THE MEDIA CENTER AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Britney Keith MEDT 6466 Spring 2011
What’s important at your school? At most schools, student performance and CRCT scores are the most important focuses. What can you do to help make both of these perform at a high level? One vital way is to support the media program!
What about the budget? Budget crises are all around, in every field of work. Cuts have to be made. Cutting media specialists and paraprofessionals in the media center is sometimes an all too easy way of saving a small amount of money.
What exactly are you cutting when you cut from the media program?
Media specialists are a support for teachers and students. They specialize in providing adequate resources and teaching skills to students so that they can search for resources. Media specialists collaborate with teachers to plan effective lessons. Technology assistance is also provided by the media specialist to support student learning and teacher training.
So what does research have to say about this?
1993 Lance Study in Colorado Found that academic achievement increased when: There was a certified library media specialist available, The library media specialist collaborated with teachers, and The library media collection was large.
Lance Study in Pennsylvania This study found that having a paraprofessional working in the media center was the difference between a strong and a weak media program. Certified staff alone cannot make a difference because of the load of work that is needed to be done.
Baughman’s study in Massachusetts Study showed that at each grade level, state standardized test scores were higher in schools with a media program. Students scored higher when the student to book ratio was larger. Higher student use of the library showed higher test scores than lower student use.
Elementary and middle school scores were higher when there was a media instruction program. Elementary and high schools students with a full-time media specialist scored higher than those who did not.
Michigan study By Rodney, Lance, and Hamilton-Pennell Compared reading performance in schools with a full-time certified media specialist to those without There is an 8 – 35% difference in reading performance between those schools with certified media specialist than those without Studied each level of school: elementary, middle, and high
Other components that made a difference in Michigan Extended media center hours Collaboration with teachers Motivating readers Larger collections of books and technology More computers Frequent individual visits to the media center
What does this mean for your school? There are many studies that all suggest the same finding: the media center has an impact on student achievement. Set your students up for success. Support the media program and its impact on students. When cuts are being made, keep the studies in mind and the difference the media center has on the students and their success.
What can I do for you? Help increase test scores through the media program by: Collaborating with classroom teachers Providing a diverse collection of books and materials for student use Working with students on media skills Connecting media skills and standards with state standards throughout lessons Creating a program that encourages and promotes reading to all students
“What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education.” -Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education
References Baughman, J. C. (October 26, 2000). School Libraries and MCAS Scores. Retrieved on March 4, 2011, from libraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdf. Lance, K. & Loertscher, D. V. (2003). Powering Achievement 2 nd Edition: School Library Media Programs Make A Difference. Retrieved on March 2, 2011, from Ohio Educational Library Media Association. Advocacy Quotes. Retrieved on March 8, 2011, from Rodney, M. J., Lance, K. C., & Hamilton-Pennell, C. (2003). The Impact of Michigan School Librarians on Academic Achievement: Kids Who Have Libraries Succeed. Retrieved on March 12, 2011, from