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| Graduation Requirements Phase 2 |
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Why ACT now? Your voice can be HEARD! Responses are needed from Arts Educators and their supporters to the question: Foundational skills, like initiative, time management, and collaboration, are shown to prepare students for school, college, career, civic engagement, and life, and are priorities of the business world. How can these skills be fostered and encouraged in K-12 education?
Art Education MUST be Represented!
A low response from Arts Educators to the January Question: What opportunities, experiences, and courses should be available to students in High School that align with their needs, dreams, and career exploration? Which of those should be mandatory? resulted in a word cloud where a focus on the arts were minimal.
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| Set a Goal to Communicate |
| Effective advocacy begins with consistent visibility and communication with parents and administrators. Set a goal to effectively communicate through the year by choosing one platform and building templates you can easily update.
KNOW: Your audience
- Evaluate: Which platforms do parents and administrators frequent and respond to the most?
- Consider: What are your school’s requirements for communication with parents?
- Develop: 3-5 Templates that you can access and edit easily throughout the year. For example: “highlighting student achievement,” “what’s going on in the art room,” “upcoming art opportunities,” “art club info,” “Get involved!”, and “talking with your young artist about their work.”
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| Graduation Requirements |
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NYSED is currently reviewing graduation requirements for high school students. Sharing your views on the importance of the arts in the high school curriculum, especially sequential arts courses and advanced studios beyond introductory level requirements, can protect the vibrancy of our high school art programs.
Why ACT now? NYS is currently reviewing graduation requirements for high school students. Sharing your views on the importance of the arts in the high school curriculum, especially sequential arts courses and advanced studios beyond introductory level requirements, can protect the vibrancy of our high school art programs.
Survey Focuses on 2 Questions:
1. What knowledge, skills, and/or experiences do you think are important for ALL students to have by the end of high school?
2. How would you like to students to show that they have knowledge, skills, and/or experiences necessary for graduation?
KNOW: Some facts to cite! Some things to say!
KNOW: Arts Regulations at Play:
100.5(a)3(v) visual arts and/or music, dance, or theatre, one unit of credit
100.2(h) Availability of career and technical education and arts sequences:
- All public school districts shall offer students the opportunity to complete a three- or five-unit sequence in each of the following areas: career and technical education and the arts.
- All public school districts shall offer students the opportunity to begin an approved sequence in the arts in grade nine.
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| Senate Bill S285 and Assembly Bill A1502 |
| NYS legislators are currently reviewing and will vote on Bills S285 and A1502 soon. S285 and A1502 would revise outdated NYS education laws from 1951 (elementary) and 1958 (Secondary) that do NOT include arts education as a requirement. S285 and A1502 would add arts education to education law in NYS bringing state statutes into compliance with ESSA and current state education regulations.
Why ACT now? Time sensitive! Bills S285 and A1502 come up for a vote soon. Writing to your legislators now ensure that they have “fat files” of letters of support. Bills S285 and A1502 requires arts education and bring NYS law into compliance with federal mandates and would update decades old statutes.
KNOW: Arts Regulations at Play
- The Every Student Succeeds Act is a Federal Mandate that includes art as a “well-rounded” subject.
- NYS Regulations of the commissioner of Education Part 100 specifies that art education be included PreK-4 100.3(b), GR 5-8 100.4(b), Gr 9-12 1005.(a)
- BUT Education laws in NYS do not require arts education (written in 1951 and 1958). We can help change this by supporting these bills!
ACT: What can I do?
Write a hard-copy letter to your legislator! Use up your stamps! Get addresses and a template here! Feel free to customize the letter to your needs! Write your letter TODAY!
Questions? Contact NYSATA Advocacy Coordinator Samantha Nolte-Yupari at [email protected]
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