Colorado’s RSL Research Group recently discovered that having a fully-staffed school library dramatically improved test scores in Pennsylvania schools. Despite these findings, only 43 certified librarians are currently working in the city’s 249 public schools.
According to the study, kids from third grade to eleventh grade had significantly higher scores on both reading and writing portions of Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests. Among high school students with a full-time and certified librarian, the number of “Advanced” scores on the writing tests were almost twice as high. Overall, students with a full time and certified librarian were “three times as likely” to earn advanced scores on the test. Check it out:
Students who have access to a full-time, certified librarian scored higher on the PSSA Reading Test than those students who do not have such access. This finding is true for all students, regardless of their socio-economic, racial/ethnic, and/or disability status. For several student groups that tend to experience achievement gaps—economically disadvantaged, Hispanic, Black, and those with IEPs (Individualized Education Programs)—Reading and Writing results are markedly better when those students attend a school with a librarian and library support staff, according to the research. In fact, they benefit more proportionally than the general student population. (Link via)

Footnote:
Why are we not surprised?!