Sigma Alpha Iota

MUSIC MEDLEY It is no coincidence that Tom Friedman, the New York Times columnist and author of The World is Flat, predicts that "the school, the state, the country that empowers, nurtures, [and] enables imagination among its students" is going to be the winner in the rapidly-evolving global economy of the twenty-first century. Now, what can the federal government do to support highquality arts education and a wellrounded curriculum? Let me answer that question by telling you first what we cannot do. We will not endorse or sanction any specific curricula — and the Department is in fact appropriately prohibited by law from endorsing or sanctioning curricula. The department will, however, continue to fund research studies on the effectiveness of curricula as it has in the past. And it will continue to require districts to ensure that schools receiving federal funds through Title I or in school turnarounds are using evidence-based instructional programs aligned with academic standards. We are currently in the midst of conducting the first large-scale survey of school principals, music teachers, and visual arts specialists in ten years. I want to underscore that our proposal to reauthorize ESEA goes much further than existing law in supporting a well-balanced curriculum. Our ESEA proposal will allow states to incorporate assessments of subjects beyond English language arts and math in their accountability systems. And we plan to invest in the development of better assessments, so schools and teachers don't feel pressured to teach to low-quality, standardized tests. ... We have proposed to take the $40 million for arts education that now goes to directed grants and a couple of small competitions with an array of applications and requirements, and replace it with a much bigger, competitive pool of $265 million to strengthen the teaching of arts, foreign languages, civics and government, and other subjects. Existing arts education programs have worthy goals. But they have resulted in fragmented funding at the federal, state, and local level. Under our new ESEA proposal, high-need districts, and states and non-profits in partnership with high-need districts, would be states have taken steps to develop rigorous arts assessments. Unfortunately, those assessments have faced setbacks and funding cutbacks in recent years. Too many schools still fail to offer a standards-based course of study in all four arts disciplines. We all know that unacceptable disparities in arts education between lowincome and affluent districts continue to persist. Despite these challenges, and the tough budgetary climate, arts education must not just survive but thrive. A well-balanced curriculum is simply too vital to our students and our national character to let the teaching of the arts and humanities erode. In 1963, shortly before he was assassinated, President Kennedy spoke about the importance of poetry at the groundbreaking for the Robert Frost Library at Amherst College where Frost had taught. And here is what Kennedy said: "Our national strength matters," he declared, "but the spirit which informs and controls our strength matters just as much." Robert Frost's poetry, in Kennedy's eyes, reminded us of the limitations of power. Power might lead man toward arrogance, but "poetry reminds him of his limitations." When power narrows the areas of man's concern, Kennedy said, "poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses." It was art, Kennedy concluded, that "establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment." I thank all of you for your tireless commitment to supporting arts education. And I urge you to continue the fight to provide all of our children with a well-rounded and rigorous education. Let the arts, as President Kennedy said, establish the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment. It was art, President Kennedy concluded, that 'establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment.' eligible to apply for the grants, which place a priority on cross-subject learning but don't mandate it. At the same time, we would increase access and funding for college-level, dual credit, and other accelerated courses in high-need schools to support not only a well-rounded, but a rigorous curriculum. Two of our new and most innovative programs — Investing in Innovation or i3, and Promise Neighborhoods, loosely modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone's comprehensive community-based organization — have the potential to support effective arts education programs and partnerships as well. ... I am pleased that the arts community, for more than 15 years, has pioneered the development of voluntary standards in dance, drama, music, and the visual arts. Forty-nine states now have established content and/or performance standards outlining what students should know and be able to do in one or more art form. Many districts, including Chicago, now not only articulate arts standards, but also spell out a sequential series of courses aligned with state standards. So, arts education is making real progress toward defining quality and demonstrating outcomes, but challenges remain. A number of CLICK FOR MORE To read the entire speech, visit www.ed.gov/blog/2010/09/rethinkingand-strengthening-arts-education/ sai-national.orgfall 2010 PAN PIPES 7

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