BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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Date of Hearing: March 19, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, TOURISM, AND
INTERNET MEDIA
Ian C. Calderon, Chair
ACR 12 (Calderon) - As Introduced: February 5, 2013
SUBJECT : Arts Education Month
SUMMARY : Proclaims the month of March 2013 as Arts Education
Month and encourages all elected officials to participate with
their educational communities in celebrating the arts with
meaningful activities and programs for pupils, teachers, and the
public that demonstrate learning and understanding in the visual
and performing arts, and urges all residents to become
interested in and give full support to quality school arts
programs for children and youth Specifically, this resolution
makes the following findings:
1)Arts education, which includes dance, music, theatre, and the
visual arts, is an essential and integral part of basic
education for all pupils in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten,
and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
2)The arts are crucial to achieving a state educational policy
that is devoted to the teaching of basic academic skills and
lifelong learning capacities with the goal of truly preparing
all children for success after high school regardless of
gender, age, economic status, physical ability, or learning
ability.
3)A systematic, substantive, and sequential visual and
performing arts curriculum addresses and develops ways of
thinking, questioning, expression, and learning that
complement learning in other core subjects, but that is unique
in what it has to offer.
4)Pupils benefit from arts learning in the areas of cultural
understanding, readiness for learning and creative thinking,
cognitive outcomes, emotional intelligence and expression,
social interaction and collaboration, and preparation for the
workplace and lifelong learning.
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5)Arts education in California is mandated for pupils in grades
1 to 12, inclusive, by Education Code Sections 51210 and 51220
to provide that the adopted course of study shall include
instruction in "[v]isual and performing arts, including
instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and
visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic
appreciation and the skills of creative expression."
6)The arts are recognized as part of a quality education, and
the University of California and the California State
University have instituted a policy that includes visual and
performing arts as college preparatory subjects for all high
school pupils wishing to enter California's institutions of
higher education.
7)Many national and state professional arts education
associations hold celebrations in the month of March, giving
California schools a unique opportunity to focus on the value
of the arts for all pupils, to foster cross-cultural
understanding, to give recognition to the state's outstanding
young artists, and to enhance public support for this
essential part of the curriculum.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : The sponsor, the California Alliance for Arts
Education, write the committee in support of this resolution
saying, "Research shows that the arts are a critical link in
student success. Arts education is linked to higher test scores
across all subjects, as well as lower dropout rates. It fosters
creativity and imagination, hallmarks of careers in the 21st
century. Beyond the classroom, the arts are shown to nurture
collaboration and civil engagement in young people." The
resolution's co-sponsor, the California State PTA, add in
further support, "we recognize that arts education enhances
students' academic performance in all curricular areas,
experiencing creativity and innovation helps students develop
higher level thinking skills, and encourages students to
discover and express their own creativity."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
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California Alliance for Arts Education (Sponsor)
California State PTA (Co-Sponsor)
AFSCME
Arts for LA
California Park and Recreation Society
Los Angeles County Arts Commission
Streetside Stories
Young Storytellers Foundation
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Dana Mitchell / A.,E.,S.,T. & I.M. /
(916) 319-3450