Do you know that:

• Two out of three children in Philadelphia cannot read on grade level by 4th grade.
• Children who can’t read on grade level by 4th grade are six times more likely to drop out of school.
• Research shows that students who attend schools with full-time, professional school librarians score significantly better on reading tests than students whose schools don’t have librarians.
• The School District of Philadelphia had 176 librarians for 259 schools in 1991, but the district stopped funding school librarian positions in the late 1990s and closed its Office of School Libraries in the mid-2000s.
• According to 2023-2024 NCES data, the School District of Philadelphia currently only has the equivalent of THREE full-time certified librarians for its 220 schools and 117,907 students.

This is where the
Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians (PARSL) comes in!

PARSL is a 100% volunteer-run organization. 

We can't do this work alone. We need your help! If you are interested in learning more or volunteering with PARSL, here are some ways you can get involved:

• Sign up to receive the newsletter or join the alliance
• Follow PARSL's Facebook page
• Follow PARSL on Instagram
• Reach out directly at [email protected] or 215-839-8621
• Download our one-pager and share with your networks - English version | En Español 
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