Date of Hearing: April 22, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES

Ken Cooley, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SCR 24

Author:(Leyva) – As Amended Ver:March 25, 2019

SENATE VOTE: 38-0

SUBJECT: Arts Education Month.

SUMMARY: Proclaims March 2019 as Arts Education Month and urges all residents to become interested in and give full support to quality school arts programs for children and youth. Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative findings:

1. 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.
2. 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 leaning ability.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 California’s institutions of higher education.
6. The State of California, through the local control funding formula, has provided flexibility for local educational agencies to target growing resources towards arts education and 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.
7. 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 state’s outstanding young artists, and to enhance public support for this essential part of the curriculum.

FISCAL EFFECT: None

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Alliance for Arts Education

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800

 THIRD READING 

Bill No: SCR 24

Author: Leyva (D)

Amended: 3/25/19

Vote: 21

SUBJECT: Arts Education Month

SOURCE: California Alliance for Arts Education

DIGEST:

This resolution proclaims March 2019 to be Arts Education Month and urges all residents to become interested in and give full support to quality school arts programs for children and youth.

ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Arts education in California is mandated for pupils in grades 1 to 12, inclusive, by Sections 51210 and 51220 of the Education Code.
5. 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 the state’s institutions of higher education.
6. The State of California, through the local control funding formula, has provided flexibility for local educational agencies to target growing resources towards arts education. This funding is the first step in investing in quality visual and performing arts programs for all California pupils.

This resolution proclaims March 2019 to be Arts Education Month and urges all residents to become interested in and give full support to quality school arts programs for children and youth.

Related/Prior Legislation

SCR 24 (Fuller, Resolution Chapter 24, Statutes of 2017) proclaimed March 2017 as Arts Education Month and encouraged all elected officials to participate with their educational communities in celebrating the arts.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 4/1/19)

California Alliance for Arts Education (source)

OPPOSITION: (Verified 4/1/19)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author, “Arts education is a critical link to student success. It develops imagination and creativity in students, as well as skills needed to navigate the journey of our educational lives. Art brings out joy and creative self-expression and is a unique method of non-verbal communication. Student involvement in the arts leads to lower dropout rates and higher academic performances. Arts education plays a vital role in preparing students for a successful future.

“SCR 24 recognizes March 2019 as Arts Education Month, and encourages all Californians to participate and support their educational communities in celebrating the arts.”

Prepared by: Melissa Ward / SFA / (916) 651-1520

4/3/19 15:21:12

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