National Arts Education Organizations Come to Consensus on "Common Core State Standards for the Arts" as Goal for December 2011: Which
way Michigan?
On May
11 and 12, the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE) convened an Arts Education Task Force of content, community, and cultural partners in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Council of Chief State School Officers. The outcome of this meeting was the selection of Common Core State Standards for the Arts selected as the next step with December 2011 as the target date for first release. Complete details on this
important meeting are available at the SEADAE website: www.seadae.org
What does this breaking national news mean to Michigan arts educators who have worked over the past several years to develop draft Visual Arts, Music, Theatre and Dance Grade Level Content Expectations?
In general, the Michigan Department of Education's position appears to be that on a case by case basis, Michigan will work with collaborative state-driven efforts to develop common core state standards in content areas beyond ELA and Mathematics.
The fact that all key national arts education content organizations were part of the national consensus decision to work together on Common Core State Standards
for the Arts bodes well for Michigan support of the final document. The fact that Michigan recent reviews and drafts of arts standards, benchmarks, and GLCEs align with national standards and leading state standards in the arts is also a good sign.
It does seem to make best sense for Michigan to move its work on content expectations to the next level in collaboration with other states. Having guided the theatre review of national standards, there is a comfort in knowing where we stand alongside other states and to take the best thinking from wherever it might come. Is what we're asking of students really what it should be for career and college-readiness in the arts? Are we asking too little, too much? What aren't we asking of them? These questions are best considered working alongside great
thinkers and doers from across the states.
As curriculum consultant for arts education, I am putting forward the following recommendations for consideration:
1. Michigan goes forward with a public review in the fall of all four arts draft GLCE documents.
2. Original writing/editing teams work together using online communications in mid-late fall to identify GLCEs where there is strong consensus across Michigan and GLCEs where better GLCEs are needed. A concise report is developed with these two sets of GLCE's clearly identified and become the basis for Michigan's participation in the Common Core State Standards. The long-term goal Michigan would contribute to the development of the Common Core State Standards for the Arts and adopt them after they are December in 2011 and brought to the State Board of Education for approval.
If this is what is decided, the proposed timeline would be:
Fall 2010 survey of Michigan draft GLCEs all 4 arts areas. Analysis of survey results, areas of strong and weak consensus are identified, final Michigan Arts GLCEs Report with draft GLCEs, and survey results is produced.
Winter 2011 Michigan Arts GLCEs Report becomes the basis for Michigan's participation in the Common Core State Standards for the Arts development process.
Summer - December 2011 Michigan participates in the development of Common Core State Standards with the Michigan Arts GLCEs Report as a statewide consensus document as a reference point. Note that the following document refers to "evergreen, i.e. current," educator-friendly, and educator-generated Common Core Standards with virtual opportunities for educator involvement throughout.
Winter -Spring 2012 SBE Adoption
Other thoughts? Please help us consider what makes best sense for us in light of these generally positive state-driven developments at the national level.
Some of this might be more easily discussed in a phone call. My number is: 517-335-0466, Monday through Thursday.
Thank you for considering these issues.
Ana Luisa Cardona
Consultant for Arts Education
Michigan Department of Education
cardonaa@michigan.gov
