I was inspired by Barry’s Arts Blog and Updates list of the 25 most powerful people in nonprofit arts. So, as we close out one of the quietest weeks of the year, here’s my list for the 10 most powerful people in K-12 arts education: Joel Klein, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education Ramon…

So, what is a parent to do? On one hand, you’ve got the New York City Department of Education unveiling standardized tests for kindergarten through second grade students, some of which are as long as 90 minutes. (And if you think you shouldn’t worry as you don’t live in New York City or your child…

It happens every year: summer comes to a close, signaled by The Jerry Lewis Telethon and a return to school. The public school battles will surely continue, and between testing, charter schools, vouchers, small schools, and so many other issues, it’s sometimes easy to lose track of the fundamental reason why there are public schools.…

Every month or so, I am going to highlight an organization and/or person doing terrific work in arts education. It may be in K-12, or adult education, youth development, or even branch out beyond arts education per se, to another area of education. If you don’t already know Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit, I am…

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States and supreme allied commander, introduced the term “Military Industrial Complex,” in his 1961 farewell speech before leaving office. He had wanted to call it the “Military Industrial Congressional Complex,” but decided it was too confrontational. Ike worried that “this conjunction of an immense military establishment and…

For the past year or so I was a member of an Arts Education Task Force established by the New York City Department of Education. The Task Force looked at two particular areas: quality and data. Quality was about defining and ensuring “high quality” arts education; data was about providing feedback and advice to the…

If you care about K-12 arts education, not to mention public education, not to mention children, well then it’s impossible to get out from under NCLB. It may just be the greatest cause for education handwringing since Brown versus Board of Education in 1954. There is a terrific online discussion hosted by Newtalk, with some…

In case you missed it, The Wallace Foundation commissioned Susan J. Bodilly, et al.,  from RAND to write a report entitled “Revitalzing Arts Education Through Community-Wide Coordination.” This report was released in June. There’s lots here to chew on here and I am guessing that this won’t be my last post on this report. While…

 What a terrific piece in New York Magazine by Justin Davidson. A must read, with lots to consider around the issue of “bequeathing musical taste.” Justin sees this as a parent’s job, which is true, of course. However, for the many parents who work two jobs or who are simply not up to that particular…