We stay on top of the latest trends, opportunities and threats in our field. Our newsletter provides a digest of current arts education headlines; our Legislative Update tracks bills in the California Legislature that could impact arts programs in our schools; and, our blog offers an in depth view or opinion on current policy issues. Below are the latest news stories about our work.  

Response to the Governor's Revised Budget

published by CAAEStaff on May 17, 2013 - 12:05pm


We applaud the Governor’s commitment to restoring vital funding for our schools.  The past few years have been devastating and have taken a huge toll on our state’ ability to deliver a well-rounded curriculum.

We understand the Governor’s goal to shift away from the many categorical funding streams that have characterized school finance.  We agree local school districts should be held accountable for student results, with less focus on compliance with a myriad of complex separate funding sources.
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Alliance Releases Policy Paper on Title 1 & Arts Education

published by CAAEStaff on April 8, 2013 - 10:54am
This week in Washington DC, at the Arts Education Partnership’s National Forum Spotlight: Educating the Next America, we will release a new white paper, A Policy Pathway: Embracing Arts Education to Achieve Title I Goals.

Co-authored with Danielle Brazell of Arts for LA and Dr. Lauren Stevenson of Junction Box Consulting, the paper documents the journey we’ve been traveling for the past eighteen months to make it possible for schools and districts to embrace arts strategies for achieving the goals of Title I and improving educational outcomes for low-income students who are often underserved in public schools. 
 
Our interest in this issue was spurred by the substantial body of research demonstrating that certain forms of arts education can be an asset to schools and districts in achieving Title I goals. Despite that research evidence and the support of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan who states that “Arts education remains critical to leveling the playing field of opportunity,” we have found a lack of clarity about whether and how the arts might play a role in Title I programs.

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ACTION Alert: Protect Categorical Funding for the Arts

published by CAAEStaff on March 19, 2013 - 10:30am


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Governor’s proposed 2013-14 budget would eliminate almost all categorical programs in the name of local control and flexibility. While there are merits to this shift, it may also result in some students having less access to arts education. 
 
Since it’s adoption in 2007, the Arts and Music block grant has provided schools with a specific funding stream for arts education. Without these categorical funds, schools may be unable or unwilling to support programs that provide access to arts education. 

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Alliance Invites Title 1 Schools to Pilot Arts Ed Strategies

published by CAAEStaff on January 31, 2013 - 3:29pm


As part of our ongoing work to support schools who use arts education strategies to achieve Title 1 goals, the California Alliance for Arts Education is seeking schools and districts throughout California interested in exploring the option of using Title I funds to support arts education strategies. The Alliance will provide both the support and guidance to schools and districts to help assure that they are in compliance with the expectations of the Department of Education.

Based on the example of these schools, we hope to send the message to other schools and districts throughout the state that schools can use Title I funds to support using arts education strategies to increase student academic achievement, parental involvement, and student engagement. Click here for more details. Contact us to get involved. 

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Impact of Governor's Proposed Budget on Arts Education

published by CAAEStaff on January 14, 2013 - 1:56pm

Governor’s Budget Favors Local Autonomy and Eliminates Most Categorical Funding

The Governor’s budget proposal, released last week, includes major changes to K-12 education finance. The proposal gives local districts greater flexibility and autonomy in how they use state funds, putting more decisions in the hands of local school boards, with fewer state restrictions and requirements. According to an analysis of the proposed budget by Alliance Lobbyist Kathy Lynch, the Governor’s proposal,

“Provides $1.6 billion for the "Local Control Funding Formula". The proposal is largely the same as Weighted Student Formula proposed last year in that the Administration proposes to eliminate the majority of categorical programs, consolidate funding with revenue limit apportionments, and provide funding through a new formula that will be phased in over a period of seven years. The proposal will be coupled with a system of accountability measures both at the state and local level.”

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Opening the Door for Arts Education & Title 1

published by CAAEStaff on October 2, 2012 - 1:41pm
Last week California’s Title 1 Conference was held in San Diego, bringing together Title 1 administrators and school and parent representatives from around the state.
 
One of the breakout sessions listed was “Title 1, Student Achievement and the Arts.” The session was both the culmination of year’s work and the first step on a journey that will encourage schools throughout California to choose arts education strategies as a means of accomplishing Title 1 goals. 
 
To back up a little…The California Alliance for Arts Education and Arts for LA have been working, along with the solid support of letter-writing advocates from around the state,  to engage the California Department of Education in a discussion about how to provide guidance to Title 1 schools interested in pursuing arts education strategies. These efforts led to a letter to the field from the Department in February, and was followed by an invitation to the Alliance to present a panel at the statewide conference, explaining the process involved in selecting arts education strategies. 
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Making the Case for Title 1 Funds for Arts Education

published by CAAEStaff on August 27, 2012 - 2:55pm
For the past year the Alliance has been working behind the scenes to increase access to the benefits of arts education for students in Title 1 schools. Though Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has stated that Title 1 funds may be used to support arts education strategies that target the program’s goals, as well as clear evidence that arts programs are linked to higher test scores and academic achievement, there has been hesitation among schools and districts to pursue arts education strategies within Title 1 programs. 
 
When we were brought into this conversation by Arts for LA, we were hearing reports that an entire school district had decided not to use Title 1 funds for those purposes. 
We began by seeking guidance from California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. His office responded by saying "Title 1 funding might be appropriately used to support arts education as a strategy to improve student achievement in English-language arts and/or mathematics", provided that certain requirements are fulfilled. 
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AB 580 Would Restore Funding to California Arts Council

published by CAAEStaff on April 1, 2013 - 3:22pm

 

In March, Californians for the Arts convened arts leaders and state legislators in Sacramento about the new bill AB 580, which would increase appropriations for the California Arts Council from $1M to $75M. The bill, authored by Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian (D—Los Angeles County), will be formally introduced to the state assembly when the language has been finalized. The California Arts Council is a state agency in Sacramento that supports arts programs across the state with granting and education programs. Its budget was slashed 97% in 2003, bringing California’s per-capita arts spending to 49th in the entire United States, ahead of only Kansas, which had eliminated public funding for the arts entirely. The funds from AB 580 would bring California’s per-capita arts spending up to 12th in the nation, or roughly $2.00 per person. The CAC is currently doing strategic planning to determine which of its programs would be revived if the bill passes. Learn more. 

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March is Arts Education Month!

published by CAAEStaff on February 21, 2013 - 1:33pm

The California Alliance for Arts Education and the California State PTA are sponsoring ACR 12, a concurrent resolution honoring March as Arts Education Month. The resolution will be heard in the  coming weeks in the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism & Internet Media Committee before passing on to the Assembly floor. Read the resolution here.   
 
If you would like to write a letter on behalf of your organization in support of the resolution, please use your organization's stationery and fax a letter to:
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Proposition 30 Passed. What's Next?

published by CAAEStaff on November 13, 2012 - 6:09pm

 

We did it! Californians voted to pass Proposition 30 (53.9% to 46.1%) and reinvest in our schools. Thank you for joining our efforts and ensuring that this essential funding for education passed.

Proposition 30 will raise the state sales tax a quarter-cent for four years and increase the income tax of the state's highest earners for seven years. The 2012-2013 California budget depends on that revenue.  

In a letter sent to the Governor this week,  Joe Landon acknowleged the importance of this victory as well as the work that still lies ahead:

 

"Our hope is that we can begin build upon this moment, as we look ahead with a renewed sense of the learning opportunities the arts offer across the curriculum, both through instruction in the discreet subjects of dance, music, theater and visual arts, as well as through arts integration, career technical education, and other aspects of a comprehensive educational system."

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