This graph represents the percentage of public school media centers with scheduled times when students can use the library independently by school level :1999- 2000.

The information is a bit dated, but the data is relevant to today's library programs. The government offers one year grants through the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program. You can find information about this grant at http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/index.html.

This program was developed to help with the NCLB legislation (No Child Left Behind Act). Librarians are a partner in education and should be seen as an instructional leader. Ways that a librarian can help are to provide instructional materials aligned to the curriculum and state standards, collaborating with teachers, working with parents, and having extended hours. Librarians need to show the teachers, administrators, and parents how integral their role is in student achievement. Students need to be introduced to reading for pleasure not just high stakes testing situations. The librarian is elemental in this shift of student thinking. By allowing students more independent time in the library, they will utilize this time and see the library as a comfortable reading space.

I used Google Images to find this graph. This graph can be located at the following web address: http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/achiever/2004/091504.html#3.