[LM_NET] Target: Impact Studies Proving Causation

[Davinna Artibey <davinna@COMCAST.NET>]

Hi.  I had an interesting conversation with my principal yesterday.   
While he is supportive of our library program, he told me that he is  
skeptical about impact studies that say teacher librarians contribute  
to student achievement.  He said that he believes they show more  
correlation between high standardized test scores and strong library  
programs than causation.    He further explained that it's probably  
due more to the fact that schools with more money also have parents  
with more money.  So the parents can afford tutoring and resources  
that help their children achieve.

I set out to prove him wrong by looking at a few here http://www.lrs.org/impact.php 
  .  However, the ones I looked at do seem to show correlation, not  
causation.  Do any of you know of a school library impact study I can  
show him that demonstrates causation?

Thank you,
Davinna Artibey
Teacher Librarian
Denver Center for International Studies
Davinna@comcast.net

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