MEAD, Wash. — A new bill in the Washington legislature could cost school districts across the state up to $1 million if passed, and districts are asking for more clarity.
Senate Bill 5551 would require schools to give students access to a school library information and technology program.
The bill would require any district with over 2,000 students to have a librarian with a school library media endorsement.
In order to get that endorsement, universities like Central Washington require students to take eight classes on technology resources and library media as well as complete 60 hours of field experience in a library with a librarian mentor.
Deer Park School District superintendent Dr. Alexa Allman says hiring people with that certification is a challenge.
“We have two elementaries, one middle and one high and this small state funding allocation in the bills are in conflict,” Allman said. “Our district wouldn’t be eligible for an exemption for this requirement, but we would need to comply.”
Local superintendents who testified in front of the Senate’ Committee on K-12 Education say the bill doesn’t provide the funding to help districts bring in certified teacher-librarians.
“If the legislature is interested in ensuring that all students have access to certificated teacher-librarians, please make sure you address the funding ratios in the pipeline to ensure individuals are paid and available to work in our schools,” Allman said.
Another point of confusion is whether the bill will require one certified teacher-librarian at every school or just one per district.
“Unfortunately, the prototypical funding formula does fall far short of providing school districts with financial resources to make a librarian in every school library possible. So some clarity there I think would be exceptionally helpful related to the bill,” said Travis Hanson, the superintendent of the Mead School District.
The Mead School Board discussed the bill in a recent meeting and said it would cost the district $750,000 to $1 million if passed.
“The need is often far greater than the financial resources with which we’re provided,” said Hanson.
The bill is still in the Senate Committee on K-12 education.
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