New Australian Research

Softlink Studies

2011 from Softlink’s website

In March 2011, Softlink conducted a follow-up survey to the 2010 Australian School Library Survey, which looked into Australian school library budgets, qualified staffing levels and NAPLAN literacy results. This follow-up survey has allowed Softlink to compare and report the findings from both surveys.

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Principle findings from the 2011 Softlink Australian School Library Survey include:

• Where student numbers are the same, it is shown that primary school libraries receive significantly less funding and staff allocation to the library than secondary schools.
• Four out of five school libraries have experienced a budget decrease, or no change, compared to the previous year.
• One in six schools from total number of respondents to the survey has decreased their school library budget by more than 10% in the last 12 months.
• Larger Government schools have significantly less staff allocated to the school library, compared to larger Catholic and Independent schools.
• There is a significant positive relationship between a school’s NAPLAN reading literacy score, the budget and staffing allocated to the school library.
• The difference in funding and literacy outcomes can be quantified. In general, low performing schools allocate 30% less to the school library budget than average schools. High performing schools allocate an average of twice as much to the school library budget as average schools.

Click here to download Softlink’s Report on the Survey findings.

2010

School library staffing and funding relates positively to student NAPLAN reading test results, according to a Softlink study done this year as part of their submission to the House inquiry on school libraries (#255).

With 511 respondents

“Softlink’s 2010 survey reveals a positive correlation between higher NAPLAN literacy scores and two key library resourcing indicators. It was found that:

• There was a significant positive correlation between the annual school library budget and NAPLAN Reading Literacy results for the school;

• There was a significant positive correlation between the number of school librarians employed in the school library and NAPLAN Reading Literacy results for the school;

• Both the budget and librarian correlations strengthen as students progressed from grade 3 through to grade 9;

Therefore, schools that invested in their libraries by allocating larger budgets and more school librarian resources appeared to achieve higher literacy results.

In regard to school library budgets, in particular:

“Of the schools that have received over $150,000 in funding for the school library, 22% of these receive annual budgets of less than $5,000, with 56% operating on annual budgets of less than $10,000.

Referring to the survey responses, there appears to be a clear inconsistency between annual school library budgets across education providers. From the survey it appears:

• Government secondary schools receive annual budget funding equivalent to 80% of funding for all other types of schools.

• Government primary schools receive an average of 84% of funding of all other types of schools.

• There are funding inconsistencies between the states for comparable school libraries.

This same data also suggests that where student populations are similar in size, primary school libraries are generally funded one third less than secondary schools. Softlink argues that this funding inconsistency may put at risk the development of Australia’s primary school children.

PILOT STUDY: Teacher-librarian contributions to student literacy standards

In her preliminary pilot study for her Honour’s thesis, Ann Gillespie found correlations between the work of the teacher librarian and student achievement in literacy as measured on the NAPLAN tests.

This initial pilot study informed the questions for Ann’s current PhD research into teacher librarians and evidence based practice.

“It is possible to conclude from this small pilot study that the teacher-librarian can have a positive effect on the literacy of students when certain other conditions are in place.” (p. 79)

“The initial pilot study findings tend to confirm existing research that an actively involved teacher-librarian can have a positive effect on educational outcomes of students.” (p.79)

Gillespie, Ann M. (2006) Teacher-librarian contributions to student literacy standards. pp. 1-85. (Unpublished )