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This measure would proclaim March 2016 to be Arts Education Month and would encourage all elected officials to participate with their educational communities in celebrating the arts.

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WHEREAS, Arts education, which includes dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts, is an essential and integral part of basic education for all pupils in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, The arts are crucial to achieving a state educational policy that is devoted to the teaching of basic academic skills and lifelong learning capacities with the goal of truly preparing all children for success after high school regardless of gender, age, economic status, physical ability, or learning ability; and

WHEREAS, A systematic, substantive, and sequential visual and performing arts curriculum addresses and develops ways of thinking, questioning, expression, and learning that complement learning in other core subjects, but that is unique in what it has to offer; and

WHEREAS, Pupils benefit from arts learning in the areas of cultural understanding, readiness for learning and creative thinking, cognitive outcomes, emotional intelligence and expression, social interaction and collaboration, and preparation for the workplace and lifelong learning; and

WHEREAS, Arts education in California is mandated for pupils in grades 1 to 12, inclusive, by Sections 51210 and 51220 of the Education Code, which provide, in part, [t]he adopted course of study ... shall include instruction ... in ... [v]isual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression; and

WHEREAS, The arts are recognized as part of a quality education, and the University of California and the California State University have instituted a policy that includes visual and performing arts as a college preparatory subject for all high school pupils wishing to enter Californias institutions of higher education; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the last 10 years, arts education programs have enjoyed significant investments by the State of California and continue to see support by the Legislature; and

WHEREAS, It is the intent that this funding help implement a comprehensive vision for arts education at the local level, to ensure that every pupil in California benefits from this investment; and

WHEREAS, This funding is the first step in investing in quality visual and performing arts programs for all California pupils; and

WHEREAS, Many national and state professional arts education associations hold celebrations in the month of March, giving California schools a unique opportunity to focus on the value of the arts for all pupils, to foster cross-cultural understanding, to give recognition to the states outstanding young artists, and to enhance public support for this essential part of the curriculum; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of March 2016 as Arts Education Month and encourages all elected officials to participate with their educational communities in celebrating the arts with meaningful activities and programs for pupils, teachers, and the public that demonstrate learning and understanding in the visual and performing arts, and urges all residents to become interested in and give full support to quality school arts programs for children and youth; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.