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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>Contact: Jenni Terry<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>Press Officer<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>ALA Washington Office<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>(202) 628-8410<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><a
href="mailto:jterry@alawash.org">jterry@alawash.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>February 1, 2010<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>President’s FY2011
budget proposals calls for cuts to school library funding <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama’s FY2011 Budget Proposal
to Congress released today included a $400 billion investment into education
but did not include specific funds for school libraries. Additionally, the
budget called for a consolidation of the funds for the Improving Literacy Through
School Libraries Program, which takes the funds out of reach for most school
libraries.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“This Administration says it wants to focus on programs that
are effective, but it has not only recommended policy that will keep school
libraries underfunded, but it will also eliminate funds for a program that the
Department of Education has evaluated twice and found to be effective both
times,” <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/index.cfm">American
Association of School Libraries (AASL)</a> President Cassandra Barnett said.
AASL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>In January 2009, the Department of Education released the Second Evaluation
of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program, which indicated
that students attending schools participating in this program are performing
higher on state reading tests than students in schools that do not take part in
the program. Additionally, the study stated that in schools that participated
in the program in 2003-04, the percentage of students who met or exceeded the
proficiency requirements on state reading assessments increased by an extra 2.7
percentage points over the increase observed among nonparticipating schools
during the same time period.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“In his State of the Union Address, President Obama stated
that ‘In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a
world-class education.’ Yet, the President’s budget neglects funding for a
program that provides the type of learning experiences that develop the critical
thinking and collaborative skills that are key to global competiveness,”
Barnett said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“<span style='color:black'>School library programs focus on
the skills that prepare students to be independent learners capable of
assessing and recognizing their personal strengths and weaknesses thus
graduating college or career ready. </span>A world-class, 21<sup>st</sup>
century education includes instruction from a school librarian – a teacher who
knows the school’s curriculum and effective techniques necessary to cross
disciplines and integrate information and technology literacy. Yet, Obama’s
budget and policy proposals neglect to support the role of school librarians
and, as a result, too many of our nation’s schools will not have school
librarians or essential school library programs.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>###<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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