H.R. 281·Elementary Beginner
A Bill to Require a Librarian in Every Elementary School
Rep. Murphy (D-PA)
Every public elementary school must employ at least one certified school librarian.
Sec. 1 — Mandate
Every public elementary school shall employ at least one certified school librarian.
Sec. 2 — Funding
$310 million per year for librarian salaries.
Sec. 3 — Enforcement
Title I review cycle.
Sec. 4 — Effective Date
Within 2 years.
Tournament Prep
Mechanical parts, sourced & timed
Use this as your pre-round checklist. Memorize the source citation. Time yourself to the delivery target.
- Bill / Number
- H.R. 281 — A Bill to Require a Librarian in Every Elementary School
- Funding source
- $310M/yr ED Library Services account.
- Timeline
- Within 2 years.
- Tight but plausible — there are ~25K elementary schools without librarians; staffing pipeline is the constraint.
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Education (Title I review).
- Yes — staffing already audited under ESSA.
- Penalty for non-compliance
- Title I funding adjustment.
- Source citation
- School Library Journal / Lance & Kachel (2018), 'Why School Librarians Matter' — kappanonline.org.
- Delivery time (read aloud)
- 55s
Strongest counter-argument
Classroom teachers can manage the library function at lower cost.
Your pre-emptive answer
Lance & Kachel (2018) reviewed 34 state studies — schools with certified librarians show 10-25% higher reading proficiency, *controlling for poverty*. Teachers can't replicate that without time they don't have.