Visual And Performing Arts Education

The Board of Education believes that visual and performing arts are essential to a well-rounded educational program and should be an integral part of the course of study offered to students at all grade levels. The district's arts education program shall provide opportunities for appreciation, creation, and performance of the arts. The Board may adopt academic standards for dance, music, theatre, and visual arts that describe the skills, knowledge, and abilities that students shall be expected to possess at each grade level. The district's standards shall meet or exceed state content standards for each of these disciplines. The Superintendent or designee shall develop a sequential curriculum for dance, music, theatre, and visual arts which is consistent with the state curriculum framework and includes the following strands: - Artistic perception: processing, analyzing, and responding to sensory information through the use of language and skills unique to each arts discipline - Creative expression: composing, arranging, and performing a work and using a variety of means to communicate meaning and intent in one's own original works - Historical and cultural context: understanding the historical contributions and cultural dimensions of an arts discipline - Aesthetic valuing: analyzing and critically assessing works of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts - Connections, relations, and applications: connecting, comparing, and applying what is learned in one arts discipline to learning in the other arts, other subject areas, and careers The Board shall adopt standards-based instructional materials for visual and performing arts in accordance with applicable law, Board policy, and administrative regulation. In addition, the Board encourages teachers to incorporate a variety of media and technologies into lessons, presentations, and explorations in each of the arts disciplines. The Superintendent or designee shall provide a standards-based professional development program designed to increase teachers' knowledge of and ability to teach the arts and to implement adopted instructional materials. The Superintendent or designee shall encourage, as a supplement to teacher instruction, the integration of community arts resources into the educational program. Such resources may include opportunities for students to attend musical and theatrical performances, observe the works of accomplished artists, and work directly with artists-in-residence and volunteers. In addition, the Superintendent or designee may collaborate with community organizations to share resources and seek grant opportunities. The Superintendent or designee shall regularly evaluate and report to the Board regarding the implementation of arts education at each grade level and program effectiveness in enabling students to meet academic standards. Arts and Music Block Grants Any state funding received through arts and music block grants shall be used only for hiring additional staff, purchasing new materials, books, supplies, and equipment, and/or implementing or increasing staff development opportunities as needed to support standards-aligned arts and music instruction. (SB 77, Item 6110-265-0001, Statutes of 2007) The Board shall distribute block grant funds to all district schools on the basis of an equal amount per student or the minimum school site allocation specified in the state budget, whichever is greatest. (SB 77, Item 6110-265-0001, Statutes of 2007) However, the Board may allocate block grant funds for districtwide expenditures that support program purposes on behalf of all district schools. If the Board elects to do so, it shall adopt a resolution at a public meeting which specifies how the funds will be allocated among schools and for districtwide purposes and the reasons for those allocations. Prior to the public meeting, the Board shall inform school site councils, schoolwide advisory groups, or school support groups, as applicable, of the content of the proposed resolution and of the time and location where the resolution is proposed to be adopted. (SB 77, Item 6110-265-0001, Statutes of 2007)