Read all the research, news, and policy in our arts education RECAP for February 2023.
Research
Arts Education Program Increases School Engagement, Study Finds – As states like California spend billions to increase arts offerings, research shows the academic and social-emotional value of cultural education “K–12 arts education — viewed as a necessity by many parents, but often crowded out of school budgets and instructional time — can boost students’ writing skills and build empathy, according to a study published late last year. Kids participating in a citywide arts program in Houston also saw improved behavior and increased college aspirations, the authors found.” The 74
Focusing on the Right Fit Makes the College Search Easier — and More Fun “How do parents and students maximize the outcome? Start by asking the right question: How do we find a college where our child will flourish and be ready to launch quickly and successfully when they graduate?” The 74
Anger & Fear: New Poll Shows School-Level Impact of Anti-LGBTQ Political Debate “At the time the findings were released, three weeks into 2023, more than 150 anti-LGBTQ bills — most of them targeting transgender and nonbinary children and youth — had been filed in state legislatures. As in the last few years, youth reports of bullying and harassment remain very high.” The 74
Equity
School Board Openings Are an Opportunity for Equity “As educators and advocates have worked to make progress on addressing educational inequity, opportunity gaps and outright systemic racism, school board representation is a too often overlooked lever of power and driver of change. But if something even approaching an attrition rate of 6 in 10 board members comes to pass, there will be profound opportunities to reshape these key institutions and make them more representative of their student populations.” The 74
Services Denied: Los Angeles Parents, Advocates Slam Weak Rollout of Plan for Students with Disabilities ‘“Because parents don’t know what their rights are, no one is holding the district accountable,” said Lisa Mosko Barros, a parent in the district and founder of the advocacy group SpEducational. “What we have in this district…is a crisis of awareness and information available to parents,” she said. “There should also be an awareness-raising campaign on the part of LAUSD to explain to families what compensatory ed is and why their child might be entitled.”’ The 74
Calls-to-Action
Launch Event for the 2023 Otis College Report on the Creative Economy “Now in its 16th year, the Otis College Report on the Creative Economy is a vital annual resource that focuses on the ways in which California’s creative industries form an essential part of its overall economy. For the first time since 2020, Otis College will host an in-person launch event for the release of the Report.” Livestream tickets are also available, February 16, 2023 Otis College of Art and Design
Disaster Relief & Emergency Preparedness “The California Arts Council maintains this webpage dedicated to resources for Californians who have been affected by recent natural disasters in our state.” California Arts Council
Why Teachers Must Examine Their Own Ideologies to Create Identity Affirming Classrooms “The emotions and practices we bring into the classroom are a product of our experiences. Due to the nature of living in an unjust world that upholds forms of oppression within every system, many of us have been socialized to adopt norms while existing in spaces under the confines of whiteness. Many of the systems, policies, and procedures developed by humans in positions of power reflect the ways they have been conditioned to see and live in the world. Therefore, we must interrogate the dominant ideologies and how whiteness influences the spaces we design for children.” Mind/Shift KQED
Advocacy
A Kid’s Guide to Climate Change (Plus a Printable Comic) “Over the years we’ve created resources for how parents can talk to their kids about climate change. This time we wanted to make something specifically for kids as they’re processing their feelings. We also wanted to create a free resource for parents or teachers to use who are looking for ways to help their kids understand how the planet is changing.” NPR
Preventable Tragedies – Findings from the #NotAnAccident Index “While unintentional shootings by children are a heartbreaking part of America’s gun violence epidemic, there is no centralized database that tracks how many children gain access to unsecured guns and harm themselves or others. Everytown started such a database in 2015 by carefully tracking media reports to explore this crisis in depth.” Everytown
Arts Advocacy for 2023 Webinar “Join Julie Baker, CEO of Californians for the Arts, and representatives from San Jose Arts Advocates and SVCREATES for a discussion on arts policy and funding issues on the advocacy agenda for 2023. Hear about what’s pending and learn how you can take action and become an effective advocate for your organization and the arts community at large.” March 2, 2023 from 12-1:30pm Californians for the Arts
How Educators Can Help Kids Make Sense of Tyre Nichols’s Death “Facing History & Ourselves’s Dimitry Anselme on how teachers can address Nichols’s death in the classroom while affirming students’ grief & anger – In conversation with The 74, Anselme explains how Nichols’s life can be explored alongside critical moments in American history, why inviting young people to reflect is critical in this political moment, and best practices gleaned from teaching violent history and genocide.” The 74
Policy
New York City Schools Blocked ChatGPT. Here’s What Other Large Districts are Doing “School districts in Los Angeles and Baltimore have joined New York City in blocking access to ChatGPT, a new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, as other districts evaluate the benefits and risks that accompany the new technology. The program has spurred vibrant debate among educators in recent weeks, who have looked to the new technology with both fear and excitement over its potential impact on schools.” Chalkbeat
At $611 a Day Per Student, Some Question if L.A. Schools’ Extra Learning Days are Worth It “The bonus schooling on Dec. 19 and 20 cost $36 million. After a heavy promotional push, about 17% of the district’s 422,276 students signed up; however, less than 9%, or 36,486 showed up, according to newly released data.” Los Angeles Times
SCOTUS Could Change the Rights of Students with Disabilities to Sue for Damages “The justices considered whether a deaf man can sue his former district for monetary relief even though he settled his special education case – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday considered whether students with disabilities can seek financial relief under a federal law prohibiting discrimination even if they’ve already settled a case under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.” The 74
Ed Secretary Cardona Touts More Tutoring, Extracurricular Activities as Part of Vision for Schools to ‘Level Up’ After Two Years of Pandemic Disruption “A week after President Joe Biden tried to refocus the nation’s attention on his first year accomplishments, Cardona’s speech — held in person at the U.S. Department of Education — came as schools continue to grapple with short-term school closures from the Omicron outbreak and ongoing local debates over mask mandates and racial equity initiatives. Speaking for more than 20 minutes, Cardona offered something for everyone, calling out students by name in the audience, noting that his department has spoken to 8,000 parents over the past year and exhorting educators to “collectively lead our nation’s healing.”’ The 74
Thanks for reading our arts education RECAP for February 2023. View past RECAPS here.
