Compton

The Compton Unified School District is one of 12 districts chosen to participate next school year in an elementary school art education program sponsored by the J. Paul Getty Trust, school officials have announced.

Nearly all the costs of the program, designed to bring works of art and art scholars into the classrooms of young children, would be paid by Getty, Compton officials said.

As part of the program, specially trained teachers at selected schools would teach at least an hour of art each week, they said.

“This program not only teaches children about art, . . . it apparently also is effective in raising (test) scores in other areas as well,” said school board President Kelvin Filer.

If the program is adopted by the school board, four teachers and two principals from two Compton elementary schools would participate in a three-week summer training program. A number of school district officials, including the school board and superintendent, also would attend seminars.

The only costs to the district would be stipends for the teachers’ time in the summer, said officials.