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March 30, 2006
STATE MUST RESTORE LONG-NEGLECTED FUNDING
The San Jose Mercury News weighs in on the arts education funding debate in Calfironia:
Arts programs due for cash infusion
Mercury News EditorialThis weekend and next, Willow Glen High School will perform the musical ``Once on This Island'' with a new partner, Children's Musical Theater San Jose. Willow Glen is providing the actors and volunteers, and Children's Musical Theater is providing the expertise and equipment.
It's a creative solution to stretch the meager resources that public schools have today for the arts. Most, especially middle and elementary schools, have been barely able to keep arts programs alive. That's why it's critical that the Legislature approve $100 million for K-8 arts education that Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed in his budget.
It may seem like a lot of money, but it breaks down to only $20 per student -- or $14,000 for an elementary school of 700 kids and $24,000 for a middle school with 1,200 students. It's not even enough to hire a full-time arts teacher, but it's a start.
Requiring money to be spent on the arts would run counter to the trend over the past few years of giving school districts more say over spending. Flexibility is important, but so is at least minimal spending for the arts and physical education, for which Schwarzenegger is earmarking $85 million. Both are essential for students' intellectual, creative and physical development.
The arts especially have been hit hard, as districts have shifted resources to boost students' performance on standardized tests. Some schools facing state sanctions have dropped most electives to make room for remedial math and English.
The California State University system requires a year of arts courses for admission, so high schools have had to preserve some programs. But many students are arriving in ninth grade with no background in music or dance and a meager exposure to the visual arts. As is so often the case in California, schools in poor areas are worse off. Parents there, unlike in wealthier areas, can't raise extra money to hire a band instructor or drama teacher.
It will take years to rebuild programs, including training teachers in the arts. The governor's proposal is just a start. But creative schools will find ways to make the most of the money -- like the collaboration at Willow Glen High.
Let's hope the Legislators are listening!
Arts programs due for cash infusion
Posted by musicforall at 8:06 AM
March 28, 2006
Listen to the students!
Sometimes our students demonstrate wisdom beyond their years! From the NY Times:
To the Editor:As a high school student, I'm completely opposed to "narrowing the curriculum." It is bad for the students.
What happens to these students after they have been deprived of government, history, science and so much more? This is what I think will happen.
Those students will not learn the lessons of history and how to avoid the mistakes of those who came before them. Scientific innovation will no longer happen in the United States because children will not be exposed to it.
Hundreds of teachers will be out of work because their departments will be dropped from schools. Kids will be denied classes that might lead to a lifelong interest like music. This practice is bad for everyone.
If the new tests are what's forcing school districts to take this drastic step, why not just get rid of the tests?
Samantha Plotner
Great Falls, Va., March 26, 2006
Reading, Rehashing, 'Rithmetic (6 Letters) - New York Times
Posted by musicforall at 9:14 PM
Majority of School Leaders Report Gains in Achievement, But a Narrower Curriculum Focus Under No Child Left Behind
NCLB Affecting Everyday Lives of Students & Educators;
Greatest Impact in Urban Districts, According to New Report, Survey
WASHINGTON – March 28, 2006 – The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is having a greater impact on the everyday activities of schools and districts, including prompting districts to better align instruction and state standards and more effectively use test data to adjust teaching, according to a report from the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Education Policy, which is tracking federal, state and local implementation of the law. However, the Center also found that a majority of districts surveyed – 71 percent – reported having reduced instructional time in at least one other subject to make more time for reading and mathematics, the topics tested for NCLB purposes.
The report is based on the most comprehensive national study of the impact of NCLB, and comprises an extensive body of original research and analysis, including a survey of education officials in 50 states, a nationally representative survey of 299 school districts, and in-depth case studies in 38 geographically diverse districts and 42 individual schools.
According to state and local officials surveyed, scores on state tests are rising in a large majority of states and school districts, and many school leaders cited NCLB requirements for adequate yearly progress (AYP) as an important factor in rising achievement, though far more credited school district policies and programs as important contributors to these gains. In addition, the vast majority of state and district officials say that the Act’s focus on the academic performance of student subgroups is having a positive effect.
The report also notes that officials in several case study districts, as well as some district survey respondents, feel the law has escalated pressure on teachers to a stressful level and is negatively affecting staff morale in some schools.
“The effects of NCLB are complex, and this policy has both strengths and weaknesses,” said Jack Jennings, president and CEO of the independent, nonpartisan CEP. “If anyone is looking for a simple judgment on NCLB, such as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ they will not find it in this report.”
The report, From the Capital to the Classroom: Year 4 of the No Child Left Behind Act, is the fourth in a series of annual reports to be issued through 2008 by CEP, and offers a long-term look at how the law’s implementation is affecting states and school districts.
Urban districts appear to be experiencing the greatest effects of the law. According to the report, the majority (54 percent) of Title I schools identified for improvement nationwide are in urban districts—a disproportionate share because only 27 percent of Title I schools are located in urban districts. Altogether, 29 percent of urban Title I schools are in improvement, compared with 11 percent of suburban Title I schools and 6 percent of rural Title I schools. And 90 percent of the schools now in restructuring, the last stage of NCLB’s sanctions, are located in urban districts. Moreover, a greater proportion of urban districts than suburban or rural districts have been identified for district improvement.
A combination of factors has led to this pronounced impact in urban districts, including the fact that many urban districts must demonstrate AYP for 6-10 student subgroups while some rural districts must show progress for only two, white and low-income students. In addition, urban districts tend to be larger, so they have many more schools that must make AYP than smaller districts do; they also enroll higher percentages of low-income students.
Nationwide, the number of schools identified for improvement under NCLB has remained steady, in part due to changes in federal and state rules for testing students and determining adequate yearly progress that have made it easier for some districts and schools to make AYP. The report also finds:
• Teacher Quality: The proportion of districts that said they are on track to have all of their academic teachers highly qualified by the end of this school year was similarly high across urban, suburban, and rural districts. Also, for the first time this year, the report finds no significant difference in the percentage of high-minority enrollment districts and lower-minority enrollment districts reporting that all their teachers are highly qualified. Still, a majority of district officials surveyed expressed skepticism that the NCLB teacher requirements are improving the quality of teaching.
• Tutoring & School Choice: The number of students taking advantage of key NCLB accountability provisions has changed little over the last few years, according to the report. Currently about 20 percent of all eligible students participate in tutoring programs under NCLB, while less than 2 percent of eligible students are taking advantage of the NCLB choice option to change schools.
• Goals for Student Proficiency: Several states and districts question their ability to bring 100 percent of students to the proficient level of achievement by 2014.
• Subjects Being Reduced: One-third (33 percent) of school districts reported reducing time for social studies “somewhat or to a great extent” to make time for reading and math, while 29 percent said they had reduced time for science and 22 percent for art and music.
The Continuing Capacity Gap
The Center’s survey again finds that the lack of capacity is the greatest NCLB-related challenge for most states and districts. In fact, nearly every state (47) cited providing assistance to all schools identified for improvement as their greatest challenge in implementing NCLB, while 42 states indicated that the size of the state education agency staff presented a serious or moderate challenge to NCLB implementation.
Meanwhile, 37 states said that the adequacy of state funds to carry out NCLB duties was a serious or moderate challenge, while 34 said that the adequacy of federal funds presented a serious or moderate challenge. In addition, 33 states reported that funds have been inadequate to assist all schools identified for improvement, while 80 percent of school districts said they had costs for NCLB that were not covered by federal funds, such as costs for administering assessments, managing data, and providing professional development to help teachers meet the law’s requirements.
The Center’s 2005 report on NCLB made eight recommendations for improving the law, four of which were acted on at least partially by the U.S. Department of Education. The Center’s current report includes a series of new recommendations for federal action, including:
1. The Department should provide more information to the public about the process for considering state changes to their accountability plans.
2. The Department should monitor and report on how confidence intervals, the safe harbor provision, and similar flexibility provisions are affecting the number of schools and districts making AYP.
3. The Department of Education should move swiftly to help states develop assessments for certain students with disabilities, the so-called “gap children,” using modified standards.
4. The Department and the Congress should provide more funding for the act in general.
5. The Department and the Congress should earmark more funding and provide other types of support to help strengthen states’ and districts’ capacity to assist schools identified for improvement.
6. The Department and the Congress should give states and school districts sufficient authority and resources to monitor and evaluate supplemental educational service providers.
7. The Secretary of Education should use her waiver authority to expand the pilot program that allows some districts to offer supplemental educational services instead of school choice in the first year of improvement and to wait until the second year of improvement to offer choice.
8. The Secretary of Education should use her bully pulpit to signal that social studies, science, the arts, and other subjects beside reading and math are still a vital part of a balanced curriculum.
Posted by musicforall at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)
And so it begins...
I firmly believe that Sunday's New York Times article
In the mean time... I encourage our readers to continue to fan the flames. Make your voice heard!
2 'R's' not enough: Schools should guard against narrowing curriculum Tribune EditorialThe emphasis put on math and reading test scores by the federal No Child Left Behind education-reform act may have the residual effect of shifting curriculum time away from other important subjects, such as science and history, a new study shows.
A few schools across the country have gone further - we believe too far - and have eliminated some of those courses in favor of only two "R's," readin' and 'rithmetic .
Educators in Utah should guard against "narrowing the curriculum" as described by the Center on Education Policy. That dangerous strategy would hurt children who are performing adequately in those two basic subjects and are ready to move ahead to other and more challenging work. Courses in a variety of subjects beyond reading and math should be available to them, including music, art and social studies.
Salt Lake Tribune - Opinion
Posted by musicforall at 8:44 AM
March 26, 2006
NY Times "Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and Math"
Another report will be released this week showing, once again, the impact of NCLB on "narrowing the curriculum. One stunning number:
71% of school districts have narrowed the curriculum as a result of NCLB.
The threat to music and arts education programs is now reaching crisis proportion. The story By SAM DILLON:
Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and MathSACRAMENTO Thousands of schools across the nation are responding to the reading and math testing requirements laid out in No Child Left Behind, President Bush's signature education law, by reducing class time spent on other subjects and, for some low-proficiency students, eliminating it.
Schools from Vermont to California are increasing - in some cases tripling - the class time that low-proficiency students spend on reading and math, mainly because the federal law, signed in 2002, requires annual exams only in those subjects and punishes schools that fall short of rising benchmarks.
The intense focus on the two basic skills is a sea change in American instructional practice, with many schools that once offered rich curriculums now systematically trimming courses like social studies, science and art. A nationwide survey by a nonpartisan group that is to be made public on March 28 indicates that the practice, known as narrowing the curriculum, has become standard procedure in many communities.
TAKE ACTION
The Commission on No Child Left Behind is a bipartisan, independent commission that will examine the strengths and weaknesses of the No Child Left Behind Act and make concrete and realistic recommendations to Congress. You may send thoughts and suggestions on what needs to be improved in the law directly to the Commission on No Child Left Behind: click here
Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and Math - New York Times
Posted by musicforall at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2006
"Schwarzenegger's school-arts budget is an opportunity that cannot be squandered"
Today's San Francisco Chronicle weighs in on our side regarding the proposed $100 million reinvestment in arts education for California's public schools.
The paper clearly supports the proposal and offers some excellent suggestions to provide accountability and to ensure the funds will be used to build upon and not replace existing funds.
EDITORIAL - San Francisco Chronicle Friday, March 24, 2006The art of learning
THE STUDY of the arts is not a luxury. It is an essential component of a well-rounded education. Its positive effects on a child's spatial skills have been shown to translate into higher achievement in mathematics and other subjects. The lure of quality arts and music programs can help retain and
motivate students who might otherwise lose interest in school.Regrettably, arts programs have been affected disproportionately by tightening K-12 budgets in recent years. Funding for arts education has been in steady decline since 1970, when California eliminated the arts-course requirements from the elementary teaching credential.
In an effort to reverse that trend, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger included $100 million for K-8 art and music education in his proposed 2006-07 budget. Advocates for arts education were especially heartened by the budget's promise that this newfound commitment to the arts "will be built upon" in future budgets.
"We've never had that type of support from a governor," said Laurie T. Schell, director of the Pasadena-based California Alliance for Arts Education.
In our view, the proposal would show an even stronger commitment to arts education -- and have a better chance of enduring -- if it were accompanied by legislation demanding more accountability and clear guidelines on how the money should be spent. Also, under the budget proposal, the grants would be divided evenly around the state, at the rate of $20 a pupil. A more effective use of this money would be to give priority to schools in lower-income areas that do not have arts programs.
Schwarzenegger's school-arts budget is an opportunity that cannot be squandered. This money must be accompanied by strict assurances that it will go to its intended purpose.
To our California readers... if you have not weighed in on this issue... now us the time to be heard! To send a message to your legislators go to the California Arts Action Center
Posted by musicforall at 1:29 PM
March 23, 2006
NJ Arts Ed Survey Ready to Launch!
Eighteen months and lots of meetings, reserach, pilot studies, drafts, negotiations, and vetting has brought us to the point where we are preparing to launch the most significant census of arts education ever undertaken in the United States.
On Monday, March 20, 2006 acting Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy sent a letter to all public school principals, superintendents, county superintendents announcing the start of the New Jersey Visual and Performing Arts Education Survey (NJVPAE). This is the most intensive and comprehensive look at arts education ever undertaking in the history of our country.The NJVPAE will measure course offerings, student participation, resources, policies, instructional support, and community resources in New Jersey’s schools. The survey is part of a broader Arts Education Census Project, a collaborative partnership between the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, and the Music for All Foundation. Additional support has been provided by NAMM, David Bryan of Bon Jovi and the D'Addario Foundation for the Performing Arts. The Census Project will gather, evaluate and disseminate qualitative and quantitative data regarding arts education in the state of New Jersey. This marks the first time the department has examined the depth and breadth of visual and performing arts instruction across the state..
To learn more go here:
New Jersey Arts Education Census Project
Posted by musicforall at 11:13 AM
March 20, 2006
Supporting a Well-Rounded Educattion
In an update from the Governor's office called the "Governor's Record on Education," Governor Schwarzenegger outlines his accomplishments in education during his term. Half way down the page this pops out:
Supporting a Well-Rounded Education Bringing Arts and Music Back to the Classroom
In recent years, many California school districts have reduced course offerings in art and music. Educators indicate that this trend has been driven by local budget decisions as well as an increased focus on student achievement in core curricular areas. This trend ignores research that indicates exposing students to art and music, especially at a young age, has beneficial effects on cognitive development and educational outcomes.To reverse this trend and expand diverse educational opportunities for students, the Governor%u2019s 2006-07 Budget proposes $100 million to create a new Art and Music Block Grant to support standards-aligned art and music instruction in kindergarten and grades one through eight. These grants will be distributed to school districts and county offices of education and will be available for uses that include hiring additional staff, purchasing materials, books, supplies, and equipment, and staff development.
Encouraging to see... a long way to go!
Posted by musicforall at 6:43 PM
Coming to a Spring Concert Near You: Video Game Music
First, we heard about symphony orchestras performing concerts based on the music of popular video games... now these themes are making their way into music classrooms across the country.
Traditionalists may cringe at the thought of video game music... but many of the scores are well done. Of course, it took a while for music educators to embrace jazz ad now it is a big part of music education. With the proliferation of technology and tools to create and perform music - maybe studying and performing these new arrangements will inspire a new generation of music maker.
Award-Winning Video Game Music Now Available for Concert Band, Marching Band and Orchestra Alfred, the leader in educational music publishing, and Video Games Live, the first major U.S. video game concert tour, have teamed up to bring the music from award-winning video games to music education programs all over the world. Now band and orchestra educators will be able to purchase concert band, marching band, and orchestra arrangements of the soundtracks to top video games, some of which are also performed by live orchestras during the Video Game Live concert tour."Alfred is always looking for new ways to inspire kids to experience the joy of making music, and the music coming out of the video game industry is amazing," said Andrew Surmani, Vice President of Marketing and Managing Director, School & Church Publishing. "We look for music that is not only beautifully written, but will appeal to students and music educators alike."
Alfred teamed up with the creators of Video Game Live, famed composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, to secure licensing agreements from major game publishers. %u201CThis is a great step forward in our goal to bring the popular music from games to our young fans. Video Games Live is a concert experience for the entire family and for video game fans everywhere. We want to give kids the opportunity to play their favorite music from our show for their friends and family," said Wall.
The 2006 Video Games Live concert season debuts at the Civic Auditorium in San Jose on Friday, March 24th as the closing event of the Game Developer's Conference where all the top game designers and composers will be in attendance.
Full Story Planet GameCube News Article: Game Arrangements Available for Band & Orchestra
Posted by musicforall at 5:18 PM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
Battle Lines and Buzz Words are Drawn in Florida over Graduation Requirments
If the Governor of Florida is call for a system with more "relevant learning opportunities" is it fair to say he feels that arts education is an "irrelevant" learning opportunity?
Gov. Jeb Bush's proposal to dramatically overhaul Florida's education system would give him a much stronger hand in turning around struggling schools, force educators to rethink their priorities for fine arts and physical education and require middle-schoolers to pick college-like majors.The sweeping changes are starting to make their way through the Legislature, generating controversy, but already gaining a key endorsement from the House Pre-K-12 Committee.
In their 107-page bill, the governor and his supporters say they want to mold Florida schools into a tougher, more career-oriented system that gives children "relevant learning opportunities."
Opponents have drawn their own battle lines, focusing on the bill's intent to eliminate physical education and fine arts courses from high school graduation requirements, and its plan to let the governor usurp school districts and reform chronically failing schools on his own.
Essential Skills... Relevant Learning Opportunities... Career Centered Learning... these are all fancy new buzz words for the three arts, basic skills, and core subjects of the past.
This is the beginning of the assault on arts education graduation requirements. Ohio is proposing something similar. This is NOT a trend we want to see take root!
Full Story: Gov. Bush wants to stress career-oriented education over arts, PE: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted by musicforall at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)
March 9, 2006
The School-Real Estate Values Connection
A colleague of mine, John Pietrowski (who runs Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey and is on our project team for the New Jersey Arts Education Census Project, which is really the next generation of work he pioneered in the state) has often commented in our meetings about the connection between real estate values and quality arts education programs in schools. His premise was, and remains, that realtors are naturally inclined to support arts education because they understand what this does for the quality of a school and what quality schools do for the value of homes. They also speak everyday with people who are making choices about where they will live and what issues are important to them in making this important life choice for their family. Apparently, music and arts education comes up frequently.
This whole connection idea made logical sense to me… but I had never heard it come from anyone in the real estate business… until now.
John… you are right!
The following excerpt is from the Ukiah area of California
REAL ESTATE: The school-real estate values connection By Bill BarksdaleIts an interesting, yet logical, phenomenon that a strong local school system increases and supports stronger real estate values. Many homebuyers ask their agent about the quality of the local schools. Even buyers who dont have school-age children want to know about local schools because it may indicate the availability of a competent, disciplined work force and can indicate lower crime statistics if young people are treated with respect by investment in their education.
Arts education, often marginalized and the first to have funds cut, not only provides a productive way for young people to spend their time - but more importantly, it teaches critical thinking skills that are essential in business. The creative process helps people to think outside of the box. This is one the most important skills of any good entrepreneur in creating new businesses and finding solutions to problems.
The better the educational environment of a community, the more likely an employer will choose to locate their business in that community with well paying jobs. Those jobs create opportunity for employees to afford to purchase a home, or improve the home they already own. In addition, people who receive a good education locally are more likely to remain in the community and improve it. As a homeowner, they acquire one of the most important assets possible toward financial security.
Looks like another valuable argument to add to the quiver!
Complete article: The Willits News - Business
Posted by musicforall at 8:01 AM
March 3, 2006
"Class Act" in the News
Here is the first media coverage on the World Premiere of CLASS ACT.
The three documentaries will be making their world premieres.''We're very excited,'' says Class Act director Sara Sackner, who was still putting the finishing touches on the film last week. ``Jay has had such a huge impact on so many Miami people, it's a natural place for us to launch the film.''
Sackner, along with producer Heather Winters (who was the executive producer of Supersize Me) is a former student of Jensen's, as are noteables such as actor Andy Garcia, film director Brett Ratner and Univision Music executive Jose Behar.
Sackner (class of '76) and Winters (class of '80) met at a reunion in Los Angeles in March 2003 and found they both had the idea to make a documentary about their remarkable teacher. They teamed up and soon discovered the story was much bigger than they had first thought, "Arts programs like the one that had such a huge affect on us are being slashed from school budgets all over the country, some schools have none at all. It's really a national story.''
Full Story
Festival program looks like a class act
Our Podcast with the Producers From the Trenches
Posted by musicforall at 8:01 AM
March 1, 2006
A Class Act
Over the past year I have had a chance o get to know Heather Winters and Sara Sackner as they weere working on thier new film Class Act.
I have come to admire thier work, thier research, thier commitment to telling he story of the plight we face in the music and arts education community.
They agreed to sit down with me (well, I assume they were sitting but it was hard to tell since we did this by phone) to do an interview for our podcast.
You should check it out. I would love to know what you think.
And, by the way, Heather and Sara are a real CLass Act themselves. Thier work could have a tremendous impact on all of us!
To download our From the Trenches interview with Producer Heather Winters and Director Sara Sackner episode of (an 8 MB MPEG4 File) click on: http://music-for-all.org/podcasts/trenches03.m4a
To Subscribe to From the Trenches in iTunes or some other program follow your software’s instructions to subscribe to podcasts and use the following link: http://music-for-all.org/trenches.xml
Posted by musicforall at 4:13 PM | Comments (0)
Whay Advocate Now?
I recently wrote an article that was published in the Fractured Atlas Newsletter: The Advocacy Issue. It turnd out pretty wel so I thought I would share a snippet and then provide the link to the full text:
Advocate, noun, from Latin advocatus, advocare - to summon or to call.
(1) one that pleads the cause of another especially before a court.
(2) one that argues for, recommends, or supports a cause or policyYou're busy with your career, pursuing your creative goals and dreams. It takes time, energy, focus, and dedication to hone your skills and artistic endeavors. With everything that it takes to make a living in the arts%u2026why should you be concerned about arts advocacy?
Simple: If we don't, who will?
Posted by musicforall at 2:35 PM