SL 21
On Friday, February 5, the Library of Michigan and its Board of Trustees endorsed a new tool to help school librarians and their administrators evaluate the quality of their school library programs. The "SL21" is a voluntary instrument designed to help educate administrators about what a good school library should offer and to help give recognition to and advocate for those school libraries that are doing a good job and ensuring student achievement.
SL21 is designed around the new AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner, and is written with a minimum of library jargon for ease of use with school administrators. SL21 is divided into 3 main sections:
1)Teaching for 21stCentury Learning,
2) Building the 21st Century Learning Environment, and
3) Leading the Way to 21stCentury Learning.
Each section has 7 criteria on which school libraries can be rated as "At-risk". "Qualified" or "Exemplary". School libraries and their schools must earn a minimum of 21 points to be considered "Qualified." The Library of Michigan, an Office of the Department of Education, will recognize schools and their school libraries that achieve either a "Qualified" or an "Exemplary" status. We anticipate that the SL21 document will be a valuable tool for both school librarians and administrators in much the same way that the QSAC document has been for public libraries.
"Creative new ideas for fully integrating school library service into the development of curriculum in Michigan's K-12 schools is essential to the success of our state's next generation. These SL21 goals can be the conversation starter needed to get school administrators and school librarians collaborating in achieving those outcomes for our students," said Michael P. Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction.
"As the state's library, the Library of Michigan is excited and proud to have helped coordinate the process by which these important SL21 benchmarks and recognition program for school libraries and their schools have been outlined," says Nancy Robertson, State Librarian. "This tool will be of enormous value to the students and teachers in the schools that collaborate with their administrators to focus their efforts on maximizing the value that school libraries and their librarians bring to the success of Michigan's student population."
Links to the SL21 document will be provided through both the MAME website and the Library of Michigan website. An easy-to-remember URL has been designated for the program: http://michigan.gov/SL21 .
SL21 is designed around the new AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner, and is written with a minimum of library jargon for ease of use with school administrators. SL21 is divided into 3 main sections:
1)Teaching for 21stCentury Learning,
2) Building the 21st Century Learning Environment, and
3) Leading the Way to 21stCentury Learning.
Each section has 7 criteria on which school libraries can be rated as "At-risk". "Qualified" or "Exemplary". School libraries and their schools must earn a minimum of 21 points to be considered "Qualified." The Library of Michigan, an Office of the Department of Education, will recognize schools and their school libraries that achieve either a "Qualified" or an "Exemplary" status. We anticipate that the SL21 document will be a valuable tool for both school librarians and administrators in much the same way that the QSAC document has been for public libraries.
"Creative new ideas for fully integrating school library service into the development of curriculum in Michigan's K-12 schools is essential to the success of our state's next generation. These SL21 goals can be the conversation starter needed to get school administrators and school librarians collaborating in achieving those outcomes for our students," said Michael P. Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction.
"As the state's library, the Library of Michigan is excited and proud to have helped coordinate the process by which these important SL21 benchmarks and recognition program for school libraries and their schools have been outlined," says Nancy Robertson, State Librarian. "This tool will be of enormous value to the students and teachers in the schools that collaborate with their administrators to focus their efforts on maximizing the value that school libraries and their librarians bring to the success of Michigan's student population."
Links to the SL21 document will be provided through both the MAME website and the Library of Michigan website. An easy-to-remember URL has been designated for the program: http://michigan.gov/SL21 .