School accountability: Statewide School Library Lead.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effectiveness is contingent upon an appropriation for these purposes.

School Library Lead for California

This law creates a Statewide School Library Lead position to help improve school libraries and literacy in California.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new role called the Statewide School Library Lead to focus on improving library services in schools.
• Requires this lead to work with other education groups like the State Board of Education, the department, and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.
• Needs at least one fully credentialed teacher librarian to be hired by the chosen county office for this job.
• Sets goals for the lead to help schools build better library programs and speed up literacy efforts.

Who It Names or Affects

• School districts in California
• County offices of education
• Charter schools

Terms To Know

Statewide School Library Lead

A person chosen to help improve school libraries and literacy across the state.

California Comprehensive State Literacy Plan

A plan that outlines how California will work on improving reading skills for all students.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only works if there is money set aside to pay for it.
• It does not specify exactly what the lead must do, but gives general ideas about their job.

Official Summary Text

SB 478, as introduced, Ashby.
School accountability: Statewide School Library Lead.
Existing law establishes a single system for providing support to local educational agencies and schools and for specified federal educational programs. Existing law provides that the purpose of the statewide system of support is to build the capacity of local educational agencies, as specified.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to establish a process, administered by the department, to select, subject to approval by the executive director of the State Board of Education, an expert lead agency based on specific expertise in an area of need to conduct activities and build statewide capacity to address that area of need within the statewide system of support, as well as geographic lead agencies for other specified purposes, as provided.
This bill, contingent upon an appropriation for these purposes, would require the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on or before July 1, 2026, to select an applicant county office of education to serve as a Statewide School Library Lead to work collaboratively with the State Board of Education, the department, and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, among others, to establish library and literacy services that support the statewide system of support. The bill would require the selected county office of education to employ at least one fully credentialed teacher librarian. The bill would specify that the Statewide School Library Lead’s duties include, among other things, enhancing the state’s investment in literacy and aligning those efforts with the California Comprehensive State Literacy Plan and working directly with school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools
to build capacity to develop excellent school library services and accelerate literacy and learning, including coordinating support, providing direct technical assistance, and delivering professional learning.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF