Arts Education Suffering In San Jose Schools

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Art programs, such as art appreciation, drama, theater and music, have been suffering across the nation for 30 years, elementary school bullying programs as school officials concentrate on the basics of understanding. With federal programs, such as No Child Left Behind, even a lot more focus has been placed on simple studying skills, which excludes the arts. This also implies that any added funding is funneled into these fundamental understanding programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is one of the standards that ought to be met by schools inside the state of California, yet the state does not impose penalties on schools that do not met these particular standards.

A statewide survey by SRI International concluded that of the 1,123 schools surveyed:

89 percent failed to meet state standards for arts education

Practically 1/3 bully at school offered no art education coursework that met state standards

61 percent had no full-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers with no sufficient education teaching arts education at the elementary level

Kindergarten by way of 12 enrollment in music classes declined by 37 percent over a five-year period, ending last June and

Poor schools have the least access to arts education whereas far better income schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are much more apt to have it.

Chris Funk is the San Jose schools principal of Lincoln High School, a stellar magnet arts school. He believes that the a lot more San Jose schools students are exposed to the arts the greater they will do in testing inside other coursework.

Scientific studies have confirmed that a robust arts plan can be linked to improvement in every thing from math capabilities to truancy. Arts education in elementary and secondary schools produce skilled sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and so numerous other arts-associated careers. The arts also boost the socialization skills of students.

Bill Eriendson, assistant superintendent of the San Jose schools, stated bulling at school that the level of funding for the arts is inadequate. Last year, the state budgeted $500 million for the arts and physical education however, this quantity was a 1-time deal. The norm is $105 million, which is about $15 per student. According to Eriendson, the San Jose schools calls for about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not incorporate the buy of instruments.

San Jose schools are a great representation of the statewide findings. Besides trying to meet state and federal standards in the fundamental coursework, the San Jose schools had been hit with Proposition 13 that was passed in 1978, which imposed tax cuts for Californians and drastically lowered funding for arts education. The arts had been 1st cut in the secondary San Jose schools and then in the elementary San Jose schools. By the late 1980s, arts education was all but gone in the San Jose schools.

According to Funk, there at present is a waiting list of 225 San Jose schools students. He finds San Jose schools students are drawn to the dance, theater, music and visual arts programs offered by his school. Without the help of the Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000 for this school year, this San Jose schools arts magnet would not exist.