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The Counter-Intuition of Advocacy
Consider these three points: 1. The school district leader says that the overall school budget is increasing each year, and not to worry. And yes, it’s true: more money was allocated to education in the city budget. 2. The existence of generally supportive school district officials and government leads to increased arts budgets and administrative…
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The Third Annual NYCDOE Arts in the Schools Report: Cognitive Dissonance
This week the NYCDOE released its third Annual Arts in the School Report. Along with about thirty colleagues primarily from the arts field, I attended the report presentation at the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The document itself must be applauded for all the work that went into it. In this difficult economy,…
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Did You Miss David Brooks on Arts Education???
I’m not claiming my second education has been exemplary or advanced. I’m describing it because I have only become aware of it retrospectively, and society pays too much attention to the first education and not enough to the second. I like David Brooks. Okay, I have to admit it, I like him even more since…
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What Does CSA, the Principals Union in NYC Think about Dedicated funding for Arts Education?
Arts education needs to be incentivized through dedicated funding. Because the NYC public school system is not meeting even the most minimal standard requirements for arts education, the arts should be treated as a “protected class” of studies. When it comes to arts education, we need all of our schools to be winners. It is…
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A Thousand Little Cuts: “The civil right is to an excellent education,” she said. “It’s not about having an art room.”
People say to me, what’s the problem? Is anyone really against the arts in schools? My typical response is that it’s not often one single event, it’s more about the waves that wash it off the beach. Those waves have been the back-to-basics movement, NCLB, budget cuts, accountability, principal empowerment, site-based management, and so much…
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A Big Policy Win for K-12 Arts Education in New York City
I cannot recall a K-12 education issue in New York City higher profile than that of the renewal of the 2002 School Governance Law, aka “Mayoral Control of the Schools.” Everyone concerned with K-12 education in New York City, as well many across the country have been watching this issue to see whether Mayor Michael…