It makes for a really great chest-beating sound-bite: "we just closed another low performing school!" It's all the rage in New York City, at the USDOE, and at many other urban school districts: School Turnaround. And, although the term denotes a number of possible strategies, it almost always connotes the closing of a school. And, you may ask what happens to the building after … [Read more...] about Reflections on the Possible Closing of My High School: Beach Channel High School
The Sweet Spot for Schools and Cultural Organzations
I once had a colleague complain to me about the disparities in quality among those organizations providing services to schools. Some programs were great; others were terrible. Some artists where thoughtfully developed and supported to work in schools; others were simply booked into the gig. Some organizations spent a great deal of time on reflective practice; others did … [Read more...] about The Sweet Spot for Schools and Cultural Organzations
Oh NCLB, Where Art Thou?
On January 20th, the USDOE is hosting an information session for arts education constituents concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), otherwise known during the Bush administration as No Child Left Behind.In regards to the arts, I know no one who holds the view that NCLB was anything but bad legislation. In a GAO report last year, it … [Read more...] about Oh NCLB, Where Art Thou?
The Integration of the Arts: Composer/Performers Reach Back to the Silent Film Era
There are a few composer performers who are have associated themselves with silent film greats and other great iconic comedians. The first grouping I want to point out is Bill Frisell and Buster Keaton. Then there's Don Byron and Ernie Kovacs. And, there's Dave Douglas and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. There are others, most notably composers who have written new scores to major … [Read more...] about The Integration of the Arts: Composer/Performers Reach Back to the Silent Film Era
Fight On: Proposed Elimination of LAUSD’s Elementary Arts Education Program
The Los Angeles Unified School District is proposing to eliminate funding for its elementary grades arts education program by the end of 2011.Here's the budget document from LAUSD. Here's the online petition against the cuts.Here's the action center of Arts for LA.According to the online petition, LAUSD is the only large urban district in the United States that provides an … [Read more...] about Fight On: Proposed Elimination of LAUSD’s Elementary Arts Education Program