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.  

U.S. Dept of Ed Offers Guidance on Title 1 & Arts Education

published by CAAEStaff on June 10, 2013 - 4:16pm

On June 6, 2013, the California Alliance received a copy of a letter addressed to Title I State Coordinators from Dr. Monique Chism, Director, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs at the Department of Education. In it, Dr. Chism addresses inquiries she's received about the role of arts education within the Title I, Part A program.  

The letter says it loud and clear: "Activities that support the arts, in conjunction with other activities, can form an important part of an LEA's Title I program." 

The California Alliance, with Arts for LA and others around the country, have asked for clarification and have encouraged the U.S. Department of Education to help clarify some of the confusion that exists around Title I programs that has prevented schools and districts from implementing arts education strategies to achieve Title I goals. 

The letter goes on to explain the specific requirements of Title I funding, that the "activities must help facilitate Title I's overall purpose of improving the achievement of students who are failing or most at risk of failing, to meet the academic content and achievement standards developed by the State, and that "using funds for arts education also must be consistent with other applicable requirements" that determine eligibility.

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CTC considers Dance and Theater Credential

published by CAAEStaff on June 10, 2013 - 2:55pm
When the California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) meets this week they will consider a big leap forward for arts education in the state: the reinstatement of credentials in dance and theater. These are the only core subjects that lack specific credentials for teachers and California is one of only three states in the U.S. without them. The California Alliance for Arts Education has long supported this move and, this week, sent a letter of support to the CTC urging their support for this simple and powerful step.


According to the California Dance Education Association, without such credentials and adequate teacher prep programs in Dance and Theatre, California school districts “are hard-pressed to recruit, contract and retain” highly-qualified dance and theater teacher, and thus, “sustain robust Dance and Theatre programs and fully implement the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Framework and Standards for all students in all arts disciplines.” In an Op-Ed penned by  CREATE California legacy members Malissa Feruzzi-Shriver and Amy Shimshon-Santo, Ph.D., this change would “improve learning outcomes for California students, especially for the underprivileged,” whose “lack of access to instruction in arts . . . is exacerbated by unclear arts teacher preparation and certification pathways in higher education.”
 
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Student Voices Video Makers Win Adobe Software for their Schools

published by CAAEStaff on May 29, 2013 - 5:04pm


Last month marked the close of the Alliance’s Student Voices campaign, which gave students from all over California a platform to share their creativity and passion for the arts with their legislators. Our first-ever student video campaign drew an inspired array of submissions that showcased the artistry, hard work and zeal of student artists.

Thanks to a generous donations from Adobe, the students whose videos received the most likes have won free Adobe software for their schools.
 
Melody Lee and Irene Lee, students at the Orange County for the Arts took first place and a video created by Michelle Coder and Cody Watson in partnership students at Ridgepoint School, a middle school in Sacramento, came in second. Congratulations to both on their unique vidoes and their successful efforts to spread the word about the campaign on social media. 
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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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