Help us mandate qualified teacher librarians in schools

Every Australian student deserves the opportunity to succeed. But right now, thousands are missing out on one of the most effective educational resources available to schools: a dual-qualified teacher librarian.

It’s a simple equation. When schools employ a teacher librarian, students gain an average of 2 months extra learning and NAPLAN results improve. But this important role is on the decline.

In South Australia, only 15% of schools employ a teacher librarian, down from 23% in 2019. Similar trends are occurring across Australia. Most recently, teacher librarians at 58 schools in the Newcastle/Maitland diocese were informed they were either being made redundant or ‘redeployed’.

While every library role contributes to success, schools led by a teacher librarian consistently out-perform those without one. More than simply managing libraries, they elevate the whole team, and both students and teachers benefit from deeper curriculum connections.

As Australia works to lift literacy standards and prepare young people for an increasingly complex world, now is not the time to lose teacher librarians – it’s time to invest in them.

Help us write a better story for students by signing the petition to mandate qualified teacher librarians in schools.

Link: https://www.change.org/p/mandate-qualified-teacher-librarians-in-schools

Link to Flyer here