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 basics of studying. With federal programs, such as No Child Left Behind, even more focus has been placed on basic mastering abilities, which excludes the arts. This also indicates that any additional funding is funneled into these fundamental understanding programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is a single of the standards that really should be met by schools within the state of California, yet 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 elementary school assemblies surveyed:

89 percent failed to meet state standards for arts bullying at school education

Practically 1/3 provided no art education coursework that met state standards

61 percent had no full-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers without adequate training teaching arts education at the elementary level

Kindergarten through 12 enrollment in music classes declined by 37 percent more than a 5-year period, ending last June and

Poor schools have the least access to arts education whereas much better revenue schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are a lot 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 better they will do in testing inside other coursework.

Studies have verified that a robust arts system 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 many 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. Final year, the state budgeted $500 million for the arts and physical education even so, 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 requires about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not include the obtain of instruments.

San Jose schools are a very good representation of the statewide findings. Besides trying to meet state and federal standards in the simple coursework, the San Jose schools were hit anti bullying assemblies with Proposition 13 that was passed in 1978, which imposed tax cuts for Californians and greatly decreased 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 offered by his school. With out the support of the Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000 for this school year, this San Jose schools arts magnet would not exist.