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FOREWORDOn behalf of the County Superintendents of the State of California, we are pleased to introduceLeading the Way to Arts Education: A Reference Guide for Educational Leaders. Developed by theAlameda County Office of Education and the CCSESA Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee(CISC) Visual and Performing Arts Subcommittee as part of the CCSESA Arts Initiative, Leading the Way to Arts Education is a practical guide that recommends step-by-step practices for county- and district-level administrative leaders to adopt in order to promote arts educations plans at the district, school, home, and community levels.

The California County Superintendents Education Services Association (CCSESA) is an organization consisting of the County Superintendents of Schools from the state’s 58 counties, working in partnership with the California Department of Education. The Curriculum and Instruction SteeringCommittee (CISC) is a subcommittee of CCSESA consisting of county office associate superintendentsfocusing on curriculum, instruction, and professional development. The Visual and Performing Arts(VAPA) subcommittee works to strengthen support and service in arts education in all California schooldistricts. Through the CCSESA Arts Initiative and the CISC VAPA Subcommittee, county superintendentsand their staffs are building capacity to advocate and increase visibility for arts education in Californiapublic schools. This work includes the development of K-12 arts education curriculum resources aligned to the Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools, as well as the cultivation of district- and school-level leadership to design and implement district arts education plans.

This guidebook was developed by the Visual and Performing Arts subcommittee and the Alliance forArts Learning Leadership, Alameda County Office of Education. We extend special thanks to Patty Taylor,CCSESA Arts Consultant, who contributed greatly to the development and finalization of the documentas well as the CCSESA/CISC Visual and Performing Arts Regional Leads who provided input for this project. It is our hope that this will be a useful tool for educational leaders and partners statewide.

Sarah AnderbergDirector, CCSESA Arts InitiativeCalifornia County Superintendents Educational Services Association

Francisca Sanchez Chair, Visual and Performing Arts SubcommitteeAssociate Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction………………………………………………………………………………….……………1

County Offices of EducationCCSESA Statewide Regional Network for Quality, Equity and Access

I. Advancing Arts Education For Every Child In California…….………………......……………………3

Start Where You Are Establish A Clear Vision Move Your Vision Into Action Through Policy and Planning

II. Leadership Roles, Responsibilities and Resources………………………………..………………….5

District LeadershipSchool Board LeadershipSchool Site LeadershipArts TeachersClassroom (Non-Arts) TeachersTeaching Artists and Community Arts Providers

III. Parents as Community Assets and Advocates……………..……………………………………….15

IV. Reaching Out to the Business Community…………………………….......……………..………..16

V. Conclusion: Arts Education Matters to All of Us………………………….......……………..……..18

APPENDIXA. List of 11 Regional Leads.......……………………..…...…..19B. Sample Arts Education Policies - Sample A......…………..21

Sample Arts Education Policies - Sample B........…………..22C. C.O.E “Can Do” List.......………………….….……..…..…..23D. The “Bones” of a County Arts Education Plan….………......24E. District /COE Arts Planning Chart….………………….....…25F. County Office Arts Education Plan Template….……...…..…26G. Continuum of County Office Plans for the Arts….…....….…27H. District Arts Education Plan Example….…………....…....…31I. District Arts Plan: Component, Content, Format………....…32J. Stages of District Planning.....…………………….....……..33

INTRODUCTIONLeading the Way to Arts Education provides practical assistance to cultivate and support the districtand regional leadership required to build arts education programs and policies, and connects districtand school leaders with a rich history of experience and arts learning resources.

Recent research confirms that educators and parents believe the arts are essential in creating a meaningful,high quality education for all children. Across primary and secondary grade levels, practice and participation in the arts is proving to be one of the best ways to equip young people with the pro-socialbehaviors and critical thinking tools they need to contribute fully in society.

Despite the promising qualitative and quantitative research, and the widespread support of parents andteachers, the full re-integration of arts programming in K-12 public education remains an unrealizedgoal. In 2007, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funded an empirical study by the StanfordResearch Institute (SRI), International, on the state of arts education in California public schools. The study found that:

• 89% of California K-12 schools fail to offer a standards-based course of study in all four disciplines– music, visual arts, theatre, and dance – and thus fall short of state goals for arts education;

• Arts facilities and materials are lacking in most schools; • Standards alignment, assessment, and accountability practices are uneven in arts education, and

often not present at all; • Students attending high-poverty schools have less access to arts instruction than their peers in

more affluent communities.

These findings underscore the urgent need for local and regional leadership to build the knowledge, skills,programs, systems and relationships required to develop the capacity of public school educators to teach allstudents in and through the arts. Delivering on California’s promise to provide a high quality, arts-inclusiveeducation for every child will require dedicated and coordinated leadership, collaborative planning andresource sharing on the part of school and district leaders, teachers, parents and policymakers.

CALIFORNIA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION (CCSESA) ARTS INITIATIVE

California’s 58 County Offices of Education support the financial and academic stability of every districtand school in California. The primary aim of the county offices is to work collaboratively with schooldistricts to ensure that every student benefits from a quality educational experience, regardless of theircircumstances. County superintendents design and implement statewide programs, carryout and leadsignificant policy initiatives, legislative mandates, and more, to ensure consistent statewide applicationand standards. County superintendents of schools and their staff strengthen the service and leadershipin support of students, schools, districts and communities.

The California County Superintendents Educational Services Association supports the belief that everystudent needs and deserves a high-quality education in the arts, including the subject areas of dance,music, theatre, and visual arts as part of a comprehensive curriculum. The CCSESA Arts Initiative, sponsored by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, is taking a leadership role in providing support,technical assistance, and services for teachers, administrators, and parents.

1 An Unfinished Canvas, Arts Education in California: Taking Stock of Policies and Practices, 2007. SRI International, commissioned by the Williamand Flora Hewlett Foundation.

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Through the CCSESA Arts Initiative, regional county offices have been positioned to expand their servicesto include a wide range of professional development, technical assistance, planning, and support programs. Through the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee and its Visual and PerformingArts Subcommittee, regional arts leads provide an infrastructure for arts leadership statewide tostrengthen delivery of K-12 arts education.

County offices of education are uniquely positioned to convene districts for resource sharing, collaborativelearning and problem solving. County offices of education:

• Provide Multi-faceted resource development (grant writing, parcel tax development, local public education foundations, state and federal funding opportunities, etc.)

• Coordinate regional and county advocacy efforts• Create multi-faceted partnerships to support restoration of arts in education that includes teachers,

administrators, university partners, parents, business and policymakers

California educators should view this guide as a framework for thinking about the broad leadershiprequired to build and sustain these infrastructures and inform board policymaking. Rooted in promisingpractices, it offers practical suggestions on how educators and community-based stakeholders can bestwork together to support access to a well-rounded education, inclusive of learning in and through the arts, for every child.

* See Appendices A. List of 11 Regional Leads and C. C.O.E “Can Do” List

LEADING THE WAY TO ARTS EDUCATION

This guide will help leaders understand:• Which key questions to ask about arts learning in the classroom • Where to begin in the planning and/or program improvement process• How to establish clear roles and responsibilities for everyone involved• How to build districts’ capacity to offer comprehensive, standards-based arts programs • How to address teacher professional development needs• How to establish infrastructures that support arts programs

Educators and administrators should view this guide as a gateway to the statewide network of regionaltechnical assistance and professional development resources CCSESA has built to respond to the needsof county offices of education and school districts in California. Regional CCSESA contacts can provideassistance and access to:

• A statewide knowledge base • Regional forums on arts education • Advocacy toolkit • Arts assessment resource guide• K-12 curriculum guides • Professional development program profiles • In-the-classroom arts education report card • An annual state wide conference with workshops to help you “start where you are”

In addition to the guidance offered in this document, many Internet and print resources are availableto help education leaders access networks and sources of support, including best and promising practices.At the end of each section is a brief references list that directs readers to a selection of these resources.

To learn more about the CCSESA Arts Initiative, visit www.ccsesaarts.org and click on the “Resources” tab.

* See Appendices D. The “Bones” of a County Arts Education Plan, E. District /COE Arts Planning Chart and F. County Office

Arts Education Plan Template, Continuum of County Office Plans for the Arts

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I. ADVANCING ARTS EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD IN CALIFORNIA

Start where you are.Just as children benefit from differentiated instruction, every school and every district has differentneeds, different resources, different challenges and different starting places. Perhaps 90 percent ofyour students speak a language other than English as their first language; perhaps your district is composed of small schools in isolated rural locations; perhaps you live in an area rich in artists andcultural resources; or perhaps the nearest bookstore is several hours away.

All of the districts and schools cited in this guide started somewhere and built upon what they had.Begin by taking a reality snapshot: What do you currently have in the way of existing programs, facilities, equipment, human resources and community resources?

Establish a clear vision.Districts need to establish a vision for the role of arts education in supporting student learning anddevelopment that involves all stakeholders in order to ensure that all students have opportunities toexperience quality learning in every school, every day. The vision will reinforce the values and prioritiesof the community and serve as a mechanism to build consensus, enthusiasm, and endorsement amongstakeholders. Stakeholders include teachers (classroom and arts specialists), administrators (site-basedand district level), superintendent/assistant superintendent(s), parents, students, community businessleaders, artists and representatives of arts organizations, school board members and representativesfrom higher education.

The vision must:• Reflect the values of educators, parents, students and the business community• Enable the creation of a plan• Inform policies and practices that support teaching and learning in the arts• Include the skills, knowledge and dispositions that stakeholders agree every student needs in

order to be successful in school today

A suggested process for creating a vision includes the following:• Ask people what matters most to them in their school, district, county• Collect their ideas in short phrases• Group them by common ideas• Determine what is each grouping is about • Appoint a committee to craft the vision for group review based on the ideas expressed

Move from vision to policy-driven planning:Your district’s vision reflects the values, assets, needs and capacity of your community. Policy preservesthat vision, legitimates the values and priorities that inform it, and establishes a formal structure ofaccountability for its realization. Sound policy formalizes and institutionalizes the district-wide artseducation vision as a commitment to moving beyond ideals to reality. For example, some district leaders

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articulate a commitment to arts education, but not all districts have formally adopted the CaliforniaVisual and Performing Arts Content Standards (VAPA content standards). A commitment to staff development that supports the innovation methods emerging from arts teaching and learning might beanother significant policy element. The move from vision to policy is just one example of showing yourdistrict’s readiness to move from ideals to actions, and will increase the district’s credibility with community stakeholders and potential partners and funders.

Just as district visions vary according to local needs, resources and priorities, there is no single templatefor arts education policies. However, district leaders can be guided by existing policies in districts similar in size and scope to their own. For an overview of the range of possibilities and district ownershipof policies, in the Appendix are two examples of board-adopted arts education policies; one is from asmall rural elementary district, while the second sample is a large urban K-12 district.

References and Resources

Visual and Performing Arts Framework – Chapter 2: Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Arts Education Programs, CaliforniaDepartment of Education. http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/vpaframewrk.pdf.

The Insider’s Guide to Arts Education Planning, California Alliance for Arts Education. http://www.artsed411.org/insidersguide/index.aspx.Provides a hands-on, how-to planning process for schools, districts and counties. Offers best practices, innovative ideas, templates andstrategies as a guide to arts education planning.

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“The arts constitute one of the important forms of representation through

which humans share what they have thought, felt, or believed.”

– Elliot Eisner, Professor of Education and ArtStanford University

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II. LEADERSHIP ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES and RESOURCES

DISTRICT LEADERSHIP

Just as district leaders calibrate vision and policy to local needs, resources and priorities, they also actas stewards of this vision throughout the planning and implementation process, ensuring continuityand equity among schools and preserving the vision of the district and community. The district’s educational leaders hold up the big picture for all to see and with the support of the school board provide continuity of vision and action. Upper level management must provide leadership and resourcesif the arts planning and programming is to be successfully implemented.

Innovative practices in our schools, districts and county offices of education require rethinking thekind of support educators will need in order to lead, learn, and teach in these new ways. The Visualand Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools (VAPA framework) describes some of theimportant ways district leads can ensure a district-wide arts program:

District-level administrators and staff, from superintendents to visual and performing arts coordinatorsand lead teachers, are key participants in imple-menting district policies for arts education programs.The first steps to be taken are to complete a self-study of the current arts education programs; gain theendorsement of a long-range plan by district, school, and community stakeholders; and have the planadopted by the school district governing board. The long-range plan should include the following elements:

• Allocating personnel and instructional resources, including appropriate materials, equipment, and facilities

• Ensuring that the district has a standards-based arts curriculum for • Kindergarten through grade eight and high school• Developing collaboration to support the program with school district, community, state, and

national resources• Securing funding and grants for the arts education program within and outside the district

When educators analyze standards-based instruction, many discover that their classroom instructionalready follows a standards-based approach. Students are engaged in meaningful work and the creativeprocess, know what is expected of them, can describe what they are doing and why, demonstrate habitsof rehearsal and revision, can discuss work in progress in terms of quality, describe what assistancethey need, and see their teachers as advocates and coaches.

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II. LEADERSHIP ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES and RESOURCES

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Implementing comprehensive arts education programs involves different levels of administration: schooldistrict, school site, and classroom levels.

Other essential roles in assisting educators in revitalizing classroom practice in and through arts learning include mentoring and coaching, and providing ongoing, targeted staff development. Each district must have a multi-year plan in place that includes a professional development plan for implementing and expanding arts education and other measures of support.

Key administrative steps for planning and implementation are:• Form district “Arts Teams” that include the board and superintendent • Conduct arts needs assessments• Determine data collection methodology• Assess strengths and identify barriers• Develop district-wide arts learning plan• Create a vision rooted in your local reality • Define essential question, understanding goal, guiding inquiry• Determine assessments and evaluations on student learning outcomes• Tie Arts Learning plan to district master plan• Develop a policy/resolution for arts education • Create district arts learning professional development plan for art teachers, classroom teachers,

curriculum specialists, etc.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Accountability flows from clearly defined roles and responsibilities based on local management capacities.

Superintendents or assistant superintendents: • Make ultimate decisions in regard to budget • Act as a lead advocate and representative of the arts plan • Inspire district-wide support• Assign district arts education coordinator• Request regular reports on implementation progress from Arts Teams • Report to school board on a regular basis

Directors of curriculum and instruction:• Communicate with art lead • Provide oversight of all content areas including the arts• Coordinate implementation of the arts plan with district fiscal, materials adoption and other

appropriate administrators • Determine communication with all principals regarding policies and practices in arts education

and district-wide professional development offerings• Maintain continuity among the arts disciplines and other subject areas• Maintain connection between the arts and various district initiatives (reading programs,

interventions, school improvement strategies)• Provide insight and motivation for arts integration programming as well as arts instruction in

dance, music, theatre, and visual arts• Represent the perspective of the generalist and single subject content teachers

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District visual and performing arts coordinator/managers:• Provide oversight for district arts program, structure and process• Manage budgets and contracts for arts learning personnel and partnerships• Coordinate and communicates between district’s executive instructional leadership and district

arts learning leadership• Provide overall supervision and management of arts learning programming and personnel.• Ensure infrastructure is in place to provide high quality arts instruction in the district• Monitor and audits arts learning resources and partnerships for, and to, school sites• Oversee district arts education master plan implementation


Arts Education Planning: A Coach in Every Corner, California Alliance for Arts Education. http://www.artsed411.org/partcipate/coach.aspx.A support program of the California Alliance for Arts Education.

Arts Education Program Toolkit: A Visual and Performing Arts Program Assessment Process. CDE Press 800-995-4099.A self-study and planning process for establishing quality standards-based arts education programs for all students.

The Insider’s Guide to Arts Education Planning, California Alliance for Arts Education. http://www.artsed411.org/insidersguide/intro.aspx.Provides a hands-on, how-to planning process for schools, districts and counties. Offers best practices, innovative ideas, templates andstrategies as a guide to arts education planning.

Arts Advantage, Orange County Office of Education.http://instructionalservices.ocde.us/Assets/Instructional+Services/Visual+and+Performing+Arts/assets/The+Arts+Advantage+Report.pdf.Sample job description for a school visual and performing arts coordinator.

Examples of actual district arts plans may be viewed at www.artiseducation.org and at http://tools.laartsed.org/default.aspx.

* See Appendices H. District Arts Education Plan Example, J. Stages of District Planning and I. District Arts Plan:Component, Content, Format

‘‘ ‘‘“The East Whittier City School District feels fortunate to have the resources

of the Arts4All program to assist us and we develop ways to bring back

the Arts to our school curriculum, even during these very difficult financial

times. We believe that a good arts education program will greatly benefit

all of our students and is one of our strategies to help improve student

learning and get us out of our NCLB Program Improvement status.”

– Joe Gillentine, Superintendent

East Whittier City School District, Los Angeles County

“An appreciation of the arts, and their importance to students, schools,

and communities, is absolutely essential in any discussion of educational

leadership. The arts foster creative thinking, problem-solving, individual

responsibility and self-esteem. Those are building blocks for successful

lives, regardless of the eventual field of endeavor, and they are just the

beginning of the long list of benefits the arts provide”

– Dr. Randolph Ward, Superintendent of Schools

San Diego County Office of Education

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As the governing bodies of local education agencies, school boards play an essential role in promotingarts learning in California’s public schools and communities. School boards have statutory responsibilityto adopt local policies to carry out the state mandate to ensure that high-quality, equitable educationis made available to every child in California. School board members serve as active participants intheir communities as educators, administrators, business leaders, parents, and concerned citizens.County and district school board members are elected officials with direct contact to the public.

It is important for school leaders to establish a strong relationship with their boards. For example, theCalifornia Arts and Music Block Grant legislation requires that a plan for distribution of funds be presentedto the school board. This is an important opportunity for districts to think about how they will supportschools in developing skills, knowledge and ability in teaching the arts. This new funding provides anopportunity for districts leaders to work with school board members on for a shared vision of everychild’s access to arts learning.

Here are some tips for fostering strong arts advocacy within school boards:• Bring teachers, students and families to share how the arts are making a difference in student success• Provide opportunities for school board members to learn how the arts impact school and

community relationships• Invite school board members to visit schools and observe learning in the arts firsthand• Ask school boards to adopt resolutions and policies in support of arts education• Make presentations regarding content of the arts, providing examples of how arts content

is both discrete and integrated providing examples of student achievement• Invite school board members to chair district arts teams or working committees• Provide monthly updates to board members on key arts related issues/topics• Provide opportunities for board members to connect with leaders in the greater arts and

business communityThe relationship between district and board leaders is one of interdependence. District leaders shouldcommunicate with their boards throughout the visioning process to build advocacy through the policydevelopment and planning phases. District leaders should be clear on the board’s complementary andsupportive role in establishing arts education plans.


School boards can support arts education in the following ways:• Establish a district wide education policy that identifies and funds the arts as a key component

in a complete education • Allocate a percentage of the district's general operating budget to arts education instruction,

staff, and resources• Foster partnerships with local and state arts agencies and cultural institutions in an effort to

broaden support and resources • Advocate for arts education within the community • Adopt the VAPA content standards• Facilitate a public review of the arts education plan

References and ResourcesThe Insider’s Guide to Arts Education Planning – Developing a Policy for Arts Education in the District, California Alliance forArts Education. http://www.artsed411.org/insidersguide/chapter3.aspx.

More information on developing arts education policies from the California School Boards Association may be found at:http://www.csba.org/Services/Services/GovernanceTechnology/GAMUTOnline.aspx.

* See Appendix B. Sample Arts Education Policies

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llll SCHOOL SITE LEADERSHIP

School site leaders play an instrumental role in setting the course for how arts learning objectives setout in vision and policy are actually achieved, one school at a time. School site leaders can be principals,assistant principals, curriculum instruction specialists, perhaps the arts lead teachers – again, this willbe determined by the size and staffing structure of individual districts and schools. Site leaders take onthe challenges of maintaining high-fidelity implementation of district-wide policies and monitoringquality control on a site-by-site basis, all the while accommodating the idiosyncrasies of the individualschool, its resources, staff, location, and other variables.

Strong school site leadership should foster open and honest discussion about challenges as much asaccomplishments. Creating a safe and open environment for frank discussion ensures a feedback loopthat informs ongoing methodology and program improvements. The role site leaders play in documentingand sharing lessons learned is invaluable in helping check arts learning theories with arts learningpractices, and is thus critical to our work in maintaining the highest quality of programming as districtsand county offices of education bring their programs to scale.

The school community, as well as district administration, should be involved in reflective and directconversations about learning in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts as it relates to school wide goals.Clarifying and articulating what the school is trying to achieve for students overall will help direct artslearning at desired student outcomes.

School site leaders monitor the quality of teaching that is occurring in the arts, engages in classroomobservation, and maintains clarity in regard to the roles, relationships, expectations and developmentof the program over time. An effective school site leader understands the flexibility required to bereflective in adapting the plan to accommodate needs and obstacles.

Site leaders with successful arts education programs collaborate to do the following:• Create a school environment that fosters equity and honors diverse cultural arts

backgrounds and experiences• Create school-wide arts learning plan that aligns with overall school master plan • Identify school arts lead teacher(s)• Make a professional development plan that aligns with school and district goals• Allocate ongoing professional development time• Provide opportunities for teachers to make arts learning visible and share

student achievements • Establish partnerships with community arts organizations and arts practitioners

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The following excerpt from the VAPA Framework characterizes some of the important ways a site leadercan ensure a school-wide arts program:

Although site administrators are not required to be arts experts, they must be advocates for the arts.Accordingly, they must know the content standards and understand the connection between the visualand performing arts standards and the five strands that connect instruction and content (see Chapter 1).Site administrators must work with school staff members, parents, and the community to set a plan inmotion that includes broad-based representation and participation and ensures that all students receivea standards-based curriculum in the visual and performing arts.

In addition to establishing a collaborative planning and implementation process, site administratorsmust ensure that the arts are included in the basic education of all students by:

• Allowing enough time to teach the arts to all students and preparation time for those teaching the arts• Providing appropriate facilities, necessary equipment, equipment repair, and materials• Ensuring that subject-centered instruction and arts instruction relating art to other subjects

are occurring in elementary school classrooms and that student have access to the arts through appropriate scheduling of teachers and students in subject-centered classes at the middle school and high school levels

• Allowing opportunities for teachers to meet across grade levels and subject areas for planning • Advocating the importance of the arts for all students to parents and members of the community • Providing opportunities for exhibitions and performances of works in progress and final products

in schools and in the community as curricu-lar and co-curricular educational experiences • Providing opportunities for community artists and performers to collaborate with teachers in

delivering a standards-based visual and performing arts curriculum to students in classrooms and in community museums, galleries, and performance venues

• Providing time for periodic evaluation of the arts education program at the school level


The roles of site administrators and school site councils are crucial to the planning and success of visualand performing arts programs at schools.

School Administrators (principal, school director, instructional leader) provide leadership to:• Define a shared vision for arts education that aligns with the district vision• Communicate the shared vision so that the whole school community understands how the

arts will be part of the schools’ curriculum• Plan and implement activities that support the vision• Identify and address challenges that will prevent the implementation of the vision• Allocate resources to support the vision by setting clear expectations and agreements

regarding implementation of arts learning in the classroom and school• Appoint and work with teacher leaders to create structures within the school that allow

for the arts instruction, arts professional development and teacher/artist planning • Take full advantage of district level arts leadership professional development such as

visiting other schools• Actively and clearly communicate the advantages of arts learning to parents, other

administrators and teachers• Work with staff to create opportunities for parents to have arts experiences with their

children during school events• Ensure opportunities for teachers to engage in professional development including time

for planning and collaboration between teachers/arts specialists/teaching artists

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Lead teachers for the arts and arts specialist teachers:In addition to the school site administrator, other leaders play a significant role in implementing artseducation programs. Lead teachers for the arts (who may not be arts teachers); arts specialist teachers;arts department chairs; and other designated curriculum leaders all help to implement arts learning inmany important ways:

• Provide general coordination and support development of the arts learning programming• Provide expertise in arts learning to the school community through professional development

and classroom instruction in and through the arts• Serve as school arts communication coordinator• Order arts supplies and equipment • Assists in identifying and coordinating teaching artists • Provide program orientation about the arts plan for the year to members of the school staff• Create opportunities for arts learning planning sessions and professional development

Arts Education Coaches:An arts coach can be an artist, a retired arts specialist teacher, or an arts consultant from an artsorganization or college/university. The role of the arts coach is to serve as an arts resource for theschool which can include providing whole staff professional development and collaboration with staffon various projects as well as individualized attention for teachers as they develop their own skills inplanning and implementing arts learning in the classroom. Typically, they work with school leadership tosupport instructional strategies, reflection, and investigation of resources for arts and arts integrationprograms and activities.

Arts Coaches:• Facilitate staff collaborations across disciplines• Meet regularly with school leadership to ensure arts education is aimed at the school’s

overall goals• Support teachers in learning how to teach the arts • Introduce vocabulary and demonstrate how to use arts tools, materials and techniques • Meet regularly with lead and classroom teachers to review instructional plan for the year

and discuss discrete arts learning and curricular integration with the arts.• Observe classroom teachers during arts instruction and provide feedback


Third Space: When Learning Matters, Richard J. Deasey and Lauren M. Stevenson, Arts Education Partnership. http://www.aep-arts.org/publications/info.htm?publication_id=19. Provides solid evidence that the arts are critical to school reform and that they give students a sense of worth based in accomplishment, and a sense of community based in shared striving.

Creative Collaborations: Teachers and Artists in the Classroom, Pre-K through Grade 12, California Alliance for ArtsEducation and San Bernardino City Unified School District. [email protected]. This publication provides a framework for effective collaboration between artists and teachers, for the benefit of their students.

Moving Leadership Standards into Everyday Work, West Ed. www.WestED.org. Introduces descriptions of practice (DOPs) developed to enhance the usefulness of research-based leadership standards, includingthe widely used California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSELs).

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llll CLASSROOM LEADERSHIP

The teacher, having direct contact with his/her students, has the most important role in providingstandards-based arts instruction. While arts instruction and delivery varies depending on the background and training of the teacher, he/she has the responsibility to meet the needs of all studentsthrough various delivery models. Dance, music, theatre, and visual arts can be taught during the schoolday using a variety of approaches. Some of these approaches include the following:

Teaching the discrete arts discipline. Students learn the methods and techniques of the arts disciplines through active practice, creation and expression. In quality standards-based arts classrooms students read, research, communicate, reflect and critique the artistic process. Studentsunderstand the historical contexts of art works and cultural contributions of individual artists.

Integration with other core subjects. In arts integrated instruction there is clarity about disciplinary learning goals in the arts and in other content areas. Instruction is designed to integrate standards-based learning in both the arts and non-arts content areas. Students are making and creating in and through the arts in disciplinary ways that develop, deepen and demonstrate their learning in other content areas.

Differentiated instruction to access non-arts content. Arts learning instructional strategies provide teachers with multiple ways to engage students across all content areas. In differentiatedinstruction, students have multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas. This delivery model requires flexibility on the part of the teacher to adjust the curriculumand presentation of information to learners. Differentiated instruction is intended to address individual and diverse learning styles. In order for students to explore and deepen their understanding in the arts and non-arts content, the teacher must be able to recognize misunderstandings and redirect, modify or repeat instruction so that every child can demonstrateprogress towards specific learning goals.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESAt the classroom level, there are responsibilities for the non-arts teacher, the credentialed arts specialistteacher, and teaching artists.

Non-arts teachers will: • Use the VAPA content standards as the basis for planning instruction that is grade

level appropriate• Determine how the arts content standards connect, support, and reinforce content

standards in other subject areas• Determine resources needed in order to implement dance, music, theatre, and visual

arts standards in the classroom• Implement a sequential curriculum based on the VAPA content standards supported by

research-based best practice • Use formative and summative student assessment • Work with the arts specialists and/or teaching artist to find effective ways to teach

arts content• Collaborate with other teachers to share approaches and innovative strategies for

incorporating the arts into the classroom.• Differentiate instruction by using the arts to support students’ learning styles. • Use arts integration to enable deeper student thinking, creativity, and innovation.

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Credentialed arts specialist teachers will:• Implement a sequential curriculum based on the VAPA content standards supported by

research-based best practice. • Use formative and summative student assessment. • Provide ongoing in-depth instruction and support to students in the arts discipline

(dance, music, theatre, visual arts) based on the VAPA content standards• Act as a resource to generalist teachers. • Provide leadership to the school and district, such as serving on committees and participating

in special projects.

In the VAPA Framework, the following section characterizes some of the important ways that teachercan implement a comprehensive, standards-based visual and performing arts curriculum, teacher:

• Design and conduct instructional activities aligned with the standards. • Evaluate student work and make fair and credible judgments of quality. • Manage data and plan instruction accordingly. • Communicate specific expectations and provide explicit feedback to students.• Use student feedback to improve arts instruction.• Teach students to evaluate their own work. • Be relentless in pursuit of improved performance. • Understand the community’s expectations for student performance.

TEACHING ARTISTS

Local, community based and/or regional artists can be a valuable asset to a school-wide arts educationprogram. They can support teachers in many ways and provide unique arts experiences for teachers,students, parents, and community members.

In the VAPA Framework, the following section describes some how visiting artists contribute to theschool’s visual and performing arts program:

Guest artists and artists-in-residence can be an important part of a school’s visual and performing artsprogram. In addition, community resource persons, administrators, parents, arts chairpersons, and artsteachers can ensure that the program is well defined and efficiently run. For example, transportationshould be made available for students to visit arts venues, artists should be scheduled for classroomvisits, materials should be well organized, and facilities should be up to date and safe.

Joint planning may include a provision for including guest artists and artists-in-residence with theschool’s generalist and specialist teachers in profes-sional development programs. Programs of this kindare mutually beneficial. That is, the teachers learn about current developments in art forms, and theguest artists and artists-in-residence learn how to adapt their teaching so that the students will gainstandards-based knowledge and skills. Whenever possible, such professional development programsmight also include school board members, administrators, other faculty, and parents.

Integrating community artists into a comprehensive, standards-based arts program brings the experiencesof practicing artists to the students, who learn that artists struggle continually to solve problems,improve their skills, focus on meaning, and communicate effectively in their art form. Thus, studentsbegin to see themselves as members of a community of artists who inherit long-standing traditionsacross time and place.

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Teaching artists will:• Provide the perspective of the working artist.• Bring an external excitement to the mix. • Model skills, knowledge and dispositions of the art discipline.• Provide content expertise to both the arts specialist teacher and classroom teachers. • Help provide teachers and students address and meet VAPA content standards. • Serve as mentors to both students and teachers. • Provide community opportunities for student and teacher engagement such as participating in

community arts events and attending special performances and exhibits.


California Visual and Performing Arts Standards and Frameworks. http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/vp/cf/index.aspBlueprints for implementing the content standards adopted by the California State Board of Education developed by theCurriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission.

National Visual and Performing Arts Standards, ArtsEdge, Kennedy Center. http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teach/standards.cfm.The standards outline what every K-12 student should know and be able to do in the arts. These standards were developed by theConsortium of National Arts Education Associations. For a comparison of entrance requirements of California State University andUniversity of California: http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/news/college/UC_CSU_EntranceReqs.pdf

Standards of Program Quality and Effectiveness for the Subject Matter Requirement for the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.http://www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-prep/STDS-subject-matter.html. For requirements for obtaining a multiple subject teaching credential. To learn more about requirements specific to the artsdownload the following document www.cset.nesinc.com/PDFs/CS_multisubject_SMR.pdf and refer to pages 16 and 17.

Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, L. Hetland, E. Winner, S. Veenema, K. M. Sheridan, HarvardUniversity, Teachers College Press, 2007. This book demonstrates why arts education is indispensable and offers art teachers a research-based language they can use todescribe what they teach, and what is learned.

California College of the Arts Teaching Institute and ACOE’s Arts Learning Specialist Certificate. http://www.cca.edu/academics/aie.The first of its kind in the United States, the Arts Learning Specialist Certificate provides a meaningful opportunity for pre-Kthrough 12th grade educators and teaching artists to advance professionally, and to verify their knowledge about qualityteaching in and through the arts.

The California Arts Project (TCAP), Visual & Performing Arts Content Standards. http://csmp.ucop.edu/tcap/.TCAP is the state’s subject matter project in Visual and Performing Arts. TCAP’s mission is to deepen teachers’ knowledge of thearts, to enhance student success and to develop instructional strategies to support the Visual & Performing Arts Content Standards.

Partnering Successfully with Schools Today: A Teaching Artist Institute Three-Day Curriculum. www.lulu.com.A resource for county or district offices planning to provide professional development for teaching artists working with public schools

Tools and Templates for celebrating Arts Education Month. http://www.artiseducation.org/downloads/ArtIsEdPlanningToolkit.pdf This document offers event planning suggestions, tips for partnering with local businesses and sample student certificates.

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District leaders should view parents as a valuable resource; as their children’s first and most influentialteachers and advocates, parents are the best advocates for arts programs in their schools and districts.Parents understand their children as unique individuals, and most believe that the whole child must beconsidered to realize their potential in their community and society.

District leaders should work with their schools staff to promote parents’ understanding of the value of artseducation for the holistic development of all children. It is important for parents to be able to recognizea quality arts education program and that students learn better if they’re creating and appreciating thearts. District leaders should help parents become familiar with the VAPA content standards and shouldfacilitate their understanding of the research that demonstrates that the arts are essential to equitableclassrooms and can be employed to address issues of diverse languages, race, culture and learningstyles through multiple entry points.

Resources should be collected and organized to help parents answer specific questions as well as to gainbroader understanding about arts education opportunities and challenges related to implementing artsprograms in the schools. The successful advocacy efforts of other parents and community members can beinspiring examples of how the world can be changed with imagination, determination, and shared effort.


District leaders should encourage and empower parents to:• Develop collaborations with local education foundations• Educate local policymakers by telling their own stories and bringing policymakers on site visits

to observe successes and challenges in the arts program • Conduct letter writing campaigns in support of quality arts education to local and state legislators• Participate in district and school site planning committees• Provide translators at events and written materials in multiple languages • Provide hand on arts workshops • Plan and offer family art and music nights

‘‘

‘‘

“As a parent leader I'm often asked why are the arts necessary. To me the arts

connect us to each other. It helps our children to express their ideas, thoughts,

feelings and to express who they are. It's important that art education stay

strong in our schools to help our children to learn and to explore their world.”

– Cathy Roth, Ninth District PTA, Arts and Education Chairman

San Diego and Imperial Counties

III. PARENTS AS COMMUNITY ASSESTS and ADVOCATES

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Keep Arts In Schools. www.keepartsinschools.org. This website has resources and tools for parent advocacy for arts education such as examples of successful advocacy campaigns, tips on engaging the business community and creating online petition drives.

SMART Bring Back the Arts, California State PTA. http://www.capta.org/sections/programs-smarts/index.cfm.This site offers tips for parents on how to improve arts education, support the arts at school and at home, and provides documentation of studies that show the benefits of arts education.

Arts Learning in Action Toolkit, California Alliance for Arts Education. http://www.artsed411.org/toolkit/index.aspx.An organizational “how to” which offers event planning resources including, publicity guidelines, sample invitations, talkingpoints, feedback forms and more.

Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessons from School Districts That Value the Arts. Americans for the Arts. http://www.americansforthearts.org/public_awareness/spotlights/005.aspFeaturing over 90 profiles and case studies of school districts in 42 states, this report reveals success factors that lead tostrong, district-wide arts education programs.

100 Families Project, California College of the Arts, Center for Art and Public Life. http://center.cca.edu/community/100families/.This project engages whole families in hands on arts activities at local school sites.

SPARK, KQED. http://www.kqed.org/arts/places/-spark/profile.jsp?id=922. KQED’s story about arts integration at ASCEND School in Oakland’s Fruitvale district.

University of California A-G subject Requirements. http://www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/a-g/vpa.html. Includes information on the fine arts admissions requirements for all the UCs.

For examples of parent advocacy with legislators, see http://www.artiseducation.org/newsletter/arts-active-parent-april-2008.

IV. REACHING OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

We no longer live in a world ruled by a finite canon of knowledge that will prepare young people forcitizenship, careers, and lifelong satisfaction. Insights and projections into the 21st century workforcetell us that the job market will increasingly require workers who are problem solvers and innovators;they must be intellectually flexible, creative, and collaboratively inclined. All of these dispositions andskills are intentionally and methodically cultivated in arts and cross-curricular arts-integrated learningenvironments.

It is increasingly important for educators to reach out to the business community to demonstrate tobusiness leaders’ the critical role arts education plays in the preparation of a 21st century workforce,and to encourage the participation, advocacy and support of the business sector.

‘‘ ‘‘“PTA believes ALL children deserve ongoing quality arts experiences and education.

Children who are actively involved in the arts will develop better critical thinking

skills and become better problem solvers. Parents and family members play an

essential role in helping to promote the value of standards-based arts instruction

at their local schools, school districts and at the state level. By collaborating with

teachers, principals, community members and district and county leaders, PTAs

create necessary leadership opportunities for parent advocates to support and

sustain arts instruction for all students.”– Pam Brady, President

California State PTA

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District leaders should embrace the potential of the business community and business leaders to play akey role in supporting arts education and improving public education.


Business leaders can:• Serve on district planning committees and provide structural guidance• Regularly inform chambers of commerce, rotaries, and professional organizations on the impact

of local arts education programs and garner organizational support to honor arts students and teachers and provide financial awards.

• Connect career technical education programs in secondary schools to community college job readiness programs

• Create intern and job shadow programs that extend the classroom to the workplace• Create an adopt a school program• Engage schools as meaningful resources in community problem solving• Serve on district arts teams• Lead efforts for local parcel taxes to support arts education • Write editorial pieces in public newspapers about arts in schools and links to a healthy economy• Call for public policies that fully fund public education including the arts


Report by Otis College of Art and Design on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region, Otis College of Art and Design.http://www.culturela.org/press/-Economic_Report_OTIS.pdf.

The Role of the Arts in Economic Development and The Impact of Arts Education on Workforce Preparation, Issue Briefs fromNational Governors Association Center for Best Practices. http://www.nga.org. [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menu-item.9123e83a1f6786440ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=0f8b5aa265b32010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=4b18f074f0d9ff00VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD]

Arts and Business Partnerships/Business Volunteers for the Arts. http://www.artsusa.org/information_services/arts_business-_partnerships/about_us/default.asp.The mission of the BVA is to help nonprofit arts organizations improve business practices; provide opportunities for businessprofessionals to contribute to their community and become directly involved with the arts; and increase business leadershipon behalf of the arts.

‘‘‘‘

“If we are to realize the shared vision of a high quality education for every

child, it will take a multitude of players, with a singleness of purpose over a

sustained period of time.” – Gerald Hayward

Former Director of Policy Analysis for California Education

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V. CONCLUSION

ARTS EDUCATION MATTERS TO ALL OF US

Each and every student in California – not just the fortunate and the few – deserves to learn anddevelop in classrooms where they have the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in and throughthe arts. Students with the tools and life skills the arts provide are capable of imagining what is possible, and realizing their potential and ability to contribute to their communities and to society.

Equitable classrooms are created when every child has the opportunity to learn in the ways they learnbest. Artistic disciplines provide multiple ways for every child to practice critical thinking, to acquireknowledge in meaningful ways, to discover and express their own experiences, to investigate creativeideas, to make new connections for themselves and others, and to learn the value of collaboration,interdependence, and compassion.

Students need to do more than memorize information for recall. They must have the ability and inclinationto apply new skills and knowledge and be alert to opportunities to apply what they know in novel situations as they advance through grade levels. Educators are developing the critical inquiry skills ofartists, mathematicians, writers, scientists, and historians within every student, encouraging them togenerate new ideas and self-expression through collaboration, risk-taking and problem solving.

As we hand over this world of complex and challenging problems to our children, we must also providethem the tools to develop the creativity and flexibility to devise strategies we cannot imagine. The artsare human languages, essential for envisioning solutions, perceiving and communicating meaning in anuanced world of beauty, fear, desire, planning and decision making. We owe it to our children, and toour collective future, to extend the creative opportunities to develop their minds, to learn to think andto imagine, and to discover solutions through the arts.


21st Century Skills, Education & Competitiveness Report, A Policy and Resources Guide. www.21stcenturyskills.org.

A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Daniel H. Pink, 2006. The author posits that the future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn't.

Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Howard Gardner, 1993. This book defines intelligence as more than simply an IQ number and demonstrates that different people learn through different modalities.

‘‘

‘‘“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – W. B. Yeats

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11

REGIONAL

LEAD

COUNTIES

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APPENDIX A

REGIONAL LEAD COUNTIES FOR THE CCSESA ARTS INITIATIVECURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION STEERING COMMITTEE FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS SUBCOMMITTEE

www.ccsesaarts.org

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Region1: Humboldt County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Linnea Mandel

Region2: Shasta County Office of EducationRegional Co-lead: Heidi Brahms

Trinity County Office of EducationRegional Co-lead: Sandra Sterrenberg

Region3: Sacramento County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Maureen Gemma

Region4: Alameda County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Louise Music

Region5: Monterey County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Hamish Tyler

Region6: Stanislaus County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Jill PolhemusRegional Co-lead: Mary Stires

Region7: Fresno County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Robert Bullwinkle

Region8: Kern County Superintendent of SchoolsRegional Lead: Kathleen White

Region9: San Diego County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Ron Jessee

Region10: San Bernardino County Superintendent of SchoolsRegional Lead: Bonnie Tillotsen

Region11: Los Angleles County Office of EducationRegional Lead: Geraldine Walkup

APPENDIX B

SAMPLE ARTS EDUCATION POLICIES

SAMPLE POLICY A

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION

The Board of Education recognizes that Arts Education, including dance, music, theatre, and visual arts,is part of the core curriculum for all K-12 students and that the value and benefits of arts educationhas been extensively documented. The Board also recognizes that instruction in the basic skills andcontent knowledge of the arts develops perceptual abilities that extend to all careers and areas of life.An arts education enables students to develop an appreciation of the arts, critical and creative thinkingskills, initiative, self-esteem, and discipline. It is also recognized that in our multicultural state, thearts build bridges and help pupils broaden their perspectives and understand their world and thediverse cultural influences that surround them. Communication, imagination, and information are keysto career opportunities, education, and a life-long appreciation of the arts. Therefore: It is the policyof the Beverly Hills Unified School District to educate all students so they can experience, perform,produce, and appreciate the arts.

The Board of Education supports the need to provide adequate funding for K-12 Arts Education and recognizes that, in times of budget cutbacks, reductions must be distributed equitably across subjectareas, rather than eliminating arts programs.

In order to implement quality, standards-based, sequential K-12, and comprehensive arts education,with equity and access for all, the Board of Education supports the need to provide the following:• A standards-based curriculum and assessment• A qualified arts coordinator(s) who provides leadership, vision, planning, and resources for the District• Qualified teachers in all the arts at all grade levels and in all disciplines, supported by ongoing

standards-based professional development in the arts for classroom and arts teachers• Opportunities during school hours for arts teachers to collaborate• A student-to-teacher ratio in each of the arts that is appropriate for the delivery of effective

instruction along with adequate classified staff to support the arts program• Standards-based instructional materials and resources, including, but not limited to, equipment,

facilities, textbooks and technologies that support learning• Visual and performing arts classrooms that are appropriately designed and equipped for the unique

requirements of each arts discipline• Opportunities to showcase student learning/work in a public forum simulating the experience of

professional artists• Opportunities for students to be exposed to a wide variety of artistic styles, venues, and performances

including working with professional artists, collegial programs, cultural organizations, and field trips• Opportunities for students in elementary and middle grades to work with and gain exposure to the

arts programs at the other K-8 schools and the high school through school visits, assemblies, workshops, mentoring programs and other such activities

• Community resources, including business as well as parent involvement, partner with schoolsto provide funds and resources for arts programs

The Superintendent or designee shall develop a budgeted plan, establish procedures to implementBoard policies, and provide for the ongoing review, evaluation and development of the District's artseducation program.

California Alliance for Arts Education | www.artsed411.org21

(APPENDIX B continued)

SAMPLE ARTS EDUCATION POLICIES

SAMPLE POLICY B

ARTS EDUCATION

A. The Board of Education recognizes that arts education, including dance, theater, music, and visual arts, is an integral part of the core curriculum for all KindergartenThrough grade twelve (K-12) pupils

B. The Board of Education encourages development, implementation, and evaluation ofquality, standards-based sequential and comprehensive K-12 arts education, withequity and access for all.

C. The Board of Education supports the following elements, among others, indeveloping and implementing the District’s arts education in district schools:

1. Standards-based arts curriculum, scheduling and assessment2. Qualified teachers in the arts3. Professional development for classroom and arts teachers consistent with

California’s Visual and Performing Arts content standards4. Standards-based instructional materials and equipment5. Facilities appropriate to achieve educational/instructional standards6. Opportunities to showcase pupil learning and pupil work7. Integration of and access to professional artists, cultural organizations and

other community arts resources.8. Provision for ongoing review, program evaluation, and development of the

District’s arts education program.

D. The Board of Education also supports the need to provide funding for high quality,standards-based K-12 arts education in an equitable manner, consistent with theprinciple that arts education is an integral part of the core curriculum.

Legal reference:EDUCATION CODE8810-8830 Arts Education51000-51004 Legislative intent for education program51040-51041 Role of local agency51210-51220 Adopted courses of study

California Alliance for Arts Education | www.artsed411.org 22

APPENDIX C

C.O.E. “CAN DO” LIST

These are some of the things that County Offices of Education can do to provide services and supportto the schools and districts in their county. These are written in very generic terms (you can all fill inthe particulars and the arts connections) and they are in no particular order.

County Offices can:• provide curriculum resources and venues for the review of curriculum materials• organize professional development• provide facilitation• initiate and support networking; bring people together to form “learning communities and/or bring

groups together for sharing and collaboration• write grants and seek alternative funding that will help support work with schools• organize county-wide events such as exhibitions, art shows, performances• provide the venues for such events• mentor and advise districts (when asked and invited)• disseminate accurate information, plans, models, programs• maintain, collect, develop, refine, resources to be available to county teachers• bring administrators and other decision makers together in organized meetings and provide time on

the agenda for “getting the message out” and/or longer presentations of information• provide arts related (or other) technology support• make connections with the business community • identify, create, nurture, support partnerships• showcase outstanding programs, plans, approaches, practices• create advocacy and PR pieces around important initiatives

Added from suggestions at the meeting:• develop guiding vision statements and assist others in the development of vision statements• organize learning communities and/or use established learning communities to further teaching

and learning in the arts• sustain and support momentum on a project or plan• provide on-going implementation support• provide expertise for districts regarding budgeting and financial opportunities• develop and disseminate planning formats and contact information• convene local Education Foundations• provide legal and financial information• work with higher education liaisons• provide research and program evaluation support

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APPENDIX D

THE “BONES” OF A COUNTY ARTS EDUCATION PLAN

The assumption is that this is the number one deliverable of the grant and that ALL county offices thathave received CCSESA funding will submit a County Arts Plan.

Our Committee assumptions are that this plan is a pragmatic, realistic work/action plan with no lessthan a two-year time frame. We recommend that the following elements be part of every plan. Theyinclude the following:

• COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS – The facts and numbers taken from the beginning of the survey data.

• A COUNTY PROFILE – Contextual information about the County and its Districts, which might describethe commonalities and specific differences between the districts.

• A VISION STATEMENT– Developed over time through a highly inclusive process – a statement that reflects the guiding values of the County Office of Education in support of a particular curricular area – here, the visual and performing arts. It should be a “value added” statement related to how the arts contribute to the kind of education we wish for all students. (It is not only an advocacy statement).

• CURRENT REALITY and HISTORY – A statement based on an interpretation of the data survey completedby the Districts along with a timeline of events in the County that has effected arts programs in the schools.

• A SUMMARY OF KEY PRIORITIES OR RECOMMENDATIONS that this plan addresses.

• IMPLEMENTATION TASKS that meet prioritized district needs based on COE capacity – this would be the “heart” of the plan. This information may be presented as a combination of narrative, table, bulleted list and would include the same elements of goals, objectives, talks, time, persons responsibleand budget implications as the District plans.

• STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE GAPS AND CHALLENGES you know are there – even if they are not specifically part of district plans and/or are not part of the data or plans you have in hand. (There well may be missing data/surveys or no arts plans from some districts. How will you get the information you need; how will you help districts to recognize and address their “missing pieces”?

• IDENTIFY THE LEADERSHIP TEAM – List by name and role and especially by District, all those who were involved in the development of the County Office Plan. (This will make it possible to read between the lines re who was missing from the table.

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APPENDIX E

DISTRICT / COE ARTS PLANNING CHART

The assumption is that this is the number one deliverable of the grant and that ALL county offices thathave received CCSESA funding will submit a County Arts Plan.

DATES

ESTABLISH ARTS TEAM:

Members might include • Superintendent• Principal• Curriculum Specialist• Arts Specialist• Lead Teacher• Artist Educator• Board Member• Parent• Arts Organization• Community

SET SEVERAL MEETING DATES:

• Create draft of updated or new board policy or resolution• Present draft to administration and school board for review• Assess current arts programming• Secure budget information on current expenditures and sources• Discuss components of district plan• Write draft of plan• Review and edit draft• Present draft to administration and school board for input• Submit draft plan to COE or District by _________(set goal date)

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APPENDIX F

COUNTY OFFICE ARTS EDUCATION PLAN TEMPLATE

THE CONTEXT

VISION STATEMENTCould be one of the following:

The CCSESA Vision StatementA County Board of Education ResolutionBoard Policy on Arts Education Superintendent’s Arts Education Statement

– OR – A Vision Statement developed over time through an inclusive process

COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICSA County Profile and/or History and Current Reality

A snapshot of the County and the Districts (Short Narrative)

A SUMMARY OF KEY PRIORITIES or RECOMMENDATIONS

THE PLAN #1-8 - or a combination- from the Continuum of County Office Plans for the Arts

THE IMPLEMENTATION TASKS represented by the “sample tasks/actions” that arepart of the plan (or plans) you select from the Continuum of COE Plans (based on COEcapacity and current reality).

This information may be presented as a combination of narrative, table and/orbulleted lists and would include the same elements of goals, objectives, tasks, persons responsible and budget implications as the sample District plans we havestudied. It would include a timeline. It would include strategies to address the gapsand challenges you know are there – even if they are not specifically part of whatever district plans and/or data you have in hand.

IDENTIFICATION OF LEADERSHIP TEAM

Those individuals, schools, districts, cultural agencies, and other partners who contributedto the plan, as appropriate.

(Document developed by the Best Practices Committee of the Hewlett/CCSESA Arts Initiative, 2006-07)Patty Larrick, Chair, with Mary McLaughlin & Sandra Sterrenberg)

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APPENDIX G

THE CONTINUUM OF “COUNTY OFFICE PLANS FOR THE ARTS”

Type of Plan Description of the emphasis of the planSome examples of actions

to be taken under this plan

1 Plan to Plan

2 Arts Coordinator Work Plan

Designated COE Arts Lead begins the process ofengaging the districts in forming an Arts EducationTeam and developing a comprehensive ArtsEducation Plan. The COE offers facilitation of districtplanning processes and other technical assistancethat will help give districts the capacity to do theirplanning. Such work includes the analysis of currentdistrict data and the “current reality” of district artsprograms. Effort is made to find ways to connect to“uninterested” districts. Emphasis is on creating arealistic approach to working with districts at thebeginning of their arts planning and to begin to develop arts leadership in the districts. Typically aone academic year plan.

For any COE where there is a new arts coordinator,(or no arts coordinator, but an administrator takingthat role) working mostly alone and where no previ-ous work with districts on arts education plans hasbeen attempted.

The Arts Coordinator or Lead for the COE develops atask and time-line plan for at least the next academicyear designed to support districts that have developed(or are in the process of developing) an ArtsEducation Plan. Alternate approaches are outlinedfor districts that do not intend to go through a planningprocess. There are strategies to engage those whohave not participated in the work to date. There issufficient data from the districts that are activelymoving toward improving their arts education programs. Emphasis is on a practical andpragmatic work plan for the one person whowill take the planning forward. This plan shouldhave the support of the Assistant Superintendent forCurriculum and Instruction.

Where there is no one doing the work except the artscoordinator whether or not there has been on-goingwork with districts.

• Identify the issues likely to face each district in their planning efforts; help the district understand what their data is telling them.

• Focus on developing a cadre of Arts Leads/Liaisons from as many districtsas possible, which will meet on a reglar basis throughout the year.

• Help district understand what constitutes a quality arts education program (the categories of the Continuum).

• Develop a plan to complete the survey for districts that have not done so.

• Facilitate a county-wide (or district) “History Wall” and facilitated discussion with the Arts Lead group.

• Develop a time line for the work with districts represented.

• Help districts understand the importance of using the state funds strategically and suggest facilitation that will help make that possible.

• Collect data that supports the value of the arts.

This plan has all of the above (as appropriate) plus

• Maintain the County-wide Arts Lead group.

• Provide facilitation as needed at important points in district work.

• Facilitate (or do) an initial gap analysis of the programs from all or selected districts.

• Provide appropriate examples of district arts plans.

• Research and provide models of curriculum approaches and delivery systems that might be of use to districts.

• Provide workshops (at the COE or at school sites) that demonstrate standards-based instruction in one or more of the arts disciplines.

• Make connections with quality arts resources outside the school system and share information with districts.

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3 Internal COE Arts Work Plan

4 COE & Arts Partners Collaboration Plan

The Arts Coordinator works with technology, budget/financial, curriculum, communication andIMC people in the County Office and makes use ofthat wide range of expertise in creating a one-yearaction plan. The plan thus utilizes a wide range ofsupport for districts interested in improving theirarts education programs. The Arts Coordinator takesa broader approach and connects the arts plan to theCOE division plan. The plan has much in commonwith Plan #1, but includes more people and resourcesand a slightly more coordinated approach and is usually approved by a division head or the assistantsuperintendent. It is a yearlong action plan, not along-range plan.

For large County Offices of Education where there isconsiderable structure and “lines of authority” inwhich the work must be done.

The COE brings together arts agencies (TCAP, CAAE)and cultural organizations to define resources (whodoes what best) and create a coherent and collaborative action plan based on shared a vision.Parent groups and foundation representatives (asappropriate) are also present along with district representative. These plans may include professionaldevelopment workshops, demonstration lessons,organized enrichment activities and performances inorder to increase the capacity of the schools/districtsto understand the arts disciplines, develop an artseducation plan and/or improve instruction. Thefocus is on the effective use external resourcesto strengthen arts instruction.

For situations where there is a tradition of collaborativework between the COE and arts organizations anddistricts and where arts resources are rich, availableand cultural and PD organizations are anxious towork with the schools. This plan might also be part ofa broader arts education plan being developed by theCOE. May be a multiple year or “phased” plan.

All of the above from plans 1 and 2, plusthe plan should include ways to

• Support arts advocacy by including the Arts Coordinator in meetings with key district and/or COE administratorson a regular basis.

• Connect with businesses and arts organizations that can bring support to the county arts plan.

• Provide professional development focused on curriculum in selected arts disciplines and grade levels to interested districts.

• Develop an arts component for any orall of the programs administered by the County Office of Education (i.e. Court and Community Schools).

• Determine the current state of district collaboration with arts agencies in the county.

• Connect with the local TCAP provider; encourage participation in institutes and workshops.

• Help the arts providers and agencies to understand the details of the new state funding and the implications for the work they are doing with the schools.

• Create a professional development plan for those non-credentialed individuals who teach the arts in district schools.

• Work with the local Arts Council to discover possibilities for collaborative work with teachers.

• Try to leverage exhibition and/or performance space for schools in your county.

• Help districts plan local “parents’ arts night” activities, student exhibitions, performances (or the like) to promote visibility of arts instruction

• Do the “History Wall” with the group to build common understanding of theups and downs and accomplishments of the many programs represented.

(APPENDIX G continued)


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5 Arts Curriculum & InstructionPlan

6 Long Term Arts EducationPlan

The arts are under the Curriculum and InstructionDivision and overseen by the AssistantSuperintendent. Curricular priorities are establishedby C & I and the arts are clearly a part of the over allplan. The emphasis is on curriculum work with thedistricts and there is a clear identification of the current gaps. The emphasis is on working with districts in the area of curriculum development, articulation, review of curriculum materials and texts, and standardsbased, sequential instruction, for generalists and specialists alike. There is collaboration among curriculum and instruction leads. The arts are a clear part of the whole. Possible interdisciplinarywork is explored, planned and/or implemented.

A fully developed COE Arts Plan may or may not becompleted or could be a plan within another plan listed here).

A “working majority” of districts have an arts educationteam and a plan for improving arts programs. TheCOE Arts Coordinator in collaboration with others atthe COE develop, with inclusive participation fromthe districts, a long- term (3-5 year) strategicplan for the arts based on a common vision ofwhat constitutes a quality arts education forall students. Goals and objectives are developed.Obstacles are identified and news directions decided.There is a time-line. Roles are specific. The next stepis implementation. The plan is presented to theCounty Board of Education and disseminated to district Arts Education Leads and/or Teams. Thelong-range plan is based on the district plans as wellas the determined needs and priorities of districtswithout plans. The plan is developed over time – ayear to 18 months.

For County Offices of Education that have broughttogether district representatives over time. Usuallyassociated with COEs that have had an arts coordinatorfor several years and have healthy, sustained relationswith local arts organizations and are ready to moveforward with implementing a long range plan beginning the next academic year. (This plan includesall the elements of the “internal COE work plan”).

• Analyze the data and the “current reality” with each district to reveal thegaps in the arts program.

• Develop professional development approaches to support progress in underrepresented disciplines.

• Provide venues for formal and informallesson sharing, lesson study groups, andmodels of integrated instruction.

• Work with discipline specialists to understand their professional development needs.

• Work with arts lead teachers at selected grade levels and in selected disciplines to develop and/or select appropriate curriculum and resource materials.

• Understand the curricular priorities ofthe districts and establish connections between those and the arts – so the artsare not outside other curricular initiatives.

Superintendent

• Develop a vision statement for the plan.• Provide facilitation for all meetings

along the process.• Define the services and resources the

COE is prepared to provide the districts in support of their plans.

• Identify the professional development options to be provided by the COE to meet district needs.

• Provide a time line for the work to be done by the COE.

• Understand and make clear the budget implications of the plan.

• Decide how to expand the plan (over time) to engage and include districts not yet participating.

(And many more elements: See “Bare Bones of a District Plan – CCSESA)

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7 County Office External (Published) Arts Plan

8 Technical Assistance Plan for COELong TermArts Plan

The County Office of Education is ready to refine theplan for publication and wide distribution. The“Public Plan” may contain advocacy and/or artsresearch statements, as well as quotes and testimonialsfrom participating district spokesmen as well as astrong public relations statement typically written bythe County Superintendent of Schools. This is a“value added” plan in that it places the arts inthe context of already accepted goals of education (i.e., “creative skills for the future” or“educating the whole child.”) The plan includes keyrecommendations This is the completion of the fullfirst cycle of planning and implementation.

For County Offices that have completed and are in theprocess of implementing their Arts Education Planand who wish to launch a public relations/advocacycampaign for the arts in the county.

This is the beginning of the “second cycle” ofplanning and implementation. The County ArtsEducation Plan has been completed and is in theprocess of being implemented. A public plan has beenpublished (or a decision has been made not to do so).The “first round” of participating districts is activelyinvolved in the work described by the plan. TheCOE’s major focus at this point is to sustainthe work, keep enthusiasm and participation highand be ready to provide as much assistance as possible to help district keep moving forward. Thisplan will outline the ways in which these things willbe accomplished. There is a process in place to helpdistricts to re-visit their arts plans and make changesas necessary.

For County Offices of Education that are more or lessin the middle of their long term Arts Education Planand need to keep up the momentum as well as evaluatetheir progress and make mid-course corrections.

Elements of this plan might also appear in“first cycle” plans such as Plans 1-3.

• Bring together a group of representativesfrom the districts, the COE, and the community to look carefully at the current arts plan and decide which elements should be emphasized in a plan that will go to the public.

• Decide upon the audience for the public plan.• Develop a dissemination and

follow-up plan.• Work with a graphic artist or

someone knowledgeable about layout and design to devise a visually effectivepresentation in print.

• Define a budget and determine where the financial support will come from to publish the plan.

• Develop a follow-up procedure for the release of the Plan.

• Define other ways to “keep the spotlight” on arts education in the county.

• Include some historical background.• Develop a Power Point version of the Plan.• Publish the plan on line.

• Determine where districts are making progress and document the ways in which this happened and find ways to share this information with other districts.

• Document successful curricular approaches, pilot programs, instructionalmethodology, delivery systems, student assessment, etc. with a goal of sharing this information.

• Bring various groups of teachers together within or across districts to share best practice as in “lesson study” groups, grade level or discipline groups – establish a “community of learners”.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of support programs provided by outside arts agencies.

• Plan new, targeted professional development for groups of teachers whoare struggling with like issues (such the elective wheel, student assessment or integrated arts instruction).

• Help districts to understand and leveragefunding sources and/or provide grant writing help and support.

• Assist districts in writing/presenting board reports, revising curriculum documents (secondary course descriptions)and developing program evaluation.

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APPENDIX H DISTRICT ARTS EDUCATION PLAN EXAMPLE

Persons ResponsibleTime Frame

Res

ourc

es &

F

aci

liti

es

Goals Preliminary BudgetImplications

Implementation Tasks

Sta

nd

ard

s-ba

sed

C

urr

icu

lum

Inst

ruct

ion

&M

etho

dol

ogy

Stu

den

t A

sses

smen

tP

rofe

ssio

na

l D

evel

opm

ent

Pro

gra

m

Ad

min

istr

ati

on&

Per

son

nel

Pa

rtn

ersh

ip &

Col

labo

rati

ons

Fu

nd

ing

Pro

gra

m

Eva

lua

tion

32

APPENDIX I

DISTRICT ARTS PLANCOMPONENTS, CONTENT AND STRUCTURES

COMPONENT FORMATCONTENT

District Demographics

Policy Statement

Executive SummaryRationale

Statement of Current Realities

District History and Background

Elements of a Quality Program(The “heart” of the plan).

Summary of Key Priorities

Acknowledgments

Specific information; numbers, etc.

The vision that will guide the District indeveloping and implementing the plan.

Sets the context; may include the vision,mission statement, belief statement; may alsoinclude information about the process for the plan and/or the leadership involved increating the plan.

Includes the good and the not-so-good, thesuccesses and the challenges. It is specificand verifiable.

What was, previous accomplishments, commitment, readiness and capacity to dothe work; also barriers and challenges

Includes a number of elements such as –

Goals: where District wants to be in an identified period of time; what District hopes to accomplish

Objectives/Implementation Tasks: action oriented statements – signified by “actionverbs” – they are concise, specific, measurableand verifiable.

Time Line: can be an implementation calen-dar by specific date, by quarters, phases,years, etc.

Persons Responsible: by role (external plan)or by name (internal plan)

Budget Implications: specific to each objective or task (some budgets are brokenout and presented as a separate section).

Specific priorities based on identified needs– sometimes prioritized

Identifies persons responsible for writing andadopting the plan

Narrative, list, table

Typically presented as a narrative, not more than onepage in length.

Can be a narrative, bulleted list,table, etc.

Typically a short narrative or list.

Typically presented as a table,chart or the like – sometimes abulleted list or narrative.

Typically a bulleted list, shortand concise

1 IDENTIFY DISTRICT ARTS TEAM• Make sure people can commit to the process (could mean 6 – 10 meetings). • Make sure you include a cross representation of people from the District (see guidelines for “A

District Arts Team”)• If possible hire an outside facilitator: an outside facilitator has no stake in the outcome and

therefore is much more able to be objective and see the overall picture. • A facilitator also ensures that every voice is heard and honored.

2 DO A NEEDS ASSESSMENT • Establish the current status of arts education (including funding status).• Use one of the tools available (e.g. Model Arts Program Toolkit/The Community Arts Education

Project/TCAP Assessment Tool).

3 IDENTIFY THE GAPS• Having established what you already have in place identify the program areas that need

improvement (gaps)

4 CREATE A DISTRICT VISION STATEMENT• A key question might be: What elements do we want to see in place in our arts program in 5

years time?• Make sure that each person’s vision is recorded on a chart. The District Arts Team can distill a

District vision statement from the personal visions.

5 AGREE ON PRIORITIES• Use elements of the arts program that your team has envisioned in step 3. • Use a collaborative system: e.g. each person has three votes and can mark the elements in terms

of first, second and third priority.• Colored dots create a good visual for this step.

6 IDENTIFY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES These should be both long-term goals (3-5 years) and short-term objectives (or implementation tasks) leading to these goals.• Base the goals on the agreed priorities. Be realistic!• Distill objectives (implementation tasks) from goals – each implementation task should have

name of person/group responsible for that task

7 TIMELINECalendar each task. Build in a monitoring system e.g. a quarterly review.

8 WRITE UP ACTION PLANThis should outline:• Vision• Goals• Implementation Tasks• Budgetary iIplications• Person Responsible • Timeframe for Implementation.

APPENDIX JSTAGES OF DISTRICT PLANNING

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