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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
June 10, 2008
Contact: Sarah Krauss
(212) 669-4193; (917) 541-0936
Release #:20-2008
Gotbaum: DOE Fails to Meet State Regulations for Arts Instruction
-- Read Report --
MANHATTAN – Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum today released a new report which found that the vast majority of schools surveyed are in violation of New York State arts education requirements. According to the survey, only 7 % of elementary schools and 27 % of middle schools surveyed offered instruction in all four arts disciplines—music, visual arts, dance, and theater—as required by state regulations.
In 2005, Department of Education (DOE) administrators testified that the Bloomberg administration had made arts education a priority. In 2007, however, the administration announced the elimination of Project ARTS, which provided dedicated funding for arts education, giving principals the option of using the funds for other purposes beginning in the 2007-2008 school year. A DOE survey, released in March 2008, found that for the 2006-2007 school year, most schools did not comply with the state’s minimum requirements for arts education.
Public Advocate Gotbaum said, "In the cultural capital of the world, we are failing to provide New York City’s children with classroom instruction in music, visual arts, dance, and theater. An education without art is a canvas without paint. As if giving our students an outlet for creative thinking, emotional development, and increased self-esteem isn’t reason enough to meet state requirements, a study of the arts also leads to advanced problem solving skills. And, there's a correlation between arts instruction and high graduation rates and improved academic achievement.”
Richard Kessler, Executive Director, The Center for Arts Education said, “The findings of the report highlight that a startling majority of our public schools to provide a complete education – one that includes the arts - that our children are entitled to by law. Imagine going to a school that offers little beyond preparation for reading and math tests - it should be no surprise graduation rates remain unacceptably low! In all the debates on mayoral control, school financing, and accountability, it cannot be forgotten that, in the end, these issues will impact the futures of our public school children and our city in its ability to thrive and compete. The Public Advocate clearly recognizes this situation and the value of arts education in the equation. Now it is time for other leaders to step forward on this issue and ensure that our all of our children, regardless of race, ethnic background or economic status, are receiving the well-rounded education they deserve.”
The New York State Department of Education Commissioner’s Regulations require that all children in first through sixth grade receive instruction in visual arts, music, dance and theater. State guidelines also recommend that students in first through third grade receive the equivalent of five instructional hours of arts education a week and students in fourth through sixth grade receive the equivalent of two-and-a-half instructional hours of arts education a week.
In January 2008, the Public Advocate’s Office surveyed 100 randomly selected public elementary schools and 50 randomly selected public middle schools in New York City. Surveyors asked about arts education classes provided to third and fourth graders, or sixth graders in the case of middle schools.
The survey found that:
--68 % percent of elementary schools and 47 % of middle schools surveyed offered only one or two arts discipline(s).
--75 % of elementary schools surveyed offered only one period per week—an average of 45 minutes—of arts education to third graders despite state regulations recommending that students in 1st through 3rd grade receive the equivalent of five instructional hours of arts education a week.
--7 % of elementary schools and nine percent of middle schools surveyed had no arts education at all.
--Not a single elementary school both complied with the state requirement that schools offer instruction in all four art disciplines and followed state guidelines for the amount of instructional time for arts education.
The Public Advocate recommends that the DOE take the following actions:
--Ensure that all New York City public schools provide instruction in all four recognized arts disciplines (visual arts, music, dance and theater) as required by state regulations.
--Create a dedicated Arts Education funding line in budget allocations to individual schools.
--Promote a stated goal of one full-time certified arts teacher in at least one of the four recognized disciplines in every school.
--State the recommended instructional time allocations for arts education in 60-minute hours instead of instructional hours.
--Create a more balanced school Progress Report that reports on multiple indicators including arts education.
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