Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries Act

The Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries Act or SKILLS Act is proposed legislation introduced in the United States Congress.

On June 26, 2007, Senators Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Thad Cochran of Mississippi introduced USBill|110|S|1699 and Representatives Raul M. Grijalva of Arizona and Vernon Ehlers of Michigan introduced USBill|110|H.R.|2864.

Legislative history

These bills would amend the provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. S.1699 was referred to Senate committee on June 26, 2007. It was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. H.R. 2864 was referred to House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education on September 11, 2007.

The bill would require states and local educational agencies (LEAs) to the extent possible, at least one state certified school library media specialist in every school that receives such funds.

Implementation

The Act would require Improving Literacy through School Libraries funds to be:
* proportionally distributed to serve students in elementary, middle, and high schools
* used for media resources appropriate for all grades
* used for professional development in information literacy instruction that is appropriate for all grades.

The Act would expand the program of grants to states and subgrants to local educational agencies for the recruitment, retention, and professional development of teachers to require that state certified school library media specialists be included in the focus of such efforts. To meet the qualifications, school library media specialists would have to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and have obtained full state certification as a school library media specialist or passed the state teacher licensing examination, with state certification in library media in such state.

On June 26, 2007, Reed and Cochran spoke to dozens of librarians at the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington DC about the goal of the legislation which is to “boost student achievement and improve school libraries by ensuring that all schools have highly qualified librarians and the resources needed to help students keep up with the rapid changes in technology” (Whelan)

Co-sponsors of the Act are Bart Gordon (TN-6), Tim Holden (PA-17), Steve Cohen (TN-9), and James McGovern (MA-3).

References

* Whelan, Debra Lau. "Bill Proposes 'Highly Qualified' Librarians." School Library Journal 53.8 (Aug. 2007): 15

External links

* [http://www.capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=10223941 ALA-Take Action ]
* [http://blogs.ala.org/districtdispatch.php?title=only_two_weeks_left_to_save_school_libra&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 District Dispatch - Post details: Only TWO WEEKS Left to Save School Libraries]
* [http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2007/june2007/skillsact.cfm American Libraries: SKILLs Act Gives High Marks to School Librarians]
* [http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslissues/SKILLS_Act.cfm ALA-AASL - Skills Act of 2007]
* [http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6465084.html School Library Journal: Urge Your Congressmen to Cosponsor the SKILLs Act]
* [http://www.ilovelibraries.org/news/topstories/skills.cfm I Love Libraries - Protecting one of our nations most important resources]