Christine Hamilton-Pennell The Illinois Study Keith Curry Lance Marcia J. Rodney Christine Hamilton-Pennell Illinois is the last state study to be done by Keith Curry Lance. Study was funded by ISLMA, FY ’04 LSTA Grant from IL State Library, and a grant from 21st Century Information Fluency project of the IL Mathematics and Science Academy.

Why a study in Illinois? Show impact of school libraries on Illinois students' test scores Show that findings of other state studies also apply to Illinois Concern about status of school libraries & librarians in Illinois Lack of understanding of importance of teaching information literacy

Building blocks of the study Literature review School Library Survey Data Test scores -ISAT Reading & Writing, 5th & 8th -PSAE Reading & ACT, 11th Other school data Community data List of 657 participating schools in survey at back of Executive Statement—5 from Unit 4 Schools School data comes from IL. State Board of Education

Types of Analyses Bivariate correlation -library predictors & test scores Comparison of means -differences in average scores for schools with stronger & weaker library programs Partial correlation -taking into account other school & community conditions

Library Predictors of test scores Flexible scheduling Staffing Staff activities Collection Educational technology Expenditures Usage Degree of involvement for each of these variables in a school library will improve student test scores

Flexible Scheduling. . . enables teachers and students to work with the librarian and staff to use the library as a classroom and a study place as needed. R W Elementary 10.3% 11.4% Middle 5.3% High 6.2% 4.6% See Chart 1, page iii of your Executive Summary handout. Flexible scheduling impact holds true regardless of per pupil spending, teacher pupil ratio, and students’ race/ethnicity and household income.

Staffing--hours of all staff Higher staffing levels account for improved reading/writing scores R W Elementary 12.7% 17.3% Middle 8.2% 18.4% High 7.4% 4.6% See Chart 2, page iv of your Executive Summary handout. Staffing includes, library clerks, secretaries, and certified librarians. Scores persist regardless of per pupil spending, teacher-pupil ratio, race/ethnicity, or household income.

Staffing—more librarian hours In 2 cases, it appears that the librarian’s hours alone have a positive influence W ACT Elementary 8.7% High 4.1% See Chart #3, page v on your Executive Summary handout.

Staff activities-elementary & middle Library staff spends time identifying materials for teachers R W Elementary 7.6% 9.5% Middle 6.6% 13.0% See Chart #4, page vi of your Executive Summary handout. Scores persist regardless of per pupil spending, teacher-pupil ratio, race/ethnicity, or household income.

Staff activities—high school Motivating students to read 4.1% Teaching with teachers 3.6% Planning with teachers 3.6% Meeting w/library staff from elsewhere 3.1% Identifying materials for teachers 3.1% Serving on school committees 2.5% See Chart #5, page vii on your Executive Summary handout. Time spent by the high school staff on these activities exerts a positive impact on ACT scores regardless of household income, per pupil spending, teacher-pupil ratio, or students’ race/ethnicity.

Collection. . . Larger book collections impact student scores R W ACT Elementary 7.6% 8.1% Middle 13.8% High 3.6% See Chart #6, page vii of your Executive Summary handout.

Collection . . . Larger periodical subscriptions impact student scores R W ACT Elementary 6.8% 6.8% Middle 10.7% High 5.7% See Chart #6 on your Executive Summary handout.

Collection. . . Currency of a collection impacts student test scores Example-Astronomy copyright dates @ R W ACT Elementary 1990 7.1% 10.7% Middle 1989 12.7% High 1983 2.5% See Chart #6 on your Executive Summary handout. See Chart #6, page viii on your Executive Summary handout. See page viii notes on my page re: correlations.

Educational technology. . . Student scores increase with: More library computers More library-connected computers in schools All computers connected to library resources-- online library catalog licensed databases Internet See Chart #7, page ix on your Executive Summary handout.

Educational technology. . . Increase in scores with more library computers R W ACT Elementary 7.6% Middle 10.7% High 7.6% 5.1% See Chart #7, page ix of your Executive Summary handout. Only household income obscures these relationships.

Educational technology. . . Increase in scores with more other library-connected computers R W ACT Elementary 6.4% Middle High 8.3% 6.2% See Chart #7, page ix of your Executive Summary handout. The correlation for other library-connected computers and ACT scores remains when all four control variables are taken into account.

Expenditures Schools that spend more $ on libraries demonstrate a cumulative impact on reading and writing test scores R W ACT Elementary 5.2% 9.9% Middle 9.1% 12.9% High 11.6% 6.7% See Chart #8, page xi on your Executive Summary handout. Test scores associated with spending tent to rise from one grade level to the next—so does the independence of this effect from other conditions.

Usage of school libraries. . . Elementary usage is measured by circulation--# of books and other items checked out Higher circulation rates impact student scores R W Elementary +6% 11% Page xi of Executive Summary handout. Typical elementary reported over 570 loans per week

Usage of school libraries. . . Middle school usage reported Group visits Group visits for information literacy instruction W Group visits 10.3% Group info literacy instruction 8.5% See Chart #9, page xii on your Executive Summary handout. Scores increase with more group visits and more group info literacy class visits.

Usage of school libraries. . . High school usage reported impacts on ACT test scores with Individual visits 3.1% Group visits 4.6% Group visits for information literacy instruction 3.6% See Chart #9, page xii on your Executive Summary handout.

Recommendations for action Access to school libraries should be as flexible as possible High quality school libraries require at least one librarian + support staff Computers with access to library resources (in library & elsewhere) should be available School libraries should be funded to maintain collections and expand beyond traditional walls Students need contact with librarians as teachers and co-teachers See pages xiii and xiv of the Executive Summary handout.

Next steps for librarians Use data when seeking support from administrators, school board, teachers Get the word out to teachers, parents, public link study from your website, flyers, presentations, brochures Stress willingness to be co-teachers with your faculty

The Executive Summary, a multi-media presentation and a Power Point presentation of the Illinois Study can be accessed at http://www.islma.org/resources.htm A copy of the Research Foundation Paper titled School Libraries Work! can be accessed at http://librarypublishing.scholastic.com

This presentation can be accessed at www. centralmc This presentation can be accessed at www.centralmc.org on the Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners menu link

Presented by Karen Hackman Media Specialist Central High School & Margie Skirvin, Secretary of the Champaign Board of Education