at the exemplary
level, and to 30 at the recognized level. Response: The agency responds that
research has shown that the number of subscriptions to periodicals is correlated
with student achievement. The agency believes that an exemplary middle school
library must provide a wide range of periodicals. As a compromise, the agency
has lowered this standard from 50 to 45 subscriptions at the exemplary level
and from 35 to 30 at the recognized level. (Changed to Standard III, Principle
1, Strategy E. A new strategy was inserted as Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy
C in response to public comment. This altered the lettering of Standard III,
Principle 1, Strategies C through J.)
Comment 31: They recommend changing the number of subscriptions for high
school in Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy D, to 60 at the exemplary level,
to 45 at the recognized level, to 30 at the acceptable level, and to less
than 30 at the below standard level. Response: The agency responds that research
has shown that the number of subscriptions to periodicals is correlated with
student achievement. The agency believes that an exemplary high school library
must provide a wide range of periodicals. As a compromise, the agency has
lowered the number of subscriptions from 70 to 65 at the exemplary level,
from 55 to 50 at the recognized level, from 40 to 35 at the acceptable level,
and from "less than 40" to "less than 35" at the below standard level. (Changed
to Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy E. A new strategy was inserted as Standard
III, Principle 1, Strategy C in response to public comment. This altered the
lettering of Standard III, Principle 1, Strategies C through J.)
Comment 32: They recommend replacing "research" with "professional" at
all levels in Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy D. Response: The agency
responds that professional journals are for staff and faculty and are not
for students. This standard refers to student-centered research. . (Changed
to Standard III, Principle 1, Strategy E. A new strategy was inserted as Standard
III, Principle 1, Strategy C in response to public comment. This altered the
lettering of Standard III, Principle 1, Strategies C through J.)
Comment 33: They recommend changing "use online databases" to "complete
assignments as needed" in Standard III, Principle 1, Benefits for Students.
Response: As a compromise, the agency has changed the wording to, "Are able
to complete assignments off-campus utilizing online databases as needed."
Comment 34: They recommend merging Standard III, Principle 2, Strategies
B and D due to redundancy. Response: The agency responds that Strategies B
and D are not redundant and must be evaluated separately. Strategy B refers
to copyright compliance of library materials. Strategy D refers to collaborating
with faculty concerning copyright compliance of resources throughout the campus.
Comment 35: They recommend deleting the phrase "through an end-user organized
interface" in Standard III, Principle 3, Strategy A, recognized level. Response:
The agency responds that the majority of libraries now have end-user organized
interfaces and that this is an appropriate recommendation for the recognized
level.
Comment 36: They recommend deleting the phrase "and one computer dedicated
for teacher use" in Standard III, Principle 3, Strategy D, exemplary level.
Response: The agency responds that this phrase differentiates an exemplary
library from a recognized library. Exemplary libraries must support student
and teacher use of the library.
Comment 37: They recommend deleting the reference to a specific published
work in Standard IV, Principle 1, Strategy B, exemplary level. Response: The
agency responds that it is appropriate to cite a specific example in this
area to provide guidance to librarians. The example, Designing a School Library
Media Center for the Future, is preceded with "such as."
Comment 38: They state that 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §61.1036,
School Facilities Standards for Construction on or after January 1, 2004,
Subchapter CC, Commissioner's Rules Concerning School Facilities cited in
Standard IV, Table 1 should be rewritten to reflect types of campuses (e.g.,
high, middle, elementary, early childhood) rather than by population. Response:
The agency responds that it has no authority to re-write these Commissioner's
Rules.
Comment 39: They recommend deleting Standard IV, Principle 2, Strategy
D. Response: The agency responds that products of student assignments are
commonly displayed in the library and that this strategy appropriately describes
services provided by the library.
Comment 40: They state that librarians are seldom experts in various building
codes and standards and that the standards should specify lighting requirements
(foot-candle) that can be measured in Standard IV, Principle, Strategy L,
exemplary level. Response: The agency responds that the strategy does not
call for expertise in building codes and building standards. It requires librarians
to know where to find relevant information.
Comment 41: They recommend that the word "ergonomically" be deleted from
Standard IV, Principle 2, Strategy N, exemplary level. Response: The agency
responds that "ergonomically" is a standard term used for facilities and equipment
discussions and should not be deleted. It is used repeatedly in the proposed
standards and is included in the glossary.
Comment 42: They recommend deleting Standard IV, Principle 2, Strategy
O. Response: The agency responds that it is a common practice for librarians
to create displays. They make the library more welcoming and inviting and
encourage students and staff to view the library as central to campus life.
The agency has clarified the wording of this strategy.
Comment 43: They recommend deleting the phrase "that is a sanctuary" from
Standard IV, Principle 2, Benefits for Students. Response: The agency responds
that the library serves as a "sanctuary" for disenfranchised students.
Comment 44: They recommend inserting the phrase "within district policies"
to Standard V, Principle 2, Strategy D, all levels. Response: The agency agrees
and has changed the wording in the strategy.
Comment 45: They recommend changing "families and community members" to
"families" for all levels Standard V, Principle 2, Strategy A. Response: The
agency responds that this strategy is designed to encourage libraries to serve
community members as appropriate.
Comment 46: They recommend deleting the phrase "targeted to families and
community partners and community members" in Standard V, Principle 2, Strategies
B and C. Response: The agency responds that this standard is designed to encourage
libraries to serve families, community partners, and community members as
appropriate.
Comment 47: They recommend deleting the phrase "unique to the needs of
student, families, community partners and community constituents" in Standard
V, Principle 2, Strategy D, all levels. Response: The agency responds that
this strategy is designed to encourage libraries to serve students, families,
community partners, and community constituents as appropriate.
Comment 48: They recommend replacing the phrase "families, community partners,
and community members" with "families and parents" in Standard V, Principle
2, Strategy E, all levels. Response: The agency responds that the standard
is designed to encourage libraries to serve students, families, community
partners, and community members as appropriate
Comment 49: They recommend deleting the phrase "to students, families,
community partners, and community members" in Standard V, Principle 2, Strategy
F. Response: The agency responds that the standard is designed to encourage
libraries to serve students, families, community partners, and community members
as appropriate.
Comment 50: They recommend deleting the phrase "with community partners
and community members" in Standard V, Principle 3, Strategy A. Response: The
agency responds that community partners and community members are partners
in acquiring library resources.
Comment 51: They recommend deleting the phrase "and involves representative
community members in the design of library partnership " and replacing it
with the word "in" Standard V, Principle 3, Strategy B. Response: The agency
responds that culturally diverse community member should participate in designing
partnerships, activities, programs, and services.
Comment 52: They recommend inserting the phrase "and special" at all levels
Standard V, Principle 3, Strategy D. Response: The agency responds that wording
of this strategy is based on ADA requirements.
Comment 53: They recommend deleting Standard V, Principle 3, Strategy E.
Response: The agency responds that this is an ADA requirement.
Comment 54: They comment that Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy A is the
same as Standard III, Principle, 1, Strategies A and B. Response: The agency
responds that these two strategies are not the same. Standard VI, Principle
1, Strategy A refers to remote access of electronic resources and networks.
Standard III, Principle 1, Strategies A and B refer to the size of the print
and electronic collections.
Comment 55: They comment that Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy A is the
same as Standard V, Principle 2, Strategy D. Response: The agency responds
that these two strategies are not the same, although both refer to the librarian's
role in developing a web site. Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy B recommends
that the web site be developed in collaboration with campus staff and that
it have links to public and academic library catalogs and web sites that support
TEKS objectives. Standard V, Principle 2, Strategy D recommends a web site
with links to learning resources that uniquely serve the needs of students,
families, community partners, and community constituents.
Comment 56: They comment that Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy C is the
same as Standard III, Principle 3, Strategy D. Response: The agency responds
that Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy C is different from Standard III,
Principle 3, Strategy D, which specifies the number of computers in libraries.
Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy C recommends that librarians collaboratively
develop and provide continuing professional education with campus/district/regional
administrators, curriculum specialists, and professional staff.
Comment 57: They recommend deleting the phrase "and provides bibliographies
of recommended titles" in Standard VI, Principle 1, Strategy F. Response:
The agency agrees and has deleted the phrase.
Comment 58: They recommend inserting the phrase "in collaboration with
the classroom teacher" in Standard VI, Principle 2, Strategy A, at the exemplary
and recognized levels. Response: The agency agrees and has changed the wording
in the strategy at the exemplary and recognized levels.
Comment 59: They recommend deleting the phrase "Annual reports are made
to the school board" in Standard VI, Principle 2, Strategy D, exemplary and
recognized levels. Response: The agency responds that librarians should strive
to be actively involved in reporting program excellence and activities to
the school board.
Comment 60: They recommend deleting the word "develops" in Standard VI,
Principle 3, Strategy A, exemplary and recognized level, and from Standard
VI, Principle 6, Strategy A, exemplary level. Response: The agency responds
that librarians should be involved in developing policies at the exemplary
and recognized level to meet unique needs.
Comment 61: They recommend replacing "students, staff, and community members"
with "students, staff, and parents" in Standard VI, Principle 3, Strategy
A, at the exemplary and recognized levels. Response: The agency responds that
advisory committees that include students, staff, and community members should
be involved in collection development.
Comment 62: In Standard VI, Principle 3, Strategy A, they recommend replacing
"utilizing 4-5 professional selection tools" with "utilizing 5 professional
selection tools" at the exemplary level, and "utilizing 2-3 professional selection
tools" with "utilizing 3 professional selection tools" at the recognized level.
Response: The agency responds that it is appropriate to specify a range in
the number of recommended professional selection tools.
Comment 63: In Standard VI, Principle 3, Strategy D, they recommend replacing
"Utilizes 2 to 3 cataloging software tools, such as E-Z Cat, Bibliofile, MARCMagician,
and Z39.50 databases" with "Utilizes 2 to 3 cataloging software tools and
Z39.50 databases" at the exemplary level, and "Utilizes 1 to 2 cataloging
software tools and Z39.50 databases" at the recognized level, and "Utilizes
at least 1 cataloging software tool such as Z39.50 databases" at the acceptable
level. Response: The agency disagrees. The model used throughout these standards
is to offer generally recognized examples to provide direction.
Comment 64: They recommend inserting "within district guidelines" after
"develops a website" in Standard VI, Principle 4, Strategy B, at the exemplary
and recognized levels. Response: The agency agrees and has changed the wording
in the strategy.
Comment 65: They state that Standard VI, Principle 4, Strategy D is the
same as Standard III, Principle 4, Strategy B. Response: The agency responds
that although these two strategies are similar, Strategy D refers to using
specific collaboration, integrating technology, and curriculum development
strategies.
Comment 66: They state that Standard VI, Principle 5, Strategy G is the
same as Standard VI, Principle 2, Strategy A. Response: The agency responds
that although these two strategies are similar, the focus in Strategy G is
the plan. For clarification, the agency has added the phrase "in collaboration
with classroom teachers" to Strategy G.
Comment 67: They recommend deleting the phrase "Participates with district
committees to develop and" from Standard VI, Principle 6, Strategy A, exemplary
level. Response: The agency responds that exemplary librarians work across
the district for standardization and consistency of critical documents.
Comment 68: They recommend deleting Standard VI, Principle 6, Strategy
A. Response: The agency responds that state certification standards emphasize
that librarians must continue their education. Virtual discussion lists are
recognized as legitimate professional networking and information exchange
tools.
Comment 69: They recommend deleting the phrase "on an annual basis" from
Standard VI, Principle 7, Strategy E, exemplary level. Response: The agency
responds that exemplary librarians continually contribute to the professional
development of regional, state, and/or national colleagues.
Comment 70: They recommend deleting the phrase "taught by library staff
in the media center" from the "Instructions for Collecting and Recording Data
for Activities 1 through 10 on the Data Collection Sheet (Document 2)." Activity
2a. Filled or Modified Teaching Requests. Response: For clarification, the
agency has changed the statement to "In the library/media center or other
teaching locations such as classrooms, computer labs, multi-purpose learning
environments, etc."
Comment 71: They recommend deleting Activities 8a and 9a in "Instructions
for Collecting and Recording Data for Activities 1 through 10 on the Data
Collection Sheet (Document 2). Response: The agency responds that these activities
are based on the text, Output Measures for School Library Media Programs by
Frances Bryant Bradburn. The instructions ask librarians to collect this information
one week per year. This was an error and has been changed to one week per
semester, as a snapshot, which is a valid data sampling method. The data that
is collected can be used to advocate for funding for library resources.
Comments on "Strategies For Librarians"
Comment 1: A librarian requested that research models in addition to Big6
be included in Standard 1, Principle 1, Strategy B, such as Independent Investigation
Method by Active Learning (IIM). Response: The agency agrees and added IIM
as a second example.
Comment 2: A librarian stated that only recent graduates are required to
compile hours for certificate renewal and that Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy
F should be changed to reflect this. Response: The agency agrees and added
the words "if applicable" to the last sentence of Strategy F at all four levels.
(Changed to Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy E. A new strategy was inserted
as Standard I, Principle 3, Strategy D in response to public comment. This
altered the lettering of Standard 1, Principle 3, Strategies D through G.)
Comment 3: Two librarians commented that they were pleased that collection
guidelines in Standard I, Principle 1, Strategies A, C, and D were reflected
the differential use of materials at the elementary, middle school and the
high school level. The number of items recommended in a school library has
been specified for these levels. They feel that the new guidelines more accurately
reflect the circulation statistics over the past five years that show that
more books are needed at the elementary level. Response: none.
Comment 4: A librarian commented that the standards should include a recommendation
that elementary librarians who work with K-2 students are familiar with DRA
and TPRI indicators, and that for students in these grades, this is as important
as TAKS. Response: The agency agrees and inserted a new strategy. Standard
I, Principle 3, Strategy D, was added and a definition for TPRI was added
to the glossary. (Insertion of this strategy altered the lettering of Standard
1, Principle 3, Strategies D through G.)
Comment 5: A librarian noted that Standard II, Principle 2, Paraprofessional
Staffing Level contains a typographical error. The below standard staffing
for campuses w/ADA 501-1000 is listed as Less than 1 Certified Librarian."
Response: The agency agrees and made the correction to "Less Than 1 Paraprofessional."
Comment 6: Three librarians commented that the standards should include
specific recommendations for the number of computers for student use in the
library. Response: The agency agrees and inserted an additional strategy Standard
III, Principle 1, Strategy C. (Insertion of this strategy altered the lettering
of Standard III, Principle 1, Strategies C through J.)
Comment 7: A librarian commented that the collection size requirements
hold larger campuses to a higher standard. For example, in order to obtain
exemplary status, a campus with fewer than 600 students must have 12,000 items.
Elementary campuses with enrollments of over 600 must have 24 items per student,
or 14,400 items. Response: The agency agrees and has corrected this discrepancy
by removing the reference to the number of students and by adding the words
"whichever is greater" at each of the 4 levels.
Comment 8: A librarian recommended that the words "that can be used at
school or other off campus locations with Internet connectivity" be added
to a paragraph like that for Standard III, Principle 1, line 2 after the words
"electronic library resources." Response: The agency responds that the Strategies
for Librarians currently specify that remote access to electronic library
resources and to the library catalog is included in Standard III, Principle
3, Strategies A & B. Inclusion of the phrase in Principle 1 is not necessary.
To be consistent with the exemplary, recognized, and acceptable levels of
program development in Standard III, Principle 3, Strategy A, the agency has
changed the phrase "online databases" to "electronic library resources" at
the below standard level.
Comment 9: A librarian recommended that Standard VI, Principle 3, Strategy
C, acceptable level, specify compliance of bibliographic records at 80%. Response:
The agency agrees that this percentage could be raised and, as a compromise,
revised the percentage from 55% to 70% at the acceptable level.
Comments on Output and Outcome Measures submitted by librarians from Hays
County:
Comment 1: They commented that the tables in the outcome measures section
that relate TAKS scores to TEKS that may be taught in the library will be
very helpful tools for developing lessons in collaboration with the teachers.
They stated that they appreciate the Glossary of Terms, which will be beneficial
in many ways as they work to implement the new standards and advocate for
what they believe is in the best interest of students. Response: none.
Comment 2: They stated that the data collection in the output measures
section is unrealistic and unworkable and that the expectation for library
staff is unrealistic. They felt that that the methodology may not be valid
and questioned the practicality, accuracy, and validity of the method for
obtaining statistics on the use of computer accessed resources. They expressed
concern about the practicality and limitations of the one-week data sample
recommended in output measures and data collection segment. They stated that
the output measures fail to adequately measure those portions of the library
program that they are intended to measure. They commented that the output
will not assess the totality of an elementary library program. They feel that
it does not measure use of recreational materials and does not reflect students'
reading habits, nor will it present an accurate picture of how the library
is used. They commented that librarians will be seen as collectors of data
and "warehousers" rather than professionals who influence student progress
through personal interaction. Response: The agency responds that it is critical
to count usage of resources that support the curriculum, and to evaluate their
impact on students in order to demonstrate the value of the library program.
The Strategies for Librarians, output measures, and outcome measures must
be considered together when describing the library program. The Strategies
for Librarians provide an in-depth description of many aspects of the library
program, including services, collections, facilities, equipment, policies,
etc., as outlined in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning,
The State Board for Educator Certification Guidelines for School Librarians,
and other documents. The output measures are designed to reveal the level
of collaboration and the use of print and electronic library resources that
support student success. The outcome measures show the impact of the library
program on student success.
Evaluation of library programs is challenging. The output measures section
in the standards is based on the book, Output Measures For School Library
Media Programs by Frances Bryant Bradburn. A pilot test was conducted in which
librarians collected data on over 20 output measures. The pilot test demonstrated
that the time librarians have available for collecting and analyzing data
is limited. Based on feedback from librarians who participated in the pilot
test, the number of output measures included in the proposed standards was
limited to 10 to avoid overburdening librarians with excessive data collection.
Ten output measures that have been shown by research to correlate with higher
student achievement, such as collaboration, were included. These ten measures
were selected as core to the library program's curriculum support role. There
are many additional output measures that librarians may collect as desired,
such as circulation statistics. The output measures section of the proposed
standards incorporates accepted data gathering practices. Sampling is commonly
used in gathering usage statistics when more reliable methods are not available.
The instructions for the output measures recommend that librarians select
a typical week each year to collect the most representative data. This was
an error and has been changed to state one week per semester. Librarians will
need to provide student and staff orientation prior to data collection. The
agency recommends that librarians include student and parent volunteers to
assist in collecting data. This was added to the instructions for collecting
output measures.
Comment 3: They asked about the recommended frequency of data collection.
Response: The agency responds that instructions for data collection in the
standards recommend collecting data for one week each year. This was an error
and has been changed in the standards to state one week per semester.
Comment 4: They questioned the value of collecting these statistics since
many studies, including one commissioned by the State Library, have already
demonstrated the impact of library resources and services on student achievement.
Response: The agency responds that school administrators must make difficult
decisions about allocating scarce resources, and standardized test scores
are often the bottom line. A librarian who provides school administrators
with statistical evidence that the library program impacts student performance,
along with supporting evidence from statewide studies, will make a more compelling
argument for increased funding and staffing. In addition, the Texas study
on school libraries measured the impact of the library program on student
performance on the TAAS test. The TAAS test has been replaced with the TAKS
test. Libraries must demonstrate the impact of the library program on student
performance on TAKS.
Comment 5: They questioned how the State Library might use the data and
whether the State Library would compile it and make recommendations for school
libraries. Response: The agency responds that it does not have a legislative
mandate to collect this data.
Comment 6: They commented that school librarians do very little curriculum-related
work with early elementary students. For example, first grade students often
request books to look at pictures rather than to perform research. Response:
The agency responds that even at the lowest grade levels, librarians support
the curriculum.
This new section is adopted under the authority of Education
Code §33.021, which provides the Commission authority to adopt school
library standards.
The adopted new sections affect the Education Code, §33.021.
§4.1.School Library Programs, Standards and Guidelines.
(a)
The School Library Programs, Standards and Guidelines,
which are available at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/index.html, are
adopted by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The Standards
and Guidelines are available in Room 405 of the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives
and Library Building, 1201 Brazos, Austin Texas. The Standards and Guidelines
are based on the work and recommendations of an advisory committee formed
to review and update the current Standards and Guidelines.
(b)
The School Library Programs, Standards and Guidelines are
applicable to local Texas school districts (Independent, consolidated, common,
or municipal districts and charter schools accredited by the Texas Education
Agency as provided by TEC Chapter 11 Subchapter D, Chapter 39).
(c)
The School Library Programs, Standards and Guidelines,
describe six components for school library programs: Learner-Centered Teaching
and Learning, Learner-Centered Program Leadership and Management, Learner-Centered
Technology and Information Access, Learner-Centered Library Environment, Learner-Centered
Connections to Community, and Learner-Centered Information Science and Librarianship.
The Standards and Guidelines describe four levels of achievement, below standard,
acceptable, recognized, and exemplary, for the goals within each component.
The Standards and Guidelines also include output measures to use to quantify
the level of use of the school library program and services, as well as outcome-based
evaluation measures to demonstrate the impact of school library programs.
The vision, mission, and core values of school library programs are discussed.
The Standards and Guidelines include appendices that provide a glossary of
terms, a bibliography, a list of committee members, and an example of an annual
report for a library program that includes a profile and assessment in accordance
with these Standards and Guidelines.
This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State on May 25, 2004.
TRD-200403557
Edward Seidenberg
Assistant State Librarian
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Effective date: June 14, 2004
Proposal publication date: December 19, 2003
For further information, please call: (512) 463-5459