Well, of course. Unfortunately, that answer is not widely known or embraced among the policy elites. That's part of our job as advocates.Middle School 223, once shuttered as one of the most violent middle schools in New York City, was reopened in 2003 as M.S. 223/The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology. Today, Principal Ramon Gonzalez says attendance is about 4 percent … [Read more...] about Can the Arts be a Central Part of Urban School Improvement?
Why Arts Education is Important–What My Daughter Taught Me
I have a four-year-old daughter, Sophie. Last July, one of my very first blog entries, Daddy Don't You Have Some Baby Music?, was about how she had already developed her own personality, taste, and requisite ability to discern styles of music. That entry is in my archives.Okay, so last week, juggling family obligations, I had to take a day off from work to watch Sophie. … [Read more...] about Why Arts Education is Important–What My Daughter Taught Me
K-12 Education in America: Why We’re Behind Other Countries
You have heard a lot about how the US cannot compete with other countries when it comes to K-12 education. We're behind in the key barometers, essentially meaning test scores in reading and math, which has helped fuel a mini-back-to-basics movement narrowing the curriculum.Moreover, high stakes have driven this narrowing. Look at NCLB. Look at the School Progress Report in NYC. … [Read more...] about K-12 Education in America: Why We’re Behind Other Countries
SDUSD School Board Votes to Save the Arts
A couple of months ago I had a blog entry about the San Diego Unified School District polling parents regarding where they would make budget cuts, if necessary.Well, the cuts are necessary, and parents indicated they would rather see class size increase than arts and sports programs cuts. So, the SDUSD school board voted to protect the arts and sports programs and increase … [Read more...] about SDUSD School Board Votes to Save the Arts
Chorus America Impact Study and NYC Test Scores
I generally try to focus on one issue per blog post, but today I am going to give you two items, albeit briefly.Item #1: Chorus America released an impact study today of singers, parents, general public, and K-12 educators. The study was based on an online survey and the following are the key findings:1. Choral singing continues to be the most popular form of participation in … [Read more...] about Chorus America Impact Study and NYC Test Scores