Randolph Public School District, located in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts region, has cut their entire K-12 arts, music, and physical education (PE) programs … Naomi Lonergan, an assistant principal at New Dorp High School on Staten Island, has seen her arts program shrink by three-quarters from 1973, when the school had seven full-time arts teachers. 1. Some teachers are trying to implement new classes in their free time, but up to 30% of students are now attending classes at a place where there is no access to the arts. When children have the opportunity to channel negative emotions into something positive, then it gives them an opportunity to express themselves in ways that teach coping mechanisms. Why are schools cutting fine arts programs, and why are they the first to go? That’s actually the point. It lets them shine.”. Exposure to the arts is proven to be a form of expression and inspiration for students who find themselves in at-risk situations. Arts and music stimulate a different part of the child’s mind that might not be used at home. Art programs are another source of language acquisition and education, especially for younger children. State records don’t paint a precise picture of what’s causing the loss of fine arts classes, or how they’ve played out district-by-district, but it’s clear these cuts have not hit all schools equally. Art is not a required course to take. The Wanette School District is nestled in a rural stretch of Oklahoma about 30 miles southeast of Norman. StateImpact Oklahoma is a collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU. Even if the school must look at an after-school arts program, the estimated annual cost per student in the United States is only $1,000. The arts in schools are the perfect way to help apply the more basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. She said many of her students will eventually move out of Wanette, and exposure to art at a young age will help prepare them for the various cultures they’ll be a part of in the future. Learning how to read music or paint in a specific way is just like learning a new language. School District, officials might pull the plug on support for the Capital Area School for the Arts. 10. Eliminating arts and crafts programs will certainly harm education in these areas, and will almost certainly have serious negative economic consequences as well. Why schools are cutting music programs, and why we need to save them. There is a real money factor to consider when looking at an arts program and the benefits that happen by cutting it. Not unpredictably, the decline of arts education has been felt most severely in low-performing, low-income schools as administrators moved resources out of the arts and into remedial math and English in an effort to avoid being placed into program improvement status, one potential penalty for schools that didn’t hit achievement benchmarks on standardized tests. Like, last year I was the counselor, too, and I had no time for art.”. It also widens the gap between the wealthy institutions and the poor ones. Over 80% of the benefits that come from this advantage of art programs benefit the public directly. “The students going into undergrad [teaching programs] aren’t going out to rural districts. Rebecca Fine, an education policy analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute, said the drop in art education affects certain schools more than others. “Over the years of teaching, I’ve noticed it’s the students that do not excel in academic classes that really do well in art. Very few do. They would paint, sketch and learn ceramics. Our children deserve a future that teaches them creativity is essential. Art stimulates a different part of the brain. Roberts knows these subjects aren’t going to end up on a state test, but she said they’re still an essential part of students getting a well-rounded public education. Programs that contribute to early childhood education opportunities are essential investments for the success of the next generation. A 2009 report conducted by the Center for Arts Education noted that schools with solid arts programs had higher graduation rates. StateImpact Oklahoma reports on energy and the environment, education, health, criminal justice, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. The Edmond Public School district, for example, has not cut any fine arts classes recently. Instead of focusing on what is being tested all of the time, school rankings should be focused on other metrics. Librarian Brenda Roberts works on an art project with a group of eighth graders in Wanette Public Schools. More than 1,200 schools responded - over 40% of secondary schools. Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, Proverbs 31:8-9 Meaning of Speak up for Those Who Cannot Speak for Themselves, 50 Powerful Bible Scriptures on Gratitude, 10 Powerful Prayers for Selling Your Home, Be Not Drunk with Wine Meaning and Meditation, Even a Child Is Known by His Doings Meaning and Meditation, Washing of Water by the Word Meaning and Meditation, Righteousness Exalts a Nation Meaning and Meditation, 18 Strong Prayers for a New Place to Live. Most states, including Oklahoma, find that it is the rural locations and low-income facilities that are impacted the most by budget cuts to this subject. Cuts to art and music programs in public schools take place for many reasons, including a misinterpretation that the arts are unnecessary or optional, a misguided reaction to state and national testing pressures that emphasize performance in reading, writing and math and a misunderstanding of the usefulness and value of the arts to both education and the workforce. As a society, we cherish our music, movies, TV shows, stand-up comedians, books and Broadway too. It can be a misguided reaction to poor results on standardized testing. One time we took them to the Fred Jones Museum in Norman. In light of the proposed cuts to arts programs in the 2018 budget, let’s take a minute to reflect on the benefits of public arts programs and what we stand to lose if the budget is approved. If you take the average cost of a program per school and apply it to a somewhat small district like Monroe, WI, there are a total of five programs that would require oversight from teachers. Arts encourage students to stay in school when they might otherwise choose to leave. If we are to allow this to continue in schools, we should make a new country on the Moon. It also improves the opportunities to find meaningful employment, vote in elections, and seek out volunteer options. As a result, programs in the arts, music, and other creative realms are dwindling. StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership among Oklahoma’s public radio stations and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. “When we look at fine arts programs across the state, we see that rural schools and low-income schools are being affected the most by these budget cuts,” she said. Giving kids an opportunity to escape into a creative world while at school, even if it is for just a few moments, may offer a lifetime of benefits that is worth considering. Arts programs are often the first classes administrators cut when schools have financial struggles because arts are not tested subjects. When children are not given the opportunity to express their creative intelligence, then there are fewer success stories that come out of school. That all changed five years ago after budget cuts forced district officials to eliminate the class. Sports teams often ask for God's blessing to help them beat the competition. It presents one of the highest returns of any public sector investment made in the United States. Across the country, 120 school districts had, as of October, moved to four-day school weeks while others are canceling field trips, shuttering after-school programs and charging students to play sports. If you are going to teach a child to be a well-rounded adult, then that approach must start with how we structure their education. By 2008, some schools now offer courses in music, art or even foreign language. One of the primary reasons why our society today may be more intolerant and polarized than ever before is because there are fewer fine arts classes available. She said a bigger hurdle in maintaining these programs could be schools’ difficulty finding certified arts teachers, which is more challenging in rural districts. But three years ago, the less affluent Oklahoma City Public Schools cut 44 art positions. Then they took them to museums in smaller Norman. There are four distinct groups – students, staff, administration, and parents/community members – involved in creating this support for the arts. Only a third of 8 th-graders in the western U.S. took an art class last year and only 17 percent played in the school band, the lowest figures of any region in the country, according to a recently released national arts assessment.. But aside from enriching our lives, fine arts make kids smarter. Four studies were conducted by the NEA to track children, teenagers, and young adults who had high or low levels of arts engagement in or out of school. In rural Wanette, librarian Brenda Roberts said her students don’t have the same opportunities as their big city counterparts. When rich and poor school districts are all cutting arts programs, then it creates more of an equal opportunity for students. And even if the budget crises pass, these classes and programs are rarely reinstated. That means it can be challenging to find someone who can run a program. For a long time, high school juniors and seniors had a dedicated art teacher who taught class five days a week. We cut art because we’re testing for reading, math, and science. Click here to donate online to support our journalism. 3. The "Fine" Arts programs make our country worse than that of the vacuum of space. Therefore, schools must be aware of the larger community while working to build school support for the performing arts program. She was a finalist in a national in-depth radio reporting competition for an investigatory piece she produced on campus rape. “I feel like art is extremely important,” she said. The main reasons that schools cut anything is because of budget deficits. Arts programs have yet to report anyone dying while playing a musical instrument or reading a poem. 1. “I’ve just been doing classes one or two days a week,” she said. Roberts said students’ loss of access to these courses is sad. It gives them an opportunity to embrace different traditions and cultures. When budget cuts are imminent in many school districts, more often students are left with little options in education. We must all become active members of our school boards, city councils, and legislatures to stop this trend of cutting classes. Arts – and music – typically bring funds when the school charges activity fees to parents. This issue is especially prevalent in inner-city schools, providing an opportunity to improve that child’s outlook on their education. Arts classes can serve as a form of inspiration for students. Hobble the arts … Art, they say, is great for kids. That creates a better student-teacher ratio, but it can also create the appearance of paying a teacher an unequal amount of money since there are fewer contacts to manage throughout the day. Only a third of 8 th-graders in the western U.S. took an art class last year and only 17 percent played in the school band, the lowest figures of any region in the country, according to a recently released national arts assessment.. © 2011-2021 Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, State Department of Education data suggest, often the first classes administrators cut, Task Force for the Study of State Tax Credits and Economic Incentives. Arts, music, and other creative classes don’t show up on the standardized tests that schools and the government use for funding and placement. Early childhood arts programs provide high returns. 9. The Edmond Public School district, for example, has not cut any fine arts classes recently. Reading, writing, and math are just as important as art. Schools partnered with cultural organizations and institutions that provided these arts learning opportunities through before- and after-school programs, field trips, in-school … In 2002, the government assessed school districts by students’ scores on reading and mathematics. The cuts affected classes for visual arts, theater, music and band — as well as speech and debate. When you cut out half of the equation, then you’re removing that part of the child’s potential. Music can spark a child’s interest in an instrument, giving them an opportunity to travel the world while supporting themselves. The issue becomes crystal clear: Many arts programs are beneficial to students as they are. The arts and culture industry of the United States supports almost 5 million jobs each year. Roberts hopes lawmakers find a way to increase funding for the arts during the 2019 legislative session. 3. Considering the cost to house one delinquent youth for a year is at least $20,000, taxpayers can save more if schools invest in these programs. So it makes it harder for rural districts to get teachers,” she said. Many schools today are cutting back or eliminating their art programs due to budget constraints. Schools' arts programs threatened by budget cuts In Palmyra Area School District, school officials might cut backing for the high school musical by 5. Yes, we should cut fine arts in schools because it is a large distraction in a student's educational carrier. Today’s students that go into teaching programs aren’t headed out to the rural districts. “In other districts, very often they’re charging student fees for programs, and you’ll especially see this in band,” she said. As school districts are facing massive budget cuts across the country, school programs, teachers and students are taking the hit. Other schools have taken direct action and made arts programs core subjects, making them less vulnerable to budget cuts. This advantage is not always looked at in positive ways, but it does stop the problem of having larger districts providing more opportunities to students than the smaller ones. When we take a look at the pros and cons of cutting art programs in schools, it is clear to see that this action deepens the pre-existing inequalities that already divide urban and rural districts. And because wealthy c… Librarian Brenda Roberts is doing her best to revive the arts in Wanette. The economics of art classes is that the cost of supplies is significantly higher than it is for what students need to have to learn mathematics. Background. Creative careers are still possible in today’s world. Taylor said local artists, museums and theater organizations stepped in to fill the gap as state funding slowed in recent years. Academic Benefits in Higher Level Learning Art Integration Approach that integrates the fine arts into classes Saves Money More than 25,000 students- involvement in arts led to general academic success Academic Benefits at the Elementary School Level Motor skills Learn colors, Librarian Brenda Roberts in Wanette said that there used to be grant money for taking the entire high school to the art museum in Oklahoma City. That means each student who can attend these classes instead of going to a correctional facility can save a community at least $36,000 per year. Some school districts don’t have much meat left to cut from arts programs that had already been reduced to bare bones after repeated funding shortfalls over many years. 4. Numerous studies, including those by James S. Catterall, professor at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, find that regular participation in fine arts classes raises SAT scores by an average of 91 points and improves coordinatio… Programs are more in trouble today than ever before despite the overwhelming data that shows clear connections between success and studying the arts. Music has been a crucial part of culture since the beginning of time. At an earlier time, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to drive through any community without passing one of the gigantic, student-created displays for the local middle school play or attending some parade or festival unaccompanied by the pulsating rhythms of the high school band. Our kids are the losers when schools cut out arts programs. Posted Feb 14, 2011 If we do not, then all of the problems we see today might get even worse for the next generation. A fine arts education — including music, theater, drawing, painting, or sculpture — whether in practice or theory, has been a part of any well-rounded curriculum for decades — but that may be changing. Budget Cuts to Art Programs in Schools. The reasons for those cuts vary, including a misinterpretation that these programs are optional or unnecessary. School districts that start cutting art classes to throw money at the standardized test subjects often find that their scores still go down. You can find the Wanette School District about 30 miles southeast of Norman in rural Oklahoma. She says music, dance, painting and drawing help kids build skills that math and English classes can’t. School boards cut fine arts programs because they believe it is the easy way out of a financial crisis. But some smaller high schools don’t currently offer music or art. She said it makes sense that budget cuts would hurt Oklahoma City’s arts programs more than other schools. The Edmond Public School district, for example, has not cut any fine arts classes recently. The well-tempered student. Taylor is thankful for the support, but she said it’s not the same as having consistent district art staff. This petition had 176 supporters. “We cannot rely on student fees at all,” she said. Fewer students are taking arts subjects including art … 4. School boards must analyze very carefully the long-term ramifications of eliminating the fine arts programs. One of the reasons why kids choose to stay when they would otherwise drop out is because the arts program provides a supportive environment to work. Since moving to Oklahoma, Emily's work has won many awards and has been featured on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Fine said the arts cuts deepen pre-existing inequalities that divide students at wealthy and poor schools and widens gaps between rural and urban schools. The very first programs to go are often disciplines such as music, art and foreign language. The arts suffered because school officials, students, parents, and the public in general perceived the arts to be, despite the vast evidence to the contrary. There for, yes we should cut fine arts from schools across our educationally talented and great nation Fine arts ought to be appreciated on their merits alone. Arts advocacy requires more than angry cries and links to statistics. twj5105 February 21, 2014 at 8:29 am. Research suggests Roberts is right. When children receive exposure to these programs, then it can cut into the natural disadvantages that exist because of their socioeconomic status. 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