7 responses to “Fight On: Proposed Elimination of LAUSD’s Elementary Arts Education Program”

1. Hello Richard,
   Thanks again for the heads up on the pending funding cuts to arts education in elementary schools. I want to take issue however with your
   statement:
   “LAUSD is the only large urban district in the United States that provides an equitable standards-based arts education for all of its elementary students by giving them the opportunity to experience all of the four arts disciplines through the Elementary Arts Program.” Out of the 180 LAUSD elementary schools I work with, only a handful provide the children with anything like “standards-based arts education”.
   Perhaps you may have thought that because LAUSD is “committed” to providing standards based education in all of its schools they are actually making these programs available to all of their students. Last year Rich Burrows, before he lost his position as Director of Arts Ed for LAUSD, provided me with the following numbers:
   “Elementary Arts Teachers who serve all 501 elementary schools include:
   170 General Music and Instrumental Teachers 60 Dance Teachers 60 Theatre Teachers 60 Visual Arts Teachers” These teachers rotate and teach the same group of 100-125 students at each of the 501 schools – in other words, although all 501 LAUSD elementary schools were providing standards based programs, only a small fraction of the children at each school were participating in these programs.
   Hope the above info helps to clarify a very popular local misperception.
   Best,
   Mario
   Mario Davila
   Director
   After School Arts Program
   LA’s BEST / LAUSD
   LAsBEST.org

2. Thanks for commenting Mario. This is very much appreciated. The description comes from the online peitition, which I didn’t make clear initially. It’s always good to know what the reality is versus the rhetoric. Thank you!

3. Hi Mario and Richard,
   Mario, you are right that not all elementary students get arts instruction in all four arts areas, every year. However it is inaccurate to say the same 100 to 200 kids at each school receive arts instruction while the other kids do not receive any instruction through the Program. Some schools do have a rotating ‘arts cadre’ model where the same teachers receive instruction for their students and PD for themselves) three years in a row; other schools follow other models.
   Each day visual arts, theater, and dance teachers see 5 classes, 4 on Tuesdays, 50 minutes each. That’s 24 classes a week, spread among 2 to 5 schools at a time, over 12 week rotations. Music teachers are assigned to a school for each day of the week all year long, some schools purchase more days per week of music instruction. Too much detail to put into a petition, and I won’t go into the variations among music teachers schedules here.
   Over six years of attendance at an average sized elementary school, most kids receive six to twelve weeks of instruction in dance, theater and music at least a few times. I agree that there needs to be a lot more (we should be doubling it for a start) but we wanted to recognize that the District has been on the right path for the last ten years. This year, positions were reassigned proportionate to school size, so schools with 1200 or more kids receive three days per week of instruction, while the smallest schools might receive only one. I believe this change came from Cortines, as we finally expanded to all schools.
   The cuts started last year with huge hits: the complete elimination of the Middle School Arts Bridging Program (30 positions), the de-funding of the ACPNs (Arts Community Program Network), and the re-appropriation of funds dedicated to arts materials and resources, in order to cover the bottom line (salaries, etc.).
   Hopefully, despite the financial mess, we will rebuild all of these programs in the coming years, (as well as adequately fund creative and engaging afterschool programs!) rather than fall further behind in servicing our students. We are all taking huge hits right now in every school and every program, and we need to fight for each other and the kids.
   Thank You,
   Michael Blasi
   LAUSD Elementary Visual Arts Teacher
   Co-Chair for the Elementary Arts Chapter, United Teachers Los Angeles
   Maintaining http://lausdartsed.blogspot.com/

4. Hello Richard and Mario,
   As an elementary music teacher in LAUSD, I see one school each day and include 7 classrooms (30-min. lessons) and a 4th-5th grade chorus of 60-80 children (approximately 250 students/day). I teach sequential standards-based lessons, as do my colleagues. There is at least one day of music provided by a credentialed music teacher for every elementary school in LAUSD and this is provided by district funds. We stay in our schools for the entire school year. This is not enough to cover every student, but over the course of 6 years in elementary school, every child in most schools will receive one or two years of music–even more, if they participate in the chorus. Some schools purchase extra days of music with their own funds. Some schools offer instruction in strings, winds, and brass. Clearly, it is not enough, but is way better than 10 years ago. It is also better than slap-dash short term efforts to bring in special providers.
   In addition, every school is receiving 12 weeks of instruction in theater, dance and visual art also provided by credentialed teachers and funded by the district. Michael Blasi’s comments are quite accurate on how this works and how many children are exposed to this instruction.
   The Wallace Foundation thought enough of what the district has done to provide funds to make a plan for the next 10 years of arts instruction. As I understand it, if they like the plan, they will provide some of the funds to implement it. Clearly, if the program is decimated, that will all be for naught.
   Please support maintaining and growing arts instruction for our LAUSD students.
   Thanks,
   Eloise Porter
   LAUSD Elementary Music Teacher

5. Hi Michael,
   Although I have no doubt that “over six years of attendance at an average sized elementary school, most kids receive six to twelve weeks of instruction in dance, theater and music at least a few times”, I don’t think an elementary school student should have to go through 6 years of school in order to experience 12 to 24 hours of VAPA quality visual and performing arts workshops “at least a few times.”
   Of course all of us agree more must be done to give every child the well-rounded quality education they deserve – perhaps it would help to know how many of the 291,479 (K-5) students enrolled in LAUSD received at least 10 hours of Standards based LAUSD provided arts education during the last academic year. I’m guessing that even if one adds the 11,100 children we provided free Standards based art programs to, the total number would only add up to a small fraction of 291,479.
   Here’s to more opportunities for those we serve!
   Best,
   Mario
   Mario Davila
   Director
   After School Arts Program
   LA’s BEST / LAUSD
   LAsBEST.org

6. Hi Michael,
   Although I have no doubt that “over six years of attendance at an average sized elementary school, most kids receive six to twelve weeks of instruction in dance, theater and music at least a few times”, I don’t think an elementary school student should have to go through 6 years of school in order to experience 12 to 24 hours of VAPA quality visual and performing arts workshops “at least a few times.”
   Of course all of us agree more must be done to give every child the well-rounded quality education they deserve – perhaps it would help to know how many of the 291,479 (K-5) students enrolled in LAUSD received at least 10 hours of Standards based LAUSD provided arts education during the last academic year. I’m guessing that even if one adds the 11,100 children we provided free Standards based art programs to, the total number would only add up to a small fraction of 291,479.
   Here’s to more opportunities for those we serve!
   Best,
   Mario
   Mario Davila
   Director
   After School Arts Program
   LA’s BEST / LAUSD
   LAsBEST.org

7. I teach Music in Charlotte, NC and I am considering moving to L.A. In Charlotte every school has a Full time Music, Art, Media, and Physical Education Teacher. We share Dance, Band, and Orchestra Teachers with neighboring schools. My school is k -5th and I teach 24 music classes each week. Every student receives instruction in the arts every week. After reading this article I am having second thoughts about my move. I love having my own classroom and stage to produce musicals. We have just completed Aladdin, Annie Jr. and Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. There is no way that I could produce the musicals that I do with the instructional climate you described.