Impact of School Librarians on Elementary Student Achievement: A Propensity Score Analysis

• In Event: School and Teacher Effectiveness

Abstract

The number of school librarians has been shrinking in the past few years in part due to the lack of evidence linking them to student achievement. Although there are numerous correlational studies that assert that school librarians are linked to student performance, there has not been a study using rigorous methods. We use propensity score matching to compare students with a full-time certified librarian to similar students without. In addition, we examine this relationship for both reading and math as well as over a four-year time span. We find that students who attend schools with a full-time certified librarian score significantly higher on math and reading tests than do matched students who attend schools without a full-time school librarian.

Authors

• Lois Wine, Old Dominion University

• Sue C. Kimmel, Old Dominion University

• Shana L. Pribesh, Old Dominion University

• Gail K. Dickinson, Old Dominion University

• Audrey P. Church, Longwood University