ARTS LEARNING IN ACTION TOOLKIT

2006 Legislative Resolution Designating March as Arts Education Month

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 64 (SCR 64)
Introduced by Senator Scott, January 4, 2006
(www.leginfo.ca.gov, SCR64)

WHEREAS, Arts education, which includes dance, music, theater, and the visual arts, is an essential and integral part of basic education for all pupils in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Education in the arts is crucial to achieving a state educational policy that is devoted to the teaching of basic academic skills and lifelong learning capacities, with the goal of truly preparing all children for success after high school regardless of gender, age, economic status, physical ability, or learning ability; and

WHEREAS, A systematic, substantive, and sequential visual and performing arts curriculum addresses and develops ways of thinking, questioning, expression, and learning that complement learning in other core subjects, yet an arts curriculum is unique in what it has to offer; and

WHEREAS, Pupils benefit from arts education in the areas of cultural understanding, readiness for learning and creative thinking, cognitive outcomes, emotional intelligence and expression, social interaction and collaboration, preparation for the workforce, and lifelong learning; and

WHEREAS, Arts education in California is mandated for pupils in grades 1 to 12, inclusive, pursuant to Sections 51210 and 51220 of the Education Code, which require that the adopted course of study include instruction in visual and performing arts, including dance, music, theater and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression; and

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

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1390 of the 1999-2000 Regular Session (Chapter 432 of the Statutes of 2000), authored by Senator Kevin Murray and signed by Governor Gray Davis on September 12, 2000, requires the adoption of visual and performing arts content standards by the State Board of Education, and states that it is important that instruction in the visual and performing arts be made available to all pupils; and

WHEREAS, Many national and state professional arts education associations hold celebrations in the month of March, giving California schools a unique opportunity to focus on the value of the arts for all pupils, to foster cross-cultural understanding, to give recognition to the state's outstanding young artists, and to enhance public support for this essential part of the curriculum; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of March 2006 as Arts Education Month, encourages all educational communities to celebrate the arts with meaningful activities and programs for pupils, teachers, and the public that demonstrate learning and understanding in the visual and performing arts, and urges all residents to become interested in and give full support to quality school arts programs for children and youth; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.