Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Nabira Zainab, High School Senior at Urban Assembly School for Leadership and Empowerment
2:38:02
ยท
130 sec
Nabira Zainab, a senior at the Urban Assembly School for Leadership and Empowerment, testified in support of Intro 1125-2024, which requires the Department of Education to report annually on school libraries and library access. She emphasized the importance of certified librarians in improving graduation rates and academic performance, especially in Title I schools.
- Research shows schools with certified librarians have significantly higher graduation rates (79% vs 43% in schools without)
- The bill would provide detailed information on librarians and library resources in schools
- Zainab urged support for the bill to ensure all students have access to certified librarians for academic success
High School Senior
2:38:02
I would like to thank council member Ressler for supporting the bill one one two five two zero two four.
2:38:08
Good morning, everyone.
2:38:09
My name is Nabira Zainab, and I'm a senior at the Urban Assembly School for Leadership and Empowerment in Brooklyn, New York.
2:38:15
I live in District 45 represented by council member Farah Lewis.
2:38:19
Today, I'm here to testify in support of bill one one two five two zero two four, which mandates the department of education to report annually on school libraries and library access in DOE schools.
2:38:30
During our research, we constantly thought about how the lack of library resources might impact us in various ways.
2:38:36
In conducting research for our civic action project in our government class, we uncovered a significant finding.
2:38:42
Schools with certified librarians experienced notably higher graduation rates.
2:38:47
For example, according to the article, study finds that high poverty schools with a certified teacher librarian achieve a five year graduation rate of seventy nine percent stating that low income schools that employ accredited librarians report a graduation rate of seventy six percent over five years.
2:39:04
In stark contrast, the schools without certified librarians show a graduation rate of only forty three percent.
2:39:10
This gap is especially troubling for our title one school UASLE where the absence of certified librarians places my peers and me at a disadvantage.
2:39:20
Our extensive research clearly demonstrates that students in schools with certified librarians perform better academically.
2:39:26
Enthusiastic librarians not only inspire a joy of reading, but also helps students cultivate essential research and media literacy skills.
2:39:34
By requiring the department of education to provide detailed information on the number of certified and non certified librarians, the time students spend with them, and the operational status of school libraries, bill one one two five two zero two four will illuminate the critical resources available to students.
2:39:52
It is essential for council member Farah Lewis and the committee committee to support this bill as it emphasizes the vital role of libraries in education and ensures that all students regardless of their background have access to certified librarians for their academic success.
2:40:08
Thank you for your attention and I urge you to support bill one one two five two zero two four.