Leading the Way to Arts Education: a Reference Guide for Educational Leaders
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FOREWORD On behalf of the County Superintendents of the State of California, we are pleased to introduce Leading the Way to Arts Education: A Reference Guide for Educational Leaders. Developed by the Alameda County Office of Education and the CCSESA Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee (CISC) Visual and Performing Arts Subcommittee as part of the CCSESA Arts Initiative, Leading the Way to Arts Education is a practical guide that recommends step-by-step practices for county- and district-level administrative leaders to adopt in order to promote arts educations plans at the district, school, home, and community levels. The California County Superintendents Education Services Association (CCSESA) is an organization consisting of the County Superintendents of Schools from the state’s 58 counties, working in partnership with the California Department of Education. The Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee (CISC) is a subcommittee of CCSESA consisting of county office associate superintendents focusing on curriculum, instruction, and professional development. The Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) subcommittee works to strengthen support and service in arts education in all California school districts. Through the CCSESA Arts Initiative and the CISC VAPA Subcommittee, county superintendents and their staffs are building capacity to advocate and increase visibility for arts education in California public schools. This work includes the development of K-12 arts education curriculum resources aligned to the Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools, as well as the cultivation of district- and school-level leadership to design and implement district arts education plans. This guidebook was developed by the Visual and Performing Arts subcommittee and the Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership, Alameda County Office of Education. We extend special thanks to Patty Taylor, CCSESA Arts Consultant, who contributed greatly to the development and finalization of the document as well as the CCSESA/CISC Visual and Performing Arts Regional Leads who provided input for this project. It is our hope that this will be a useful tool for educational leaders and partners statewide. Sarah Anderberg Director, CCSESA Arts Initiative California County Superintendents Educational Services Association Francisca Sanchez Chair, Visual and Performing Arts Subcommittee Associate Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….……………1 County Offices of Education CCSESA Statewide Regional Network for Quality, Equity and Access I. Advancing Arts Education For Every Child In California…….………………......……………………3 Start Where You Are Establish A Clear Vision Move Your Vision Into Action Through Policy and Planning II. Leadership Roles, Responsibilities and Resources………………………………..………………….5 District Leadership School Board Leadership School Site Leadership Arts Teachers Classroom (Non-Arts) Teachers Teaching Artists and Community Arts Providers III. Parents as Community Assets and Advocates……………..……………………………………….15 IV. Reaching Out to the Business Community…………………………….......……………..………..16 V. Conclusion: Arts Education Matters to All of Us………………………….......……………..……..18 APPENDIX A. List of 11 Regional Leads.......……………………..…...…..19 B. Sample Arts Education Policies - Sample A......…………..21 Sample Arts Education Policies - Sample B........…………..22 C. C.O.E “Can Do” List.......………………….….……..…..…..23 D. The “Bones” of a County Arts Education Plan….………......24 E. District /COE Arts Planning Chart….………………….....…25 F. County Office Arts Education Plan Template….……...…..…26 G. Continuum of County Office Plans for the Arts….…....….…27 H. District Arts Education Plan Example….…………....…....…31 I. District Arts Plan: Component, Content, Format………....…32 J. Stages of District Planning.....…………………….....……..33 INTRODUCTION Leading the Way to Arts Education provides practical assistance to cultivate and support the district and regional leadership required to build arts education programs and policies, and connects district and school leaders with a rich history of experience and arts learning resources. Recent research confirms that educators and parents believe the arts are essential in creating a meaningful, high quality education for all children. Across primary and secondary grade levels, practice and participation in the arts is proving to be one of the best ways to equip young people with the pro-social behaviors and critical thinking tools they need to contribute fully in society. Despite the promising qualitative and quantitative research, and the widespread support of parents and teachers, the full re-integration of arts programming in K-12 public education remains an unrealized goal. In 2007, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funded an empirical study by the Stanford Research Institute (SRI), International, on the state of arts education in California public schools. The study found that: • 89% of California K-12 schools fail to offer a standards-based course of study in all four disciplines – music, visual arts, theatre, and dance – and thus fall short of state goals for arts education; • Arts facilities and materials are lacking in most schools; • Standards alignment, assessment, and accountability practices are uneven in arts education, and often not present at all; • Students attending high-poverty schools have less access to arts instruction than their peers in more affluent communities. These findings underscore the urgent need for local and regional leadership to build the knowledge, skills, programs, systems and relationships required to develop the capacity of public school educators to teach all students in and through the arts. Delivering on California’s promise to provide a high quality, arts-inclusive education for every child will require dedicated and coordinated leadership, collaborative planning and resource sharing on the part of school and district leaders, teachers, parents and policymakers. CALIFORNIA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION (CCSESA) ARTS INITIATIVE California’s 58 County Offices of Education support the financial and academic stability of every district and school in California. The primary aim of the county offices is to work collaboratively with school districts to ensure that every student benefits from a quality educational experience, regardless of their circumstances. County superintendents design and implement statewide programs, carryout and lead significant policy initiatives, legislative mandates, and more, to ensure consistent statewide application and standards. County superintendents of schools and their staff strengthen the service and leadership in support of students, schools, districts and communities. The California County Superintendents Educational Services Association supports the belief that every student needs and deserves a high-quality education in the arts, including the subject areas of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts as part of a comprehensive curriculum. The CCSESA Arts Initiative, sponsored by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, is taking a leadership role in providing support, technical assistance, and services for teachers, administrators, and parents. 1 An Unfinished Canvas, Arts Education in California: Taking Stock of Policies and Practices, 2007. SRI International, commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. 1 Through the CCSESA Arts Initiative, regional county offices have been positioned to expand their services to include a wide range of professional development, technical assistance, planning, and support programs. Through the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee and its Visual and Performing Arts Subcommittee, regional arts leads provide an infrastructure for arts leadership statewide to strengthen delivery of K-12 arts education. County offices of education are uniquely positioned to convene districts for resource sharing, collaborative learning and problem solving. County offices of education: • Provide Multi-faceted resource development (grant writing, parcel tax development, local public education foundations, state and federal funding opportunities, etc.) • Coordinate regional and county advocacy efforts • Create multi-faceted partnerships to support restoration of arts in education that includes teachers, administrators, university partners, parents, business and policymakers California educators should view this guide as a framework for thinking about the broad leadership required to build and sustain these infrastructures and inform board policymaking. Rooted in promising practices, it offers practical suggestions on how educators and community-based stakeholders can best work together to support access to a well-rounded education, inclusive of learning in and through the arts, for every child. * See Appendices A. List of 11 Regional Leads and C. C.O.E “Can Do” List LEADING THE WAY TO ARTS EDUCATION This guide will help leaders understand: • Which key questions to ask about arts learning in the classroom • Where to begin in the planning and/or program improvement process • How to establish clear roles and responsibilities for everyone involved • How to build districts’ capacity to offer comprehensive, standards-based arts programs • How to address teacher professional development needs • How to establish infrastructures that support arts programs Educators and administrators should view this guide as a gateway to the statewide