SMARTS newsletter July 2010

California State PTA Online Newsletter July 2010

In This Issue

Arne Duncan speaks about arts education

Parents for the arts

ESEA reauthorization

Million Plates Campaign

Do Something

Supporting arts education in tough times

US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan speaks to the importance of arts education

The U.S. Department of Education recently released this video of Secreatary Duncan talking about arts education. Click here to watch.

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SMARTS is California State PTA's program to encourage arts education. Please spread the word about the benefits of arts education for all of California's K-12 students.

PTA helping to mobilize parents for the arts

Through a generous grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, we are expanding opportunities for participation in a network to advocate for high-quality arts education for all California students. Our efforts will provide opportunities to share best practices, and to raise awareness about the relevance of the arts in increasing academic achievement and building a vibrant, productive society. Among the many resources currently available is the "Be a Leader for Arts Education" guide, which was developed by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) and California State PTA. This guide is filled with useful resources and tips for taking action for the arts in education. If you would like hardcopies of the guide (up to 5 per PTA), please send an e-mail to info@capta.org and they will be mailed to you.

As part of the project, California State PTA is also conducting a pilot parent-engagement program, called School Smarts, in 16 elementary schools in four school districts during the 2010-2011 school year. This program will help to equip parents with the knowledge and skills they need to advocate for children and for a quality education that includes the arts.

ESEA Reauthorization: Now is the time to take action and support arts in education

On March 13, the U.S. Department of Education released its plan for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which would ask states to adopt college- and career-ready standards and reward schools for producing dramatic gains in student achievement. Now is the time to contact your elected officials and ask them to strengthen the arts in the ESEA (formerly known as No Child Left Behind). For action steps and more information, check out the Americans for the Arts website.

Governor and First Lady join the California Arts Council and arts supporters to launch the 'Million Plates Campaign for the Arts'

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver have joined the California Arts Council, the Creative Coalition and artists from across the state to launch the "Million Plates Campaign for the Arts," a campaign dedicated to raising money to fund the California Arts Council's hundreds of programs across the state through the Arts License Plates program. One of the programs supported by the license plates is Artists in Schools, which integrates community arts resources - professional artists and arts organizations - into a comprehensive, standards-based program, underscoring the critical role the arts play in shaping a student's overall well-being and academic achievement.

Do Something!

Do Something empowers teens and young people to advocate for causes of importance to them, and music education is one of their top concerns. Along with the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, DoSomething.org recently mobilized 90,000 students throughout the nation to take action by petitioning school boards, writing letters to elected officials, creating viral music videos, raising funds, and taking other actions on behalf of a complete education that includes music. Visit their website for more information on how everyone, including students, can speak up about the importance of music education.

Supporting arts education in tough times

As school districts throughout the state face difficult financial decisions, many of them are eliminating the arts - even though California State Education Code states that the arts should be taught to every student. To further examine this issue, the California School Boards Association and the California Alliance for Arts Education conducted a Webinar to learn about how to implement an arts education program for students during these challenging times.

If you missed Supporting Arts Education in Tough Times, you can view the archived version here. During this 45-minute Webinar, guest speakers will share their insights to support boards on the following topics: strategic planning; laying the groundwork for arts education; cultivating community involvement, successful collaboration strategies; and utilizing parents as support units.

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