Budget Crisis Threatens to Silence Music and Erase Arts Please hold for the Audio News Conference May 7, 2008 Call: 1 80

1. Budget Crisis Threatens to Silence Music and Erase Arts Please hold for the Audio News Conference May 7, 2008 Call: 1 800-750-5861

2. Host: Laurie Schell, Executive Director, The California Alliance for Arts Education Expert Guests • Nancy Carr, Visual and Performing Arts Consultant, California Department of Education (CDE) • Carol Kocivar, Vice President Communications, California State PTA • Mark Slavkin, Vice President, The Music Center in Los Angeles County • Sarah Murr, Community Investor, Regional Arts and Culture of The Boeing Company

3. Laurie Intro: California Alliance for Arts Education • Californians care about quality public schools - recent survey by The Public Policy Institute of California - PPIC: • Education and schools ranked as the second most important issue • A strong majority of Californians (60%) choose K-12 public education as the area they would like to protect from budget cuts, ahead of health and human services • Ninety percent of residents across political and demographic groups say the arts are important (60% very important) in the school curriculum

4. Cont. • The Decline – over the past three decades the arts have struggled to maintain a presence in CA public schools • Quality, standards-based visual and performing arts instruction for became luxury; only a few wealthy districts in CA who had access to private funding • SRI Study International, An Unfinished Canvas finds: • Only 11% of public schools are meeting state goals for arts instruction • Sixty one percent of schools don’t have a full-time art teacher • Elementary students get far fewer arts classes than children in other states

5. Cont. • The Good News • State expectations for students – CA Education Code describes the visual and performing arts as a “required course of study” • Rigorous content standards adopted in 2001, UC/CSU admissions policy and new teacher licensure requirements • Arts and Music Block Grant, passed by Governor and Legislature in 2006-7and 2007-8 • $105 million 2006-7 - $109 million 2007-8 based on a per pupil allocation for hiring teachers and administrators, professional development and supplies/equipment aligned to standard based instruction • $500 million was allocated in 2006 to be shared with physical education for professional development and supplies/equipment aligned to standard based equipment • Over last two years schools have begun to rebuild arts as core curriculum and as integral part of school day

6. Cont. • Vulnerable in current economic environment • Proposed budget cuts to education at $4.5 billion • California Alliance for Arts Education • Supports efforts to ensure every K-12 student receive a comprehensive education and access to the benefits of arts education • Believes its appropriate to shoulder some of the burden during this economic crisis • Concerned that recommendations to consolidate categorical funding may unintentionally target arts education, resulting in students’ diminished access to quality arts learning opportunities

7. Cont. • The Ask • This categorical investment needs to continue in this year’s budget and not be consolidated into a larger block grant • School districts should be given more freedom with categorical funds –”…but not at the expense of money earmarked for vital programs like music, the arts and physical education” – Gov. Schwarzenegger • The California Alliance for Arts Education supports on-going funding for Arts and Music Block Grant to ensure quality, equity and access

8. Nancy Carr, Visual and Performing Arts Consultant, California Department of Education • California Education Code mandates • Children in grades 1-12 receive instruction/course of study to develop aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression – courses in dance, music, theatre and visual arts • Address artistic perception, creative expression, aesthetic valuing, historical and cultural context and connections/relationships/application • Content standards provide access to rigorous instruction and learning supported by Governor and legislature through funding in 2006-7 and 2007-8 • CDE goals for all students – why all children need learning in and through the arts

9. Cont. • Right brained learning occurs with arts education • Increases capacity for learning in all subjects • Employs habits of mind that are life long skills • Necessary for a happy and successful life • Experience through the arts are key to development of regulatory capacity • Furthers social emotional development, ability to cope with stress, recognize and question assumptions, empathy, group support, product development and pursuit of common goals • Support academic achievement • Offer creative solutions for successfully engaging children who learn in different ways • Solutions for student retention and a reduction in the drop-out rate • Can improve students’ skills in other subject areas, such as reading, math, science investigation and writing

10. Cont. • California needs high quality education schools that are rich in arts learning to meet the state’s goal of preparing all students for success after high school. • With funding California schools: • Are really evaluating their arts education programs • Developing 5-10 year plans • Training multiple subject teachers to provide arts instruction within their class instructional time • Curriculum written for all grades across the district that is sequential and standards-based that will assess learning to provide program instructional improvement • Districts are working on quality, equity and access • Districts are putting strong actions behind their words and ideas to facilitate student success

11. Cont. • Our creative and innovative California workforce says we need to see arts learning continuing and expanding • Speaking with leaders in the field – Milt Chan, George Lucas Foundation, • He said, George would like nothing better than having more well-trained-in-the-arts students he could hire, so that he had to hire fewer employees to process visas • Touring film industry studios, it is easy to see the link between arts education and workforce needs • One studio employs 100 individuals whose sole work is stage design • The arts speak to creativity and innovation as does no other subject and research, coming in droves, now supports this statement

12. Carol Kocivar, Vice President, Communications, California State PTA • The arts enriches the lives of children, families and communities • All children in California deserve quality, equity and access to education • Children’s access to great schools with quality arts education should not be predicated on where they happen to live • California needs high quality schools that are rich in arts learning to meet the state’s goal of preparing all students for success after high school • Without access to the benefit of arts learning, our schools will continue to struggle to prepare students to be better citizens, neighbors and workers

13. Mark Slavkin, Vice President, The Music Center in Los Angeles County • Since Proposition 13 was enacted in 1978, arts education has been “hit and miss” in California • Students have not had equitable access to quality arts education • Art and Music Block Grant made an enormous difference • Money provided every school district with opportunity to consider how to provide for all students • Conversation shifted from constraints and barriers to concrete plans to develop arts programs and opportunities • Gave promise of equity and quality education for all

14. Cont. • In Los Angeles • State money powerful catalyst • Offers tangible support • Offers hope for progress and the future • 80 local school districts are rebuilding arts education programs • Loss of funds will steal community and educator’s faith and confidence that these efforts will be sustained

15. Cont. • Los Angeles is a national center for many creative industries • LA schools must offer educational opportunities in the arts to all students enabling them to: • Develop their creative talents • Hone critical thinking skills • Meet rigorous academic standards • Achieve success in higher education • Compete in creative, local job market • Be productive and contributing members of the community

16. Cont. • According to AmericansForTheArts.org • One in five jobs in California is related to the arts and creative industries • Arts-centric businesses play an important role in building and sustaining economic vibrancy. They employ people, spend money locally, generate government revenue, and are a cornerstone of tourism and economic development.

17. Sarah Murr, Global Corporate Citizenship Representative, The Boeing Company • Boeing invests in the arts to promote healthy and vibrant communities • Our support of arts education leads to the development of all aspects of a students education • Creative students become creative citizens and we need them – today’s students build tomorrow’s rockets

18. Cont. • The business community, as a whole, seeks creative employees • Increasing calls from business community sector for more creative skills from the emerging workforce. • In recent studies, creativity and innovation are among the top five applied skills projected to increase in importance for future graduates. • A comprehensive arts education fosters creativity and innovation needed to create a more competitive workforce. • These students will become tomorrow’s workforce of creative individuals that will support the prosperity of California’s economy