Funds for the
Arts
By: Kenneth Michael
Dinkajay802@aol.com
Art programs in dance, music, visual arts, theater and a variety of others have
proven beneficial to youth over the years. These programs have provided many
outlets for unprivileged, unfocused and/or undetermined youth. With the
implementation of President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, programs in
the arts have been labeled as one of the 10 core subjects that schools
nationwide must focus on. With core subjects being implemented in this new act
by President Bush, one questions if funds and resources are properly being
allocated for programs that center around the arts in nationwide schools.
…art programs focusing in dance and theater are becoming more foreign in
numerous school systems.
*For 2008, the President is requesting $56.0 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Education, the same as the 2007 level. With President Bush’s $56 billion proposal for education in 2008, there are a total of 44 other programs up for elimination and/or fund reduction in the coming year. Programs in art education appear on the list of funds being reduced, with a $35.3 million deduction. The elimination of these 44 programs (including art programs) leaves $2.2 billion available for distribution to programs in math, reading, and science which have shown success for future improvement. The elimination of these programs were based on PART (Program Assessment Rating Tool), which works along with the Department of Education to weed out the programs that bring in negative results and better fund the programs with more positive and/or adequate results.
Over the years, school districts have been
responsible for making sure that money and funds are provided and programs are
put into action for arts education. Although all states have art education
policies, it was up to the districts to make the decision to provide funds until
the NCLB Act of 2002. The NCLB Act made it mandatory that
districts provide funding for the arts and arts education, becoming one of the
10 core academic subjects. **Despite there being 10 core subjects, NCLB
currently requires schools to report student achievement test results for only
reading and mathematics. Even with art education being a core subject on
the NCLB Act, instruction time for art programs are limited in many
nationwide schools. Along with instructional time of art programs in nationwide
schools decreasing, art programs focusing in dance and theater are becoming more
foreign in numerous school systems. Only art programs in music and visuals arts
appear in many school systems, limiting the available variety in arts education.
Art programs in dance, music, visual arts, theater and a variety of others
have proven beneficial to youth over the years.
When one brings into effect the $35.3 million reduction, limited instructional
time and a limited variety of art programs, arts education in nationwide schools
are not being funded properly. Furthermore, with more than a $30 million
reduction in arts education, school systems that want to further provide
education in the arts can look to the Improving Teacher Quality State Grant,
as well as other programs. The JFK Center for the Performing Arts will also
continue to provide funding for arts education but the federal government will
provide less funding for the arts and more for math, science and reading
programs in nationwide schools.
Work Cited
* http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget08/summary/edlite-section1.html
**http://www.artsusa.org/services/arts_education/arts_education_015.asp