94409
Charlie Brown, the Football, and the ESEA
Perhaps I never should have agreed to take part in this blog roundup on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The reason is simple: I don’t believe ESEA will be reauthorized this year.
I have been the Odd One Out in a host of optimistic conversations all year. Most of my colleagues believe that this time, for sure, the 50-year-old ESEA (last updated in 2001) will actually be reauthorized.
I remain unconvinced. Remember Lucy and the football? I ask them. Every year, Charlie Brown convinced himself that this time Lucy would hold that football and let him kick it. And every year he was disappointed. Those who believe the federal government will give them legislative relief from onerous aspects of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) this year are, I fear, setting themselves up for the same letdown.
94358
ESEA Reauthorization and the Impact on Dance Education
On July 16, 2015, the U.S. Senate passed its bipartisan Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization proposal, the Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177), by a margin of 81 to 17. Under this legislation, the “arts” are recognized as a core academic subject and would receive their rightful place in the main instructional day.
The Americans for the Arts, along with more than a dozen national arts education organizations were approved by the Senate education committee to define the “arts” to include dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. These art disciplines are now eligible due to their inclusion in the National Core Arts Standards. As the over 4 to 1 Senate vote indicates, there is significant bipartisan support for dance and the arts.
94355
Arts educators are not specialists
One of my favorite Saturday Night Live characters has always been the upright Church Lady, played by Dana Carvey. An opinionated citizen of the moral majority, she always got her way with guests on her “church chat” show, frequently putting them and the audience in their place with the catch phrase “Isn’t that (or he/she) special.” And in those moments it was special and usually very funny.
There are lots of things that are still special—the inexplicable rise of the Mets, my cat’s ability to sleep on his back, and the enduring appeal of the Muppets, for instance. This week we’re celebrating National Arts in Education Week. That’s special too. But those who teach it are not special, at least not to a vast number of school leadership who continue to see arts educators as extras or, ironically, specials or specialists.
94354
Understanding the Limits of a New ESEA on Music Education
The whirlwind of recent congressional activity on reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), ultimately culminating in the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan Every Child Achieves Act (S. 1177) and the House’s Student Success Act (H.R. 5), has sparked a great number of questions from music and arts educators, as to the implications of these pieces of legislation, both in policy and practice. For those interested, a thorough legislative analysis of what exactly the bills WOULD do for music and arts (primarily as a result of their listing as core academic subjects) is available from Americans for the Arts. I am routinely asked by music educators, however, about several bigger picture issues, and how they pertain to the Senate bill, in particular, with regard to what it WOULD NOT do. As such, I thought it would be useful to try and speak to those concerns directly, all at once – and try to outline the limits of a new ESEA.
94351
Join Me in Celebrating National Arts in Education Week!
Throughout my 30 years at Americans for the Arts, I have seen first-hand the profound impact that the arts have on children's lives. Just the other evening, a YoungArts alumna, singer/bassist Kate Davis, performed before a crowd of national policy leaders, senators, members of Congress, and famous artists, for an event honoring the U.S. National Medal of Arts and Humanities honorees in Washington, D.C. I first met this young lady just a few years ago and she was a high school student who so impressed me that Robert Redford and I invited her to our National Arts Policy Roundtable, where she in turn impressed the leaders of President Obama's President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The next thing you know, she is sharing her art and ideas at the White House. Magic can and does happen all the time through the arts and arts education.
As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Congressionally designated National Arts in Education Week over the next few days, I want to share just a few of the experiences I have had in the arts with students as I travel the country, with the hope that these will bring to mind experiences of your own that you will share with others.
94350
What does the proposed reauthorization of ESEA mean for Theatre Education?
One word: OPPORTUNITY!
My fellow arts and theatre educators: we stand at the precipice of a very exciting time in Arts Education policy and what better way to celebrate Arts Education week then a call to action! So let me break it down for you: if you are new to policy I have laid out some context for you below. For those more versed feel free to jump directly to the call to action!
94348
ESEA and the National Arts Standards - A Pathway to Artistic Literacy
After multiple attempts and years of Congressional deliberations, the summer of 2015 finally realized the passage of two different versions - one from the Senate and one from the House of Representatives - of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This fall, a conference committee comprised of members of both chambers will possibly finalize a compromise bill, enabling President Obama to sign a new version of ESEA into law. One of the primary components that arts education advocates hope will be in the final legislation is the inclusion of the arts as a core subject. This is something which advocates continue to push heavily for maintaining as an important statement of the value of arts learning in federal policy.
94346
The Impact of ESEA: Strategic Points of Entry for Effective Advocacy
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act has a long history in this country of both supporting and threatening the presence of arts education in America’s public education system. Originally created in 1965, the original intentions of ESEA included developing standards of accountability to lessen the achievement gap amongst students from various backgrounds. While the perspectives of how to achieve this endeavor have changed over time to reflect different Congressional administrations, the overarching philosophy has remained consistent: measuring student achievement is a necessary component of school accountability.
94345
Positive about Progress
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley responded earlier this month, when asked at the Arts Education Partnership forum how education policy advocates should navigate the partisanship sparked by the presidential election cycle: “For crying out loud, think positively!”
So, with a view to heeding Secretary Riley’s excellent and wise advice, here are reasons to be optimistic about progress in advancing arts education policy.
94343
Defining Moments: The Arts, Core Subjects and YOU!
Advancements in arts education policy and practice never happen by accident. These occur because of the planning and actions of many people and organizations. This is true whether we are speaking of standards, graduation requirements, data gathering, teacher training, addressing issues of equity or the arts place as a core subject. As Congress now reconvenes, a top priority will be a final education bill and with it… the fate of the arts as a core subject. This means that we have reached a moment, once again, that will require the actions of many to ensure that the arts maintain their place as a core subject.
94340
ESEA Reauthorization – Conference Committee Coming
August recess, August district work period, August vacation. Whichever phrase you might prefer, Congress is now back in session. That means a return to a tremendous amount of pending work, including the start of a formal conference committee to attempt to write a final bill to reauthorize the long expired Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
