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Remarks by Executive Director, Richard Kessler, On the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

 

United States Department of Education
January 20th, 2010
 
On behalf of everyone associated with The Center for Arts Education, we would like to thank Secretary Duncan, Assistant Deputy Secretary Shelton, and The United States Department of Education for this opportunity to present ideas about how arts education, as a key part of a well-rounded education, can be supported through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
 
"Arts education plays an essential part in children's education. It enriches their learning experience and builds skills that they can apply across the curriculum. The arts can play a significant role in programs that extend the school day and the school year."
 
"As we think about NCLB reauthorization...I really want to think about how we can create incentives for folks not to narrow the curriculum, and continue to give a complete, comprehensive set of activities and experiences for children."
 
--Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education
 
The reauthorization ESEA is the perfect opportunity to act upon these statements in a profound and historic way, so as to send a loud and clear message to everyone that arts education: is not an expendable subject; is not best left for out of school time; and will not be denied for the children that need it the most. ESEA has already declared that arts education is a core subject. The upcoming reauthorization is the place, and now is the time to make these words a reality for every public school child—and particularly students from low-income backgrounds n America.
 
Since ESEA is and has always been focused on children in need, it is vital to consider this: the children who are provided arts education the most in the home, are provided it the most at school. Conversely, the children who receive it the least at home, receive it the least in school. And, the narrowing of the curriculum for needy children was clearly documented by a February 2009 report by the Government Accounting Office.
 
The reauthorization of ESEA should:
 
  • Promote educational equity and ensure that the curriculum is expanded rather than narrowed. There cannot be a well-rounded education without the arts. 
  • Steal a page from Race to the Top by incentivizing arts education through ESEA, just as STEM had been in Race to the Top. 
  • Focus on high-quality integrated arts programs that schools have used successfully to overcome the difficult issue of time in the school day. 
  • Provide resources through the USDE that support arts learning for all students and capitalize upon the two current USDE arts education programs that focus on model development and dissemination, and teacher professional development. 
  • Support successful arts programs that improve achievement for English language learners 
  • Work with local school districts and organizations to promote best practices and equitable, high-quality programs. 
  • Promote the role of the arts in school redesign/turnaround. Many new schools have been created using arts education on a thematic basis. 
  • Finally, the arts present a solution to strengthening the role of parent engagement within ESEA. One example is the success of programs that bring parents and children together through Saturday programs in arts learning. Another is with programs that have great success in engaging parents with limited English proficiency.
  
Arts education is ultimately an issue of the health and well being of our children, and thus our future as a nation. If you look to what health care professionals know about the vital role the arts play in the emotional and cognitive development of our children, you will know how important it is to restructure ESEA in a way that is ultimately positive for arts education.

 

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