Arts Education Suffering In San Jose Schools
De Wikis en Educación
Art programs, such as art appreciation, drama, theater and music, have been suffering across the nation for 30 years, as school officials concentrate bulling at school on the basics of learning. With federal programs, such as No Kid Left Behind, even much more focus has been placed on standard understanding abilities, which excludes the arts. This also indicates that any added funding is funneled into these fundamental learning 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, however 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 offered no art education coursework that met state standards
61 percent had no full-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers with out sufficient instruction 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 earnings schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are 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 bullies in school far better they will do in testing inside other coursework.
Scientific studies have proven that a powerful arts program can be linked to improvement in almost everything from math competencies to truancy. Arts education in elementary and secondary schools create skilled sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and so numerous other arts-related careers. The arts also enhance the anti bullying facts socialization abilities 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 nevertheless, 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 demands about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not include the acquire of instruments.
San Jose schools are a excellent representation of the statewide findings. Besides attempting to meet state and federal standards in the simple coursework, the San Jose schools were 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 currently 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 no the support of the Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000 for this school year, this San Jose schools arts magnet would not exist.
