Right to Read Act: Strengthening School Libraries and Digital Literacy
This Act aims to ensure all students have access to high-quality reading instruction and effective school libraries. It introduces new definitions, responsibilities for schools and states, and funding to support the development of reading, digital, and information literacy skills, while also protecting students' rights to access diverse materials.
Key points
Establishes a "right to read" for all students, including access to appropriate instruction, effective libraries, family support, and diverse materials.
Defines an "effective school library" as one with qualified staff, rich collections (digital and print), and adequate facilities.
Requires states and local educational agencies to plan and report on efforts to ensure equitable access to effective school libraries, especially for disadvantaged students.
Authorizes significant funding to support and improve school libraries, and to train librarians and teachers in digital and information literacy skills.
Provides liability protections for teachers and library staff acting in conformity with "right to read" policies, shielding them from harm caused by their actions.
Mandates schools to protect First Amendment rights in school libraries, ensuring access to a variety of reading materials and prohibiting partisan decisions on collections.
Introduced
Citizen Poll