fbpx
 

Have your School Board Proclaim March Arts Education Month!

March is Arts Education Month, giving California schools and arts education advocates a unique opportunity to focus on the value of the arts for all students, foster cross-cultural understanding, provide recognition to their outstanding young artists and arts education teachers, and enhance public support for this essential part of the curriculum. 

Engaging your school board to proclaim March Arts Education Month is an excellent opportunity to build relationships with school leadership and raise awareness of the importance of arts education and the new funding all schools will receive through Prop 28, the Arts & Music in Schools Act.

Follow these steps:

  1. Identify who typically sets the agenda for the Board of Education meetings.  (Typically, this would be the Superintendent or their designee).  If you do not know the Superintendent well, this is an excellent opportunity to “share your story” and thank them for all they’ve done for students.
  2. Contact the person by introducing yourself and your role/association with the school district. Ask for their support in requesting the School Board make their support for arts education visible by passing a resolution/proclamation.  Explain why this is important to you and the importance of having students, parents, and the community see this documented support for the arts.  
  3. Offer to draft the resolution/proclamation. Use the resolution below and edit based on school district needs and share in advance so the Board can pass as presented or make any edits/changes.   
  4. Share the newly crafted resolution/proclamation and ask you to be notified which Board meeting agenda this may appear.  You can also speak or share thoughts at the Board meeting on behalf of the document if you feel comfortable.
  5. Once the proclamation/resolution passes, thank all those involved with a personal email.  
  6. Let Create CA know. Document the passage with pictures and videos and share them on social media. Tag us @Create_CA and use #ArtsEdMonth. Also, email us at comms@createca.org so we can celebrate your achievement too!

These steps are based on the “Arts Are Education” initiative’s proclamation campaign as found on Arts NC’s page. 


2024 Arts Education Month Resolution 

WHEREAS, The arts are a necessary and required component of every California student’s education to develop well-rounded, life-long learners who contribute to the prosperity and quality of life for local and global communities; and

 

WHEREAS, Arts education is crucial to achieving a state educational policy devoted to the teaching of essential academic skills and lifelong learning capacities to truly prepare all children for success in school and life regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, language, economic status, physical ability, or learning ability; and

 

WHEREAS, Arts education prepares students for the 21st-century workforce, furthers academic goals, complements learning in other core subjects, improves student engagement and attendance, strengthens family and community engagement, and enhances a positive school culture and climate; and

 

WHEREAS, Arts education uniquely communicates the ideas and emotions of the human spirit and connects us to our history, heritage, and culture. Fostering appreciation, affirmation, and revitalization of one’s culture and understanding of other cultures. Developing emotional intelligence, social-emotional learning, critical thinking, effective communication, collaborative skills, and creativity; and

 

WHEREAS, Arts education—dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts—develops engaged, creative, expressive, responsive, empathetic, and artistically literate communities; it fosters joy, promotes tolerance, and cultivates decency in society; and

 

WHEREAS, Arts education nurtures creativity and expression and is a valuable means to attain long-term employment across diverse industries. Creativity is critical to our future economies and essential for people to stay relevant and thrive in our fast-evolving workforce, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report; and 

 

WHEREAS, The arts are a recognized part of a quality education, and the University of California and the California State University have instituted a policy that includes arts education as a college preparatory subject for all high school pupils wishing to enter the state’s institutions of higher education; and

 

WHEREAS, California voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of Proposition 28: The Arts and Music in Schools – Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act, mandating dedicated funding and equitable access to arts education for all California public school students; and

 

WHEREAS, Every student has a right to a well-rounded education that includes the arts and the benefits it brings as mandated in Sections 51210 and 51220 of the Education Code, which states in part, “[t]he adopted course of study … shall include instruction … in … [v]isual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression”; and 

 

WHEREAS, The State Board of Education adopted the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve in 2019 and the California Arts Education Framework for Public Schools, Transitional Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve in 2020, which provide a foundation for the development of artistic competencies and the cultivation of a lifelong appreciation and understanding of the arts. The  California Arts Standards reflect the fundamental belief that every child should have equitable access to high-quality, standards-based arts education to thrive and participate in modern society; and

 

THEREFORE, [SCHOOL DISTRICT NAME] proclaims March 2024 as Arts Education Month and urges all residents to become interested in and fully support quality arts education programs for all students.

 

This resolution was drafted and endorsed by the following organizations:

March is Arts Education Month, giving California schools and arts education advocates a unique opportunity to focus on the value of the arts for all students, foster cross-cultural understanding, provide recognition to their outstanding young artists and arts education teachers, and enhance public support for this essential part of the curriculum.  Engaging your school board...

JOIN THE

MOVEMENT TODAY