ArtsEdMail [CAAE]

CAAE

E-Newsletter for June 20, 2007
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CALIFORNIA NEWS

Conference Committee Delivers Block Grant Agreement
Music Not An Accessory

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

House To Vote on NEA Funding
Louisiana Legislature Considers Mandatory Arts Education
Making Music Helps Make The Grade

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Call For Proposals: Americans For The Arts 2008 Convention
Join The Live Webcast From MENC

CONFERENCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Building Literacy Through The Arts in Orange County

RESOURCES

New Book About Nonprofit Lobbying

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Grammy Foundation Grants

EMPLOYMENT & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Research Associate, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education
Executive Director, Chicago High School for the Arts

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California News

Conference Committee Delivers Block Grant Agreement
Yesterday, June 19th, the Budget Conference Committee released their compromise agreement on the Arts and Music Block Grant. And for arts education advocates, there is good news!

Here are the highlights:

The amount proposed for the Block Grant in the May Revise remains the same. That allotment will be $109,757,000. Of this amount, $4,757,000 is for the purpose of providing a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) at a rate of 4.53 percent.

A compromise was reached on the issue of whether funding should reside with the school district (or charter schools or county office of education in specific situations) or whether it should be sent directly to school sites. The agreement directs the governing board of districts (charter schools, county office of education) to distribute the funding to all school sites. However, if the district elects not to distribute the funds in this manner, it may adopt a resolution to that effect at a public meeting. The resolution shall specify how the funds are to be allocated among schoolsites and for district-wide purposes and the reasons for these allocations. In addition, prior to the public meeting, districts will be required to inform schoolsite councils, schoolwide advisory groups, or school support groups of the content of the proposed resolution and of the time and location where the resolution is proposed to be adopted.

What this compromise affirms is the power of districts to direct that funding in purposeful ways, including district wide plans, while recognizing the rights of school sites to participate fully in the block grant. Should a district fail to create a resolution specifying another plan, it is our understanding that the allocation will go directly to school sites.

With regard to accountability, by February 2, 2008, as a condition of receipt of funds, the governing board of each school district shall provide a summary report to the Department of Education of how these funds were expended or are proposed to be expended, and the number of students and grade levels served. The department shall collect and compile this data and report that information to the Legislature and the Administration.

This is something the California Alliance has been strongly advocating for since the Block Grant was initiated. It will establish a system of accountability tied to the new funding, which will enable the public to know how school districts are investing the new funds, and will help ensure that the funds are being spent for the purposes for which they are intended. This accountability measure will apply to the money that was distributed during the 2006-07 school year.

New questions will likely arise from this agreement, and further clarification of the language may be required. We will continue to keep you informed as we gather new information. But for the moment, we celebrate this victory and recognize the hard work of the Conference Committee and our legislative advocate, Kathryn Lynch!

Music Not An Accessory
In today's academic society, elementary through high school band programs are generally not given their deserved attention or appreciation. This lack of attention is easily derived from the constant practice of underfunding musical programs. State- and nationwide, music curriculums and ensembles are among the first to have their budgets cut and face certain death in their own schools. Why is this allowed to happen? Basically, music is seen as an accessory, when in fact it is practically necessary. To read the article in full by high school senior at Temecula Valley High School, Cory Robles, click here.

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News Across The Nation

House To Vote on NEA Funding
The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to shortly begin floor consideration of the FY 2008 Interior appropriations bill. This bill includes an historic $35 million increase for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This increase will bring the NEA budget to $160 million and will provide new funding for the grants to state and local organizations, Challenge America, and American Masterpieces programs. This directly affects California! We ask that you take just two minutes to visit the Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center to contact your Members of Congress and ask them to support this funding by voting to approve this bill, and oppose any efforts to reduce this support for the NEA.

Louisiana Legislature Considers Mandatory Arts Education
Louisiana schools would be mandated to provide visual and performing arts education, at least for an hour a week in elementary and middle schools, under a bill nearing approval in the Legislature. The House Education Committee unanimously endorsed Senate Bill 299 by Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, D-Baton Rouge that mandates the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a statewide arts curriculum by July 1, 2008. “We have pockets of successful programs throughout Louisiana, but it is not consistent,” Roberts said. To read the article in full, click here.
(Source: Americans for the Arts)

Making Music Helps Make The Grade
Students in high-quality school music education programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, according to a study published in last week’s issue of the Journal for Research in Music Education. This is the first study ever to examine the quality of school music programs as a factor affecting test scores, independent of the socioeconomic level of the school or school district. The study comprised 4,739 elementary and middle school students in four U.S. regions and revealed a strong relationship between elementary and middle school students’ academic achievement and their participation in school music programs that differed based on quality.

“It is crucial to note that this project has revealed a relationship between quality music instruction and heightened academic performance,” stated Dr. Christopher Johnson, professor of music education and music therapy and associate dean of the school of fine arts at the University of Kansas, and lead investigator for the study. “Clearly, music supports academic performance, and quality music programs are related to higher test scores.” To read the full article, click here.
(Source: NAMM)