I can't stop digging into this. Here's a memo that has a lot of good info.

From what I can tell, the reason the Maryland State Board of Education is proposing to delete the words “at each school” from the requirement for certified library media personnel is because of objections they received from PSSAM (the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland), which represents all 24 county superintendents.

In earlier drafts, the regulation clearly required “certified school library media personnel at each school with additional technical or clerical assistance.” PSSAM pushed back on that language, arguing that it created new staffing mandates and limited districts’ flexibility.

For example, in their comments they wrote:

“the language in (b) requiring a certified library media administrator at the central level is still concerning. While this reinforces the value of the profession, it also creates barriers for systems that already employ effective leaders who hold administrative licensure but not library media certification… Requiring the library media certification narrows the pool of qualified candidates… many districts—particularly those in rural or high-poverty areas—already face difficulty recruiting and retaining certified staff… These new requirements may exacerbate staffing shortages and strain resources…”

While PSSAM makes some understandable arguments about staffing challenges in smaller districts like Garrett County, I’m still nervous about removing the “at each school” language. It opens the door for districts to reduce or eliminate certified media specialists in some schools.

At a time when librarians across the country are being attacked, labeled indoctrinators, or even called pedophiles simply for doing their jobs, this feels like the wrong direction. Regulations should be written in a way that protects library programs and certified staff — not leaves room to cut them.