Plan to Boost Arts in Schools Unveiled

Saying that a revitalized commitment to the arts can help strengthen California’s economy, state education chief Delaine Eastin vowed Wednesday to make visual and performing arts education a priority in public schools.

“The lack of attention to arts education has been the silent crisis in California schools for too long,” Eastin said during a visit to Hollywood High School, which is a performing arts magnet campus. “It is time to turn that crisis into a renaissance.”

After musical, vocal and dance performances by Hollywood High students, Eastin outlined a seven-year plan to increase funding and academic requirements for arts education.

“The arts industry is an integral fact of the American economy,” Eastin said. “One out of every five students in our schools is likely to have a job that requires knowledge of the arts. That number is increasing as our entertainment and digital media continue to expand.”

Eastin said the entertainment industry contributes more than $25 billion to the state economy.

Developed by a special task force, the report issued five recommendations:

* Incorporating dance, music, theater and the visual arts into the core curriculum for all students.

* Providing statewide content and performance standards in the visual and performing arts as students progress from preschool to 12th grade.

* Offering career awareness, exploration, orientation and preparation experiences.

* Providing every student with an arts education program including access to the arts through technology and in the community.

* Developing an action plan that supports the implementation of arts programs in public schools.

The report also called for the state to adopt a requirement that each student take at least one course in the visual or performing arts to graduate from high school. That proposal, which also required a year of foreign language instruction, was approved by the Legislature last year but was vetoed by Gov. Pete Wilson. Eastin noted that an arts class is required for admittance to UC and Cal State schools.

Eastin credits her high school drama teacher with curing her “terminal shyness” and said, “An education filled with arts must be at the heart of every child’s learning experience so that each student has a chance to dream, create and develop a sense of self.”

She convened the task force after hearing from “too many” teachers who told of meager or no resources for their instructional programs.

“I met a high school art teacher who, by January, had to buy all art supplies with her own money. Elementary school teachers couldn’t afford construction paper for the kids,” she said.

Under the task force’s proposal, funding for the first year of the program would be $90 million, $120 million for the second year, $200 million for the third year, with set increments for the four remaining years.

Raising the funds would require allocations from the Legislature, initiatives such as tax credits for businesses that support arts education, and partnerships among schools and arts-related industries and foundations, Eastin said.

Eastin noted that reports by task forces led to statewide class size reductions, as well as bringing new technology to classrooms.

“I take these task force reports very seriously . . . they become my business plans,” Eastin said. “I am committed to fight for this.”

The 60-member task force was formed last spring and included educators, community leaders, and visual and performing artists such as Luis Valdez, director of the film “La Bamba” and founder of the theatrical troupe El Teatro Campesino.