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E-Newsletter for April 18, 2007
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CALIFORNIA NEWS

NEWS AROUND THE NATION

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONFERENCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SCHOLARSHIPS, CONTESTS & AWARDS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

EMPLOYMENT & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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California News

Arts Education Funding in the 2007-08 State Budget
In Sacramento, this is the time that anticipates the announcement of the “May Revise”, due on May 11, the Governor’s revision of the state budget originally proposed by his office in January. The revision is based on the economic forecast for the state as well as other circumstances that factor into the budget process. The allotment of $109.24 million in the current budget for ongoing arts education has been reviewed by education budget committees in both the Assembly and the Senate and is being held over until the announcement of the May Revise.

The revenue forecast is looking less optimistic that originally projected in January. While we are hopeful this will not impact the block grant funding for the visual and performing arts, it is important to remain vigilant throughout the budget process and to continue to reach out to policymakers to demonstrate the value and benefits of arts learning.

Meanwhile, school districts await the dispersal of the $500 million in one-time funding for Arts Education and Physical Education supplies and equipment and professional development. (Not to confuse the reader, this money was allotted in last year’s budget.) Letters from the Department of Education’s School Fiscal Services office are expected to be sent out in the coming weeks.

California Arts Council Funding Measures
In addition to the arts education funding, an allotment of $5.286 million to fund the California Arts Council is also in the current budget and is being held over by Assembly and Senate Budget Committees until the announcement of the revised budget in May.

Other news related to California Arts Council funding: Assemblymember Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach), chair of the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee, has introduced AB 1365, a bill which would require that the tax imposed in connection with the sale, or the storage, use, or other consumption, of a work of art, as defined, be allocated to the California Arts Council. AB 1365 has passed out of the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee and will next be heard in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee on April 23. Click here to see the full text of the bill.

Announcing New Arts Education Task Force
Building on the momentum created by recent state investments in arts education, a newly formed California Arts Education Strategic Task Force has met on March 29 and April 9 in Sacramento, to formulate recommendations aimed at providing quality arts education in all of California’s public schools.

The Task Force effort follows on the heels of the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) report, which documented that most of California’s schools do not offer a rigorous arts curriculum as part of the students’ total education. (The SRI report can be viewed here).

Sponsored by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) in collaboration with the California Alliance for Arts Education, the thirteen member Task Force includes representatives of the legislature, the PTA, and major education organizations including the California Teachers Association, the California School Board Association, and the Association of California School Board Administrators.

The Task Force will meet again on April 30, when they will begin to formulate policy recommendations. The Task Force is expected to submit a report with recommendations in mid-May.

Orange County's Long-Term Arts Education Strategies
A new Orange County initiative helps school districts plot long-term strategies for quality arts education. The Arts Advantage program was launched this year by the Orange County Department of Education in collaboration with Arts Orange County, a private nonprofit arts council. “The Arts Advantage, then, is a small, first step to achieving a much larger goal: returning arts instruction and arts-specialist teachers to every school. It is hoped that through careful planning and development of mission and policy statements approved by school boards, the arts will no longer be the first on the chopping block when budgets get cut.” To learn more, read the full article here.

Arts Education Funds Provide Initial Investment in Inland Empire
Arts education in San Bernardino's schools is just now regaining its footing, aided by a pair of state grants, after having suffered in the wake of a three-decades-old property-tax initiative. San Bernardino City Unified will receive more than $940,000 this school year from the $105 million grant. The District “has conceived a set of ambitious recommendations for that money that urge enhanced instruction in all four arts disciplines – music, theater, dance and visual arts – at each level, elementary, middle and high school.” To read the full article, please click here.       

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News Around The Nation

Montana Town To Cut The Arts
With the resignation of an art teacher, Sidney, Montana considers eliminating the elementary art program. In grades 7-12, art classes must be offered but students aren't required to take them.

Sidney Superintendent of Schools Doug Sullivan's recommendation is to eliminate art education for grades K-6.  To read the full article, please click here.

Math And Science Requirements Push Out Arts Classes
With NCLB and more state requirements in the arts, suburban Ohio schools experienced a 13% drop in the number of students taking art, music and drama, despite upgrades to its arts program.  To read the full article, click here.

New Hampshire Parents Advocate For Arts Education
Bow Arts Advocacy, a group of parents, volunteers and artists, is asking the school board to increase arts education in all grades, and says the arts education provided to students at the high school doesn't meet the minimum state standards.  To read the full article here.

(Source for All: Arts Education Network Wclick eekly News)

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Announcements

Class Act To Be Released on DVD
Studio-On-Hudson is pleased to announce they are now accepting pre-orders (and screening requests) for the DVD of the documentary film “CLASS ACT” to be released in the Fall of 2007. Starring “Teacher to the Stars” Jay W. Jensen and a cast of show-biz icons. CLASS ACT celebrates the inspirational journey of one man’s 50 years of teaching in America’s public school system and fights back against the “one-size-fits-all” approach to the education of America’s children. To pre-order, book a screening, or book a filmmaker presentation for “CLASS ACT” please visit the website and fill out a request form. Completed forms may be faxed to us at 845.348.1548 or sent via email to classactorders@studio-on-hudson.com.

The Learning Compact Redefined: A Call to Action
Current educational practice and policy focus overwhelmingly on academic achievement, which is a necessary but not sufficient element of student learning and development, and only a part of any complete system of educational accountability. A new report by the Commission on the Whole Child calls for increased attention on the conditions that evidence makes clear are essential to learning.  To read the full report, click here.
(Source: ECS newsletter)

L.A. Arts Forum
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, in cooperation with L.A. Arts Funders, The Emerging Arts Leaders/L.A. Network, The Getty Institute, The Center for Cultural Innovation, The Asian American/Pacific Islanders Arts Alliance, and Plaza de la Raza are hosting an Arts Forum featuring the presentation of the findings and recommendations of the Youth Involvement in the Arts Report. The report on the study, commissioned by the Hewlett Foundation and conducted by Barry Hessenius, addresses the issues attendant with generational succession on the arts sector. The report will be followed by an open discussion and brainstorming session as to how the Los Angeles Arts community can best address the issue of generational succession. Thursday, April 26, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, The Zipper Hall at the Colburn School, 200 South Grand Ave. Downtown L.A. Admission is free, but pre registration is requested. RSVP online here.
(Source: News You Can Use, mjh Consulting)

An Unfinished Canvas Summary Report Available Online
A landmark study from independent research institute SRI International, for the first time systemically examining the status of arts education in California, reveals that the vast majority of California's schools fail to meet state standards for teaching the arts, and that access to arts instruction varies widely among the state's schools.  To read the report, please click here.

Teaching Artists Journal, Spring 2007 Issue is Available
Highlights include: Writer/educator/performance artist, Avery R. Young examines the profound linguistic, psychological and color lines that criss-cross the not-so-simple act of learning and teaching writing in America. Poet and Teaching Artist Spoon Jackson tells us how he came to his medium and work as an inmate in San Quentin Prison and how he has connected with an entire universe of writers and literature inside and outside prison walls. The Teaching Artists Journal encourages readers to  share thoughts and comments by email. For more information, please click here.

Key State Education Policies Report Released
The Council of Chief State School Officers has released its latest in a biennial series of reports on KEY STATE EDUCATION POLICIES. The report examines policies on teacher preparation and certification, high school graduation requirements, student assessment programs, school time and student attendance. State-by-state information on content standards and curriculum, teacher assessment and school leader/administrator licensure is also provided.  For more information, click here.

Download Summaries of Studies in the Getting Down to Facts series on California's Education System
Getting Down to Facts is a research project of more than 20 studies designed to provide California's policymakers and other education stakeholders with comprehensive, research-based information on the state’s current school finance and governance systems.  Download brief summaries of each of the studies here.

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Conferences, Professional Development

Special Guest, Actor Tony Plana ~ State of the Arts: Leadership in Education Conference
California County Superintendents Educational Services Association Arts Initiative and California Alliance for Arts Education invite you to State of the Arts: Leadership in Education Conference. Sacramento, CA, May 15-16, 2007. Group discounts of 15% off the regular individual rate of $150 are offered for groups of 4 or more. Join special guest and workshop leader Tony Plana in a discussion of Beyond Borders, a program designed to enable students to expand their educational horizons and academic achievements by moving beyond their personal, cultural and vocational borders. Plana currently stars in ABC's Ugly Betty as Betty's father, Ignacio Suarez, earning him the 2006 International Press Academy Satellite Award for Actor in a Supporting Role. Plana is also the co-founder and executive artistic director of the East L.A. Classic Theatre, a group comprised primarily of Hispanic American theatre professionals. 

For more information and to download a brochure and registration form, click here.

Americans for the Arts Annual Convention
Americans for the Arts will hold its annual convention in Las Vegas on June 1, 2 & 3, 2007. A new arts education strand will feature the work of several local and statewide California initiatives. For more information please click here.

The National Forum for Education Policy
For more than four decades, The National Forum on Education Policy has provided a one-of-a-kind opportunity for policymakers, practitioners and stakeholders at all levels of public education across the nation to share information, ideas and lessons learned. This year's gathering is in Philadelphia, PA, July 10-13, 2007.  For more information, please click here.

How to Read A Film Workshop
Ninth annual 2-day intensive teacher workshop, designed to help teachers equip their students with the critical viewing skills necessary to master twenty-first-century visual culture - from cinema space, through the video trace, to the vastness of MySpace- while encouraging the exploration of film and video as unique art forms.
June 21-22, 2007. UC Berkeley at The Pacific Film Archive Theatre, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA.  For more information please contact Steve Seid at 510-642-5253.

Building Literacy Through The Arts
The Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Education and Community Programs presents Building Literacy Through The Arts, Professional Development Institute targeting K-12 educators, administrators, parents, student teachers and others on August 6 - 10, 2007. Discover how the arts are linked to literacy through demonstrations by teaching artists from Arts Teach and Orange County Museum of Art in dance, theatre, music and visual arts. Participants will have the opportunity to see Mamma Mia!. For more information and registration brochure, click here.

CCA Teaching Institute
The Center for Art & Public Life at California College of the Arts has announced a new Art in Education Teaching Institute at the Oakland campus. Designed for K-12 education administrators, teachers and art-education professionals, the ongoing institute offers Arts Learning Specialist Certification and Continuing Education Units offered through Alameda County Office of Education. The first course, to be launched this summer, is "Art Retreat for the Non-Artist Educator," a three-day art-making intensive. August 8-10, 2007.  For more information, please click here.

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Scholarships, Contests & Awards

Goldman Sachs Foundation Invites Students to Make Art That Addresses Global Problems
2007 Goldman Sachs Foundation Youth Prize for Excellence in International Education asks students to create an in-depth written, audio, video, or animated feature that compares and contrasts a problem or challenge that affects both their local community as well as a community in another country.  Deadline Monday, June 11, 2007.  For more information, please click here.
(Source: Arts Education Network Weekly News)

Hewlett Foundation Invites Applications for Bay Area 2007 Emerging Composer Awards
The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation have announced the 2007 Emerging Composers Awards Program. The foundations will provide up to six grants of $50,000 each to nonprofit San Francisco Bay Area music and music presenting organizations, for the commission and premiere of major new musical compositions by California composers, ages 35 and younger at the time of application. One half ($25,000) of each award will go to the composer as a commissioning fee. The remainder ($25,000) will go to the producing organization, for commission-related expenses for the work’s development and world premiere. The world premiere of all funded compositions will take place in the Bay Area between September 2008 and June 2010. Applications for the 2007 Emerging Composer Awards Program are currently available online, click here. For questions regarding the program guidelines and application, please contact Olivia Malabuyo.

Summer Internships and Fellow Positions at Americans For The Arts
Americans for the Arts is currently accepting applications for summer interns in their Washington, DC, and New York offices. Through a combination of learning experiences, work projects, and group collaborations, interns become integral members of the team. Interns are expected to participate in daily activities, contribute skills and ideas, and produce excellent work, all the while preparing to become the next generation of arts, nonprofit, and cultural leaders.  Summer internships are full-time and undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is April 16, 2007.  For more information, please click here.

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Funding Opportunities

National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts Renews Major Project Grants
The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts and the MetLife Foundation have announced the renewal of the MetLife Foundation Partners in Arts Education Project. The project’s goal is to improve teaching and learning in the arts by advancing high-quality, sustainable partnerships between community-based arts education organizations and public schools.   In 2007, the project will award grants of up to $25,000 to support exemplary CSA-public school partnerships during the 2007/2008 school year.  Grant application guidelines are available here.  The application deadline is May 25, 2007.

They will also present a two-day arts education partnership training in conjunction with the 2007 Conference for Community Arts Education in Los Angeles, CA, November 8-10, 2007. For more information, contact: Kenneth T. Cole, Program Director, National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts  (212) 268-3337 ext. 18.

Dana Foundation to Fund Professional Development For Teachers in Rural Communities
Grants of up to $50,000 are available to support programs that train professional artists and arts specialists to teach dance, music, or theater in rural U.S. public schools. The foundation's interests include but are not limited to the following: dance, music, or theater based on a specific pedagogy and arts curricula integrated into a school's standard curriculum. Dana supports projects in various stages of development and approach, including pilot programs, evaluated pilot programs ready for expansion locally, and programs ready to be exported to other communities. Letter of Intent deadline, June 4, 2007. For the full article, click here.

CAC Offers Artists In Schools Grant Opportunity
The California Arts Council (CAC) is pleased to announce the availability of Artists in Schools program support for 2007-08. The intent of the Artists in Schools program is to integrate community arts resources--artists and professional art organizations--into a comprehensive, standards-based Visual and Performing Arts curriculum in California schools that underscore the critical role that the arts play in shaping students' overall well being and academic achievement. The deadline to apply is April 26. Applications are available, [click here] http://www.cac.ca.gov/344/. For more information on Artists in Schools, please contact Wayne Cook at (916) 322-6344 or wcook@caartscouncil.com, or visit the CAC website.

Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to providing leadership in arts education by inspiring all young Americans through rich arts experiences. A high quality education in the arts opens a critical gateway to a lifetime of appreciation and engagement. The Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth category offers funding for projects that help children and youth acquire knowledge and understanding of and skills in the arts. Projects must provide participatory learning and engage students with skilled artists, teachers, and excellent art. Application Deadline is June 11, 2007.  For more information, please click here.

Creative and Outstanding Teaching Awards
The Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program recognizes outstanding teaching and instructional creativity in U.S. public schools that serve economically disadvantaged students. The application deadline is May 1, 2007.For more information, please click here.

Serving Children In Need
Mattel Children's Foundation provides one-year grants of $5,000 to $20,000 each. Funds may be applied to programs or general operating costs.  Applications due, June 15, 2007.  For more information and an application, please click here.

Excellence In Teaching Awards
The 2007 Butler-Cooley Excellence in Teaching Awards honor classroom teachers who have changed the outcome of students’ lives and the communities in which they live. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: currently licensed, active primary or secondary school teachers with at least five years of teaching experience. Deadline: May 1, 2007.  For more information, please click here.

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Employment & Job Opportunities

Executive Director
Young Audiences of Northern California
San Francisco, CA
Email: executivedirector@ya-nc.org
For info: visit: www.ya-nc.org

Program Associate
The Global Youth Media and Arts Program
World Savvy
999 Sutter Street, 4th fl
San Francisco, CA 94109
To apply: submit a cover letter and resume to Victoria Restler prior to April 23rd.

Dance Teacher
Santa Rosa High School
Begins Fall 2007, 60% position
The position is for the Beginning and Intermediate ArtQuest Dance Classes.
A valid California Teaching Credential is required.
For information e-mail Elizabeth Evans.

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Hot Links to Online Job Pages

CA Music Education CA Theatre Education CA Visual Arts Education  
Cultural Commons Job Page Teaching Education (ED-JOIN) California Assembly of Local Arts Agencies  
California Arts Council Job Page Americans for the Arts Job Bank     

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