Arts Education Suffering In San Jose Schools
Art programs, such as art appreciation, drama, theater and music, have been suffering across the nation for 30 years, as school officials concentrate on the fundamentals of understanding. With federal programs, such as No Kid Left Behind, even a lot more focus has been placed on standard mastering capabilities, which excludes the arts. This also signifies that any added funding is funneled into these standard mastering programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is 1 of the standards that must be met by schools within the state of California, yet the state does not impose penalties on schools that do not met these specific standards.
A statewide survey by SRI bullying in the school International concluded that of the 1,123 schools surveyed:
89 percent failed to meet state standards for arts education
Nearly 1/three offered no art education coursework that met state standards
61 percent had no full-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers without adequate instruction 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 final June and
Poor schools have the least access to arts education whereas far better earnings schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are far 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 far more San Jose schools students are exposed to the arts the school assemblies on bullying greater they will do in testing within other coursework.
Research have verified that a powerful arts plan can be linked to improvement in every thing from math skills to truancy. Arts education in elementary and secondary schools generate skilled sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and so several other arts-related careers. The arts also improve the socialization skills of students.
Bill Eriendson, assistant superintendent of the San Jose schools, stated that the level of funding for the arts is inadequate. Final year, the state budgeted $500 million for the arts and physical education nonetheless, this quantity was a 1-time deal. The norm is $105 million, which is about $15 per student. According to Eriendson, the bullying program San Jose schools demands about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not include the purchase of instruments.
San Jose schools are a very good representation of the statewide findings. Besides attempting 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 significantly lowered funding for arts education. The arts were first 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 the moment 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 provided by his school. With out the help of the Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000 for this school year, this San Jose schools arts magnet would not exist.
