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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1769 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 428 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Jacob R. Oliveira |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to school library standards. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and WorcesterAngelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/27/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/12/2025David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex2/20/2025James Arciero2nd Middlesex2/24/2025William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/26/2025John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth3/3/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/3/2025Judith A. Garcia11th Suffolk3/3/2025Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk3/5/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1769 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 428 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Oliveira, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 428) of Jacob R. Oliveira, Angelo |
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| 19 | 19 | | J. Puppolo, Jr., Lindsay N. Sabadosa, David Paul Linsky and other members of the General |
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| 20 | 20 | | Court for legislation relative to school library standards. Education. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act relative to school library standards. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1T the |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2following new section:- |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 1U. School Library Standards |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4 As used in this section, (i) the term “school library standards” means the most recent |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5edition of academic standards for school library media programs developed by the American |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6Association of School Librarians (AASL) and endorsed for the commonwealth by the |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA); (ii) the term “effective school library |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8program” means school library programs that are staffed by certified school librarians, offer |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9equitable access to a collection and other resources for all students, and provides personalized |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10learning environments for students within 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11 instruction time and across the school day; (iii) the term “schools” means all public |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12schools, charter schools, private day schools, residential schools, and collaborative schools |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13established and recognized under this Title. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14 Pursuant to the provisions of section 1D, the department shall adopt AASL and MSLA |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15school library standards that promote effective school library programs, including, but not |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16limited to: (a) a well-rounded grade-appropriate collection that supports the curriculum as well as |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17independent reading and inquiry; (b) the teaching of information literacy and research skills for |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18students in kindergarten to grade 12; (c) furthers reading proficiency and competencies for all |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19students; and (d) integrates learning technologies across the curriculum. Pursuant to the |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20provisions of section 1E, the commissioner shall guide school committees or boards of trustees |
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| 49 | 49 | | 21in implementation of standards and the development of effective school library programs. School |
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| 50 | 50 | | 22committees or board of trustees may incorporate the school library standards into existing |
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| 51 | 51 | | 23curricula including, but not limited to, English language arts, history and social sciences, and |
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| 52 | 52 | | 24technology. |
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| 53 | 53 | | 25 The department shall require a study by the department relative to the implementation of |
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| 54 | 54 | | 26the school library standards beginning in the third year after the enactment of said standards. |
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| 55 | 55 | | 27Subject to appropriation, the department shall conduct a study in each third year following the |
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| 56 | 56 | | 28initial study, including a study of employment of school librarians and staff and the type of |
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| 57 | 57 | | 29school library programs being offered in schools to students. The study shall include a report to |
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| 58 | 58 | | 30the public via department communication platforms on best practices and recommended |
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| 59 | 59 | | 31improvements to effective school library programs for all students. |
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