How School Librarians
Help Kids Achieve
Standards
The Second Colorado Study
Keith Curry Lance
Marcia J. Rodney
Christine Hamilton-Pennell
April 2000
CONTACT
Keith Curry Lance, Director
Library Research Service
Colorado State Library
Colorado Department of Education
201 East Colfax Avenue, Suite 309
Denver, Colorado 80203-1799
Telephone: (303) 866-6737
Fax: (303 866-6940
E-mail: klance@sni.net
Web site: http://www.lrs.org
How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards
T h e S e c o n d C o l o r a d o S t u d y
Executive Summary
Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) reading scores increase with
increases in the following characteristics of library media (LM) programs: LM
program development, information technology, teacher/library media
specialist (LMS) collaboration, and individual visits to the library media
center (LMC). In addition, as participation increases in leadership roles, so
does collaboration between teachers and LMSs. The relationship between
these factors and test scores is not explained away by other school or
community conditions. (See Figures 1 and 2, pp. 10-11.)
Library Media Program Development
CSAP reading test scores increase with increases in:
n LMS hours per 100 students (7th grade),
n total staff hours per 100 students,
n print volumes per student,
n periodical subscriptions per 100 students,
n electronic reference titles per 100 students (7th grade), and
n library media expenditures per student.
Information Technology
Where networked computers link library media centers with classrooms,
labs, and other instructional sites, students earn higher CSAP reading test
scores. These higher scores are particularly linked to the numbers of
computers enabling teachers and students to utilize:
n LMC resources, either within the LMC or networked to the LMC,
n licensed databases, and
n Internet/World Wide Web.
Collaboration
A central finding of this study is the importance of a collaborative approach
to information literacy. Tes