California’s Annual School Library Evaluation now open

Happy New Year! The California Department of Education (CDE) online school library evaluation is open and ready to collect information about school libraries for the 2022–23 school year (not the current year) to assess the type and extent of library services provided by schools as mandated by California Education Code Section 18122.

Improvements of note:

• We have made it possible to advance through the questions if you do not know an answer.
• The Fresno County Office of Education has created informational videos on key areas.
• When you successfully submit an evaluation, you will receive an automatic email notification.

The evaluation is divided into five sections, based on the California Model School Library Standards. You do not need to complete the whole evaluation at one time. Each section is saved automatically as you advance to the next section.

All questions focus on a single-site-level library program. If you are answering for multiple sites, complete the questions for each site as the program applies to the site. 

Begin at the evaluation home page. 

• The password to access the evaluation (case-sensitive, typed just as it appears here) is: @YourLibrary.
• Print a copy of the evaluation to use as a worksheet to gather answers before transferring to online survey.
• The survey will be open until August 31, 2024.
• If you are uncertain about what a question means, browse Tips to Complete the Survey by Section.
• At the completion of the survey, your contact information is requested, and you may print a copy of your responses.

Schools that have submitted evaluation information appear immediately at Participation and Responses.

The CDE relies on your assistance to complete the evaluation for your school or schools and to encourage other schools to complete the evaluation even if you or they do not have a library. Your answers are invaluable to us as we develop a picture of library programs across the state, and you will now have much more detailed data to look closely at your school library program. Please take this opportunity to complete the evaluation and assist the CDE in gathering information about individual school libraries as they were at the end of the 2022–23 school year.

You will also find attached an announcement from the California State Library highlighting the addition of PebbleGo-Science to the K-12 Online Content Project resources. Special thanks to the State Library for adding these resources for our youngest students.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a virtual training, please contact Renée Ousley-Swank, School Library Technology Consultant, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, by phone at 916-319-0449 or by email at rousleyswank@cde.ca.gov.

Thank you so much for your aid with this important annual project!

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Provided by Renée Ousley-Swank at California Department of Education.