If you believe that past is present, and that severe cuts to school budgets, combined with cuts from private funders, would deal a terrible blow to arts education, well then, it’s important to take a look at the education portion of the stimulus plan, which I hear is changing by the day. At the moment,…

My friend Diane Ravitch, offers some advice for Arne Duncan in last week’s Washington Post. No beating about the bush, Diane offers some straight up advice on what works and what doesn’t, particularly in regards to NCLB and the USDOE. A refreshing opinion. Here’s a little teaser: “You have a chance to make a historic…

It’s a bit tough to profess ambivalence at best, skepticism at worst, when so many people are clamoring for the creation of a cabinet-level position for the arts. A Secretary of the Arts, or a Secretary of Arts and Culture, etc., along with a new Federal Department to match the position. Historically, the creation of…

On election day, I tapped Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring as my soundtrack for that moment. Today, without question, it’s Woody Guthrie’s This Land is Your Land. And, as it turns out Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen felt the same way, performing it at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday. This was a song they taught us…

I am a Mac Geek. I even have a t-shirt to prove it. And, naturally, along with that territory goes my disdain for PCs. Yesterday at a workshop presented by Chamber Music America, I heard from a woman at Wellesley College about a group of female students who compose music, either using Apple’s Garage Band,…

Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) is a highly influential charter school operator, whose leaders have the ears of many key policy makers in education. The faculty of charter schools do not ordinarily belong to either the local AFT or NEA chapters, and of course, there are some exceptions, including charter schools created by local teachers…

There was an interesting piece in Education Week yesterday offering a dissenting viewpoint on the nomination of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education. I guess it’s becoming an old saw: those who believe in the free market as the solution to the challenges in public education, versus those who choose to approach change through a…

If you’re in the arts education field, then you know or know about my dear friend and colleague, Rob Horowitz. Rob’s father, who was had a formidable career in music, passed away on December 26th. Here is a lovely obituary in The New York Times. Izzy was an record producer and classical music columnist for…

In today’s Wall Street Journal, NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, and the Reverend Al Sharpton offer advice for President Elect Barack Obama.Their perscription: 1. More charter schools2. National Standards3. Take Federal K-12 funding and put it towards merit pay. (Wave goodbye to Arts Education funding at USDOE.)4. Drop Union work rules.5. Expand and ensure arts…

Over the years, proponents of arts education have hitched their wagons to many theories and beliefs as to why arts education is important. It has been improved math scores; improved reading scores; increased attendance; increased self-esteem; arts equals jobs; increased participation with cultural organizations; and more. I have, with some misgivings, found myself articulating any…