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 learning. With federal programs, such as No Child Left Behind, even more focus has been placed on basic studying skills, which excludes the arts. This also signifies that any extra funding is funneled into these simple understanding programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is one particular of the standards that must be met by schools within the state of California, but the state does not impose penalties on schools that do not met these certain 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
Almost 1/three provided no anti bullying art education coursework that met state standards
61 percent had no complete-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers without having sufficient training teaching arts education at the elementary level
Kindergarten by means 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 better income schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are far more apt to have it.
Chris Funk is the San Jose schools principal school bulling 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 much better they will do in testing inside other coursework.
Scientific studies have confirmed that a strong arts plan can be linked to improvement in every thing from math competencies to truancy. Arts education in elementary and secondary schools generate skilled sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and so a lot of other arts-associated careers. The arts also strengthen 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. Last year, the state budgeted $500 million for the arts and physical education even so, this quantity was a a single-time deal. The norm is $105 million, which is about $15 per student. According to Eriendson, the San Jose schools demands about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not contain the buy of instruments.
San Jose schools are a very good representation of the statewide findings. Besides trying to meet state and federal standards bullies in school in the standard coursework, the San Jose schools were hit with Proposition 13 that was passed in 1978, which imposed tax cuts for Californians and greatly 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 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 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.
