Meeting the purpose of the statute A great beginning leads to a great finish.

The Thomasville City School System believes that the education of a child can be compared to a race. Students are like runners in a race to achieve literacy which will improve achievement in all academic areas. Media centers are like a good pair of tennis shoes worn in a race; they provide support to the runners. Through the Success in the Race for Literacy Program, acquiring up-to-date technology and print materials and extending the operational hours of a school library media center (hereafter media center) will furnish students with the support needed to achieve literacy. One of the main goals of our system is to improve reading skills, which in turn will enable students to achieve in all other academic areas. The media centers provide support for the teachers and students as they strive for success in the race for literacy. The school library media specialists (hereafter media specialists) encourage students by providing them with materials to support skills learned in the classroom. They also collaborate with teachers in planning lessons and providing print materials and technology resources for curricular support. Together, these activities will increase literacy and improve the academic achievement of our students. Need for school library resources Thomasville is a rural town in South Georgia with the 2010 population of 18,413. Seventy-four percent of the adult population of Thomasville has a high school degree or higher and 22% possesses college degrees. The Thomasville City School System serves 3,107 students in five schools: three elementary (PreK-5), one middle (6-8), and one high (9-12). The racial makeup of the schools is 76% African-American, 22% Caucasian, and 2% other ethnicities. Of the over 3,000 students, 74% are eligible for free or reduced lunch. One elementary school and our middle did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2011 under. Many of our first through eighth grade students score below the state average in reading on the Georgia Criterion-Reference Competency Test (CRCT). Of the over 1,600 first through eighth grade students enrolled in the Thomasville City School System, 16% did not meet the state standards in reading, and 20% did not meet the state standards in English/language arts on the CRCT in 2010-2011. The state average for students in the same test subjects are 13% and 16%, respectively. Social studies and science are also areas of concern for our third through eighth grade students. In addition, Georgia requires that students pass all sections of the Georgia High School Graduation Test in order to graduate. While only 10% of students did not pass the English/language arts section on the first attempt in 2011, this is still more than the state average of 5% who did not pass. The differences are more striking in social studies, with 33% not passing in our system compared to a state average of 16%, and science, with 48% not passing in our system compared to a state average of 32%. While the system desires to meet AYP, that is not the only reason to raise student achievement. Students are in a race to obtain literacy and a high school diploma, and all students must be winners in that race. The Success in the Race for Literacy Program will support our students as they strive for academic achievement. Deficiencies in the Thomasville City School Systems media center programs vary, although now all of our schools receive Title I funds.

At the elementary school level, literacy is the fundamental building block of all future learning. In order for students to begin and sustain a successful race toward literacy, it is essential that they have print materials that are aligned to the state curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), and are capable of generating interest and excitement. Elementary school needs are also focused on increasing advanced technology in the media centers in order to provide the support needed by the students. Scott has six older computers in the media center for student use, while Jerger has three and Harper has seven. The students in each elementary school will benefit from having access to updated computers. As students enter the midpoint of the race at middle school, literacy skills remain an important part of a students learning process, while research skills and connecting with up-to-date technology become increasingly important. Forty-five percent of our middle school students score below the 25th percentile on the STAR Reading Test, and 72% score below the 50th percentile. Increased emphasis must be placed on building literacy skills. The media center at the middle school has slightly more than 14,000 books with the majority of the collection having copyright dates between 1985 and 2005. MacIntyre Park print resources are sufficient for the needs of the students due to funding support through Title I, which provides the 575 students with access to materials that can be utilized to positively affect literacy. Eighteen semi-modern laptops are available for student use in the media center at MacIntyre Park, but arent adequate to support the students in their race for literacy. Access to the media center at the middle school is confined to a seven-hour day. Providing access to the resources of the media center during extended hours as well as presenting instructional lessons to students on research skills and graphic organizers will lend additional support to students. When students near the end of the race and enter high school, literacy changes from a focus on the mechanics of reading and comprehension to the ability to use reading skills to access, evaluate, and utilize information. This does not mean that literacy ceases to be important. On the contrary, it means that literacy now encompasses the ability to use mechanical reading skills to attain knowledge and understanding necessary for higher-order thinking. Emphasis on reading for learning is now more important than ever and encompasses all disciplinary domains and expands to personal learning. With this in mind, the most urgent and significant needs for media center resources at the high school level are centered on non-fiction print resources and technology. Thomasville High School currently has about 11,800 books in its media center with a low average publication date of 1975 and a high of 1990. While nearly every area of Thomasville High Schools collection would benefit from updating, the highest priority needs are in the areas of natural sciences/mathematics, history and geography, technology, and literature and rhetoric, where the average date of publication is the lowest. These same divisions show a deficit in recommended Dewey balance to the collection as a whole. The needs for updating, extending, and diversifying these divisions of the collection are twofold: to adequately align media center resources to the Georgia Performance Standards and to provide resources that will afford students opportunities to successfully access, evaluate, and utilize appropriate information. As test scores indicate that our high school students weakest areas of performance are in social studies and science, it is even more important that we address current deficits in these areas and replace outdated or worn materials with more appropriate and useful resources. Likewise, new print resources will provide a tool for fueling student interest in literature and reading in general.

Use of funds When a race of any kind begins, a good start is crucial for one to be competitive and to finish the race. Good runners have trainers and coaches that teach and support them. Media specialists play this role in our school system: to support literacy education so every student will finish the race with a high school diploma and will be prepared for a future after high school. The objectives of the Success in the Race for Literacy Program are threefold: to provide print resources to our elementary and high schools that will allow the media centers to expand and update their nonfiction collections; to provide increased access to our middle school media center through extended hours; and to provide advanced technology to all schools according to individual school needs. Our goal at the elementary level is to provide opportunities for students to improve literacy skills with support from certified media specialists through access to up-to-date technology resources and appropriate non-fiction print materials. At the middle school level, our goals are to provide advanced technology in the media center that will enable the media specialist to collaborate on teaching units with teachers and to provide increased access for students through extended hours. At the high school level, our goal is to make available some urgently needed technology equipment as well as non-fiction print materials in the media center that will put our students on a level playing field with their peers. The Thomasville City School System has adopted Max Thompsons Learning-Focused Schools model at all levels. One of the primary tools of this model is graphic organizers which help students organize, comprehend and remember what has been taught. Using the presentation station, the media specialist can work with students to develop graphic organizers through Inspiration software in order to reinforce classroom lessons. Elementary school is the beginning of the race, and students must get off the starting line without faltering. At the elementary schools, there is a need for new materials in the non-fiction genre. As test scores show, our students are scoring below the state average in social studies and science. Non-fiction print materials aligned to the GPS will support teachers and students as they strive to improve academic achievement in these areas. Students at the elementary schools also need access to up-to-date computers for utilizing the electronic card catalog and carrying out Internet research. The number and condition of the computers currently in the elementary media centers are not adequate for supporting the activities required by the classroom teachers. New computers will enable students to complete required activities. As the students leave elementary school, they are running into a more challenging curriculum in the middle school. Literacy skills are still important because test scores demonstrate that a large number of the students are weak in this area. The students are introduced to the variety of reference sources available in the media center. A number of library skills are taught to middle school students, such as effective use of the electronic card catalog and how to search databases for information. They are taught how to use reference materials such as the encyclopedia and the almanac. Middle school students are introduced to the research process, and they are required to do a research paper in order to satisfy the GPS. The presentation station will enable the media specialist to present these skills to an entire class at a time. For example, when teaching how to use an online database such as Galileo (Georgias Virtual Library), it is an effective use of time for the

media specialist to teach all students in a class at one time. There is then time to help individuals who are having difficulty while the majority of the students work independently. In order for students to have additional time to access the resources, we plan to extend the operational hours of the media center at the middle school. The media specialist will be available in the media center two afternoons per week for an extra hour. During the extended hours, the students will have the opportunity to acquire additional information and read a variety of materials. In addition, the media specialist will present a short lesson each afternoon. These lessons may include effective study skills as well as technology tools and tips. Teachers will collaborate with the media specialist by requesting that specific software programs or Internet activities be introduced to the students during the extended hours, helping build background knowledge before a skill is taught in a classroom. Parent volunteers will assist the media specialist in providing individual help to students. The media specialist will also invite volunteers such as business partners, parents, the principal, and other system administrators to read to or work with the students during the extended hours. The Thomasville City School System does not have a transportation system; parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from school. We will take advantage of this by advising parents about the extended hours and inviting them to come with their children to the media center after school hours. By encouraging the students parents to visit the media center with the students, we may make an impact on adult literacy. As mentioned earlier, over one-fourth of the adults in our city do not have a high school diploma. As the students enter high school, where they are required to use technology resources to prepare for their futures, they begin to limp. Additionally, the high school requires new print materials in the non-fiction genre. These print materials will be used to reinforce the GPS. Test scores demonstrate that our high school students are lagging far behind the rest of the state, particularly in the areas of social studies and science. Acquiring updated non-fiction materials that are correlated to the GPS will positively impact the number of students passing the GHSGT on the first attempt. The Thomasville City School System wants all students to have up-to-date materials and technology resources in the media centers. Our media specialists will use these resources to support our students in their quest to be successful in the race for literacy and win the prize of a high school diploma. Use of scientifically based research The Importance of School Libraries by Dr. Keith Curry Lance articulates the impact that improvements in media centers have on student achievement. In this article, he cites his Colorado Study which revealed that the size of a media centers staff and collection is a direct predictor of reading scores. Highlighting Williams Intermediate School in Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Lance points out that when the use of the library was improved, circulation doubled and sometimes tripled, and students surveyed indicated a three percent rise in reading frequency. The physical size of the library was tripled, new software programs that are aligned to the curriculum were purchased, and technology training was provided for teachers. Additionally, the collection was expanded to include more books for their reading program, as well as more nonfiction titles and books for reluctant readers (Lance, 2002).

After the improvements to Williams Intermediates media center were completed, test scores for their sixth graders rose 18 percent from needing improvement to meeting or exceeding reading standards. The bottom line of this study and other studies conducted by Dr.Lance and his associates in 3,000 schools indicates that student achievement in reading is positively affected by the size of print and electronic resources, increased funding, and professionally certified staffing in the media center (Lance, 2002). Student Learning Through Ohio School Libraries: A Summary of the Ohio Research Study presents the outcome of a research study conducted by Dr. Ross J. Todd and Dr. Carol C. Kuhlthau. Dr. Ross and Dr. Kuhlthau collected data from 39 schools across Ohio in an effort to provide recommendations for professional practice, educational policy development, further research, and tools for school librarians to chart their libraries impacts on learning (Todd, Kuhlthau & OELMA, 2003, p. 1). The outcome of this study was the identification of key building blocks of successful school library media programs that allow students to attain new knowledge that will positively impact student achievement and life-long learning skills. These building blocks include reading resources aligned with the state and local curriculum that are up to-date, diversified, and attractive to all learners as well as a technological infrastructure that is up-to-date and available to students so that they can access information in a variety of formats. Additionally, certified media specialists at the helm of the library program are considered essential (Todd, Kuhlthau & OELMA, 2003). The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) produced a paper entitled School Libraries Work! for the purpose of consolidating position statements from a variety of research studies focused on school library programs and their influence on student achievement. The common threads in each of these research studies are the importance of certified media specialists who work in collaboration with teachers in an effort to positively affect student achievement, an up-to-date, extensive collection reflecting current and high interest materials successfully aligned to the curriculum, and up-to-date technology that expands information resources. Each of these studies points to an increase in reading test scores across the board as a positive indicator of the role that media centers play in enhancing academic achievement (U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, 2006). Research also indicates that extending library hours of operation is a positive contributing factor to student achievement. In Florida in 2002, research revealed that test scores improved when hours of operation were increased to 60 hours or more per week and staffed by media specialists as opposed to less than 60 hours per week. In this study, a 9% improvement was shown at the elementary level, 3.3% at the middle school level, and an impressive 22.2% at the high school level (U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, 2006). Deficiencies in the Thomasville City School Systems media center program are directly aligned to the findings of this research. The Success in the Race for Literacy Program will impact academic achievement by updating and diversifying outdated areas of our collections, increasing access to technology through the addition of computers and other advanced technology tools, and providing extended hours at the middle school. Broad-based involvement and coordination How can the Success in the Race for Literacy Program be implemented in the Thomasville City School System? The certified media specialists in our system will implement the program with the

help of the system media committee; school media center committees, literacy coaches, and school-based instructional administrators. At the monthly system media committee meeting which is comprised of the media specialists and the system technology coordinator, the media specialists will share activities and lessons used in their schools. A technology lesson will be taught by the system technology coordinator to ensure the media specialists are up-to-speed on current technologies. In addition, purchases of new print materials, circulation statistics, and how to impact student achievement will be discussed. The school media center committees are made up of the media specialist, principal, teachers, parents, and students. Collaboration with teachers will be one of the main topics discussed at the school media center committee meetings. Parents and students will brainstorm with the school personnel to generate ideas for lessons to be taught. Ways to improve the support provided by the media center and media specialist will be a regular topic as we implement the Success in the Race for Literacy Program. Grant administration responsibilities will be handled by the technology coordinator, who also serves as the system media coordinator and works hand-in-hand with the media specialists on a daily basis. The technology coordinator manages several federal and state grant programs. The E-Rate program is administered by the technology coordinator and in conjunction with the City of Thomasville provides 100 GB lines to each media center for Internet and interactive distance learning capabilities, freeing local funds for other uses. The curriculum director and technology coordinator work closely together to manage funding sources, including Title I, in order to provide the most effective programs available for our schools. Evaluation of quality and impact To measure the effectiveness of the Success in the Race for Literacy Program, a summative analysis will be performed by examining growth in scores on the CRCT with a benchmark goal of a 3% decrease in students not meeting standards per grade level at the elementary and middle school levels. On the STAR Reading Test, the benchmark goal is a 3% decrease in students scoring below the 25th percentile. At the high school level, the summative analysis will look for a 3% improvement in scores on the English/language arts, social studies, and science sections of the GHSGT. Furthermore, as we focus on increasing literacy at all levels, the circulation and patron statistics will be examined through both formative and summative analysis with a goal of a 5% increase in circulation and 5% increase in patron participation. A quarterly formative analysis will also be made of the increase in reading scores based on the STAR Reading Test. The circulation statistics will be monitored closely to determine the increase in the number of books checked out at each school. The impact of extended hours in the middle school media center will be determined by measuring the number of students who take advantage of the extended day. When a student enters the media center, he or she will be asked to sign-in and the media specialist will compile these sign-in sheets. The teachers can also use this data to monitor who is working on assigned projects. Dates/ Evaluation Activity/ Person(s) Responsible August 2012

Establish baseline data for circulation statistics, patron statistics, and test scores Media specialists and grant administrator Monthly from August 2012 to May 2013 Compile circulation statistics; discuss at monthly system media committee meetings Media specialists Monthly from August 2012 to May 2013 Compile sign-in sheets for extended hours; collaborate with teachers Middle school media specialist Quarterly from August 2012 to May 2013 Examine collection size, particularly in areas of need Media specialists Quarterly from August 2012 to May 2013 Administer STAR Reading Test and analyze results Media specialists and teachers May 2013 Evaluate test score data for 2012-2013 in comparison to 2011-2012 Grant administrator and system test coordinator The desire of the Thomasville City School System is to have school library media centers that are equipped with the technology tools and print resources required to support literacy. Our students cannot be left behind in the race for literacy!