On Thursday, May 9, the East Brunswick School District Board of Education voted unanimously by roll call vote to pass the FY20 School District Final Budget eliminating (3) certified school library media specialists from East Brunswick Public Schools (page 216 of the Board Meeting Agenda).
The loss of these positions will result in a reduction of certified school library media specialists at Hammarskjold Middle School (grades 6-7), Churchill Junior High School (grades 8-9), and East Brunswick High School.
“The New Jersey Library Association is deeply concerned about the elimination of school media specialists positions in the East Brunswick School District,” says Pat Tumulty, Executive Director. “School media specialists are critical in providing students with the necessary information seeking skills essential for college and career readiness.”
Certified school library media specialists prepare students for success in college and careers by teaching the research, information, media, and digital literacy skills required for 21st century achievement. Students in East Brunswick School District will be less likely to develop these much-needed skills, and will be less prepared for college and careers.
According to a joint statement released in July 2016 by several prominent groups of college and university librarians, “access to a quality school library/media center staffed by a certified school media specialist is a necessary part of every student’s education.”
They go on to note that many incoming freshman are arriving on college campuses unprepared to perform college level research, requiring professors and librarians to spend more time than they should covering these basic research skills, because these students did not have K-12 access to a certified school library media specialist.
On the 2017-2018 NJ School Performance Report, East Brunswick reported a student to certified school library media specialist ratio of 674:1. This ratio will suffer a significant hit by the elimination of (3) certified school library media specialists across the district.
Parents and residents of East Brunswick who are concerned about the elimination of certified school library media specialists and the threat this poses to the college and career readiness of students in their community should express their concerns at the next East Brunswick Board of Education Meeting, contact the East Brunswick Board of Education by email at BoardofEducation@ebnet.org or postal mail at:
East Brunswick Board of Education
J.R. Kopko Administration Building
760 Route 18
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
The next meeting of the East Brunswick Board of Education with a public comment period will be on Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 PM at the Administration Building located at 760 Route 18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816.