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In This Issue
- Governor Calls Special Session on Education
- Schwarzenegger Wants Teacher Evaluations Tied to Student Achievement
- Vocational Education Bill Makes Its Way Through Legislature
- California Department of Education Releases STAR Results
- Protest and Progress in Pasadena
- Carol Channing Continues Her Work to Support Arts Education
- Federal Department of Education to Undertake K-12 Arts Education Survey
- Do Teachers Need Education Degrees?
- Arts in Crisis Conversation Tour Continues
- Open Letter About the Crisis Facing the Arts
- Sarah Murr: The Role of the Business Community
- Virginia Ramo, Patron of the Arts, Passes Away at 93
- American for the Arts Launches Web Portal – United We Serve
- Americans for the Arts Seeks Communities for Economic Study
- LACMA Evening for Educators New Schedule Available
- Need to Remember Why You Teach?
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- Presentations: Access, Equity and Quality in Arts Learning
CONFERENCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Charting a Course for the Arts and 21st Century Learning AEP Forum
- Educational Theatre Conference Features Jason Alexander
RESOURCES, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
- Using Music to Teach Math Grants
- NAMM Foundation Grants and Scholarship Opportunities
August 26, 2009
ArtsEdMail provides all the latest information to connect the Arts Education community in California. Our free e-newsletter is published every two weeks.
We rely on you to support our efforts.
Federal
Support For Arts Education
Last week, we urged advocates to join a conference call hosted by the SuportMusic
Coalition with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan to discuss
the importance of the arts in education.
The call followed an August 29th letter from Duncan to school and education community leaders. The letter states, "At this time when you are making critical and far-reaching budget and program decisions for the upcoming school year, I write to bring to your attention the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students.” It also reminds education leaders that The Elementary and Secondary Education Act – also known as No Child Left Behind - defines the arts as core subjects.
Duncan reminded listeners that under the ESEA, states and local school districts have the flexibility to support the arts through Federal Title programs and U.S. Department of Education programs, including professional development of arts teachers as well as for strategic partnerships with cultural, arts and other nonprofit organizations.
However, this raises a crucial issue for California advocates. Currently, California is hindered in its ability to compete for federal stimulus funds – specifically, the pot of money known as the Race to the Top fund. In particular, the federal government would like to see teacher evaluations linked to student performance data; however, there is strong opposition from teacher’s unions and others to such a change. Late last week, Governor Schwarzenegger called for a special session of the state legislature to consider a host of proposed changes that will better enable the state to compete for education reform funds, including measures to help California recruit and retain high-quality teachers and principals.
This is a significant debate with far-reaching implications for the future direction of education in California. Our Facebook page features a discussion thread where you can contribute your thoughts about the debate. Let us know what you think. In the coming weeks, we’ll be bringing you news from both sides of the issue, new information about California’s eligibility for Race to the Top Funds, and an analysis of the potential impact on arts education.
A full transcript and audio file of the call with Secretary Duncan is available online.
Governor
Calls Special Session on Education
Emphasizing the education reforms necessary to ensure California can
compete for federal stimulus funds, the governor announced a package
of proposed changes, calling for a special session of
the legislature to consider his proposals. Read
more.
Schwarzenegger
Wants Teacher Evaluations Tied to Student Achievement
The Obama Administration is encouraging the repeal of the law that prohibits
linking teacher evaluations to student performance. The CTA opposes the repeal.
Read
more.
Vocational
Education Bill Makes Its Way Through Legislature
This recent column by Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee argues that the
focus on test scores has caused vocational education to suffer, preventing
students from gaining valuable work skills and exacerbating the dropout
crisis. Although the bill is not about arts education, the issue touches
on the debate over college prep vs. career training and its impact on
education and how to best serve California’s students. Read
more.
California
Department of Education Releases STAR Results
Annual state report cards issued today show that among California's 6.3 million
public school students 46 percent of all students are considered proficient in
math and 50 percent are proficient in English. The achievement gap — the academic
chasm separating white and Asian students from their black and Latino peers —
remains a huge challenge. Read
more.
Protest
and Progress in Pasadena
In the Huffington Post, Occidental professor Peter Dreier writes about
parent advocacy in Pasadena and one parent’s campaign to call attention
to recent misreporting regarding student test scores. In a lesson for
all advocates, he writes, “A small group of people, angry over a shared
grievance, enlisted others, developed a strategy, focused their frustrations
on a target, acted together, and got a problem solved collectively that
none of them could have solved individually.” Read
more.
Carol
Channing Continues Her Work to Support Arts Education
This week, Channing took her performance “Carol Channing & Friends: A Benefit
for the Arts” to downtown Sacramento’s Wells Fargo Pavilion. Proceeds benefit
the Carol Channing and Harry Kullijian Foundation for the Arts and Sacramento’s
California Musical Theatre. As Channing and her husband approach their 90th birthdays
(they met and sang together when they were in junior high) their commitment to
public arts instruction has only grown stronger. Read
more.
Federal
Department of Education to Undertake K-12 Arts Education Survey
Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s letter to the education community, described
in our report above, also included the news that the Department of Education's
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) will conduct a survey to assess
the condition of arts education in grades K-12. In the coming year, principals,
classroom teachers and arts specialists will be asked about their schools' offerings
in music, dance, theater, and visual arts. The data is expected to help practitioners
and policymakers make more informed decisions about arts education. The results
of the study are due out in early 2011. Read
full press release regarding the
letter, including mention of the study.
Do
Teachers Need Education Degrees?
The New York Times initiated an online debate on the topic: Should the
public schools reduce the weight they give to education school credentials
in pay and promotion decisions? Is this happening already, and, if so,
what is replacing the traditional system for compensating teachers? Although
not specifically about arts education, the debate touches on important
points of view in the debate over education reform. Read
more.
The editors also published a collection of excerpts from teacher comments.
Arts
in Crisis Conversation Tour Continues
Michael Kaiser, Kennedy Center President, continues his national Arts In Crisis
tour with a stop in Madison, Wisconsin this week. Follow the discussion on Twitter:
#artsincrisis.
Open
Letter About the Crisis Facing the Arts
Edward P. Clapp, organizer of 20Under40, an anthology of writing about
the future of arts and arts education, recently published an open letter
to young arts professionals, titled “This Is Our Emergency.” It describes
the crisis facing everyone who works in and cares about the arts. He
writes, “In order for the arts to survive in the 21st century, the
vision, ingenuity, and leadership of young professionals must be activated.”
Read letter.
Sarah
Murr: The Role of the Business Community
Keep Arts in Schools recently featured this interview with Sarah Murr, who oversees
community investment in arts and culture for Boeing. Sarah also serves on the
Alliance’s Board of Directors. Read
more.
Virginia
Ramo, Patron of the Arts, Passes Away at 93
A prominent patron of the arts, education and medicine, Ramo extended
her support to institutions throughout Southern California and beyond.
She worked her way through college playing in a women’s orchestra and
her generosity later in life helped to create the Virginia Ramo Hall
of Music at USC, among other notable contributions. Read
more.
American
for the Arts Launches Web Portal – United We Serve
Americans for the Arts is launching a new web portal dedicated to promoting community
service opportunities for arts groups, arts volunteers, and artists nationwide. Find
out more.
Americans
for the Arts Seeks Communities for Economic Study
Americans for the Arts is seeking at least 200 communities to take part
in Arts & Economic Prosperity IV, it’s national economic impact study
of the nonprofit arts and culture industry. Find
out more.
LACMA
Evening for Educators New Schedule Available
Evenings for Educators provides K–12 teachers the opportunity to learn from LACMA's
special exhibitions and permanent collection. All Evenings for Educators sessions
take place on Tuesday evenings during the school year, from 4:30 to 8:30 pm.
Access schedule.
Need
to Remember Why You Teach?
The Exploratorium’s Teacher Institute offers a Teaching Tips podcast on the subject,
“Why We Teach.” Read more.
Hispanic
Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence
for five Latin American countries - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September
16, and Chile on September 18. Find
lessons plans and activities from the
National Education Association.
Presentations:
Access, Equity and Quality in Arts Learning
Five major funders of arts education efforts gathered in Seattle June 18-20,
2009 for an event, titled AEQ: Access, Equity and Quality in Arts Learning,
hosted during the annual Americans for the Arts meeting. Access
presentations.
Conferences, Professional Development
Charting
a Course for the Arts and 21st Century Learning AEP Forum
Registration is open now for the Arts Education Partnership Fall National Forum
on October 2-3, 2009 in Cambridge, MA. This meeting will be hosted by Lesley
University and features exciting discussions with leaders in arts education,
as well as artists and performers. Find
out more.
Educational
Theatre Conference Features Jason Alexander
The theme of this year’s California Educational Theatre Association fall
conference, held in conjunction with the Educational Theatre Association,
is: The Power of Leadership: Shaping the Future of Theatre Education. The
meeting takes place September 10-13 in Anaheim, and Seinfeld actor Jason
Alexander will be among the featured speakers. Learn
more.
Resources, Funding Opportunities
Using
Music to Teach Math Grants
Grants are available through the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
for teachers who incorporate music to teach Pre-K through 2 math skills. The
maximum award is $3,000. Application deadline: Nov. 13, 2009. Find
out more.
NAMM
Foundation Grants and Scholarship Opportunities
The NAMM Foundation has opened its 2010 request for grant proposals. NAMM
Foundation Program Grants support non-profit public service organizations
that provide innovative music learning programs to reach new audiences
with new protocols, and that further the NAMM Foundation’s mission of creating
more active music makers of all ages. Phase I Letter of Inquiry submission
deadline: Sept. 10, 2009. Learn
more.
NEA
Masterpieces:
NEA Masterpieces: Through American Masterpieces, the National Endowment for the
Arts will sponsor performances, exhibitions, tours, and educational programs
across all art forms that will reach large and small communities in all 50 states.
Applications October 8, 2009.
- Performance, Exhibitions, and Tours Find out more.
- Arts Presenters Find out more.
- Chamber Music Find out more.
- Dance Find out more.
Art
Consultant, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metro Creative Services is seeking a highly experienced, qualified art consultant
with significant background in transportation to provide planning and implementation
support for a wide range of public art, creative design and signage projects
in the Metro transit system. Read
more.
Director
of Development, Cal Performances
Utilizing five venues on the UC Berkeley campus, Cal Performances presents approximately
100 fine arts performances per year and hosts innumerable other events; serving
approximately 300,000 patrons annually. It is the largest presenter of performing
arts in Northern California, and one of the largest university based arts presenters
in the country. Read
more.
Executive
Director, Inside Out Community Arts
Based in Venice, CA, Inside Out Community Arts is a nationally recognized
not-for-profit
organization that supports and inspires inner-city middle
and high school
youth to develop social, communication and life skills and take ownership
of their own lives. Read
more.
Development
Director, North Coast Repertory Theatre
North Coast Repertory Theatre based in Solana Beach, in northern San Diego
County, has received critical acclaim for its performances for more than
25 years. Working closely with executive leadership and the Board of Trustees,
the Development Director must fulfill the contributed income goals for
the organization’s annual fund, endowment fund and capital fund as dictated
by the budget of the organization. Read
more.
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