The Advocacy Update is where you can find state and national news about theatre and other arts education
EdTA NEWS
Board Weighs EdTA Foundation: Responding to a presentation by Director of Development Marion Combs, the Board of Directors of the Educational Theatre Association has appointed a task force to study the feasibility of reactivating the EdTA Foundation. The foundation was established in 1996 and deactivated nine years later.
NATIONAL NEWS
Senate Committee unanimously passes ESEA reauthorization bill: On April 16, the Senate HELP Committee advanced the legislation, enabling it to be next considered on the Senate floor under an open amendment process. Floor action is now expected before the end of May.
Harvard Now Offering Theater Concentration, Courts Potential Concentrators: Now that Harvard’s new Theater, Dance, and Media concentration has received final approval from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the university is turning efforts to attracting prospective concentrators, including both current students and aditted members of the Class of 2019.
Why We Need Liberal Arts More Than Ever in Today’s Digital World: A liberal arts education is the best preparation for many careers, especially in the U.S., given today’s global technology-driven economy, CNN host Fareed Zakaria says. Because of tough economic times, the rising cost of higher education and an increasingly competitive job market, too many Americans are turning away from the liberal arts.
Foundation Launches Effort to Advance Arts, Culture, and Social Justice: The Ford Foundation has announced a new effort centered on the roles art and culture play in illuminating and addressing urgent issues of equity, opportunity, and justice in the U.S. and around the globe. Yearlong exploration “The Art of Change” builds on the foundation’s decades-long commitment to advancing freedom of expression.
Colorado School Cancels, Then Reinstates Play: Advanced high school theater students at in Aurora, Colorado were preparing to present a series of one-act plays they had written until school leaders told them the show was canceled. The Evolution series depicted personal stories about the challenges modern teens face every day, such as homosexuality, gender issues, and dysfunctional family environments.
STATE NEWS
Got state theatre and other arts education news you want to share? Send it to Anna amarsala@schooltheatre.org
Alabama: Prison Arts and Education Project Helpful to Inmates (Fox 6 Alabama)
Arizona: Nonprofit Act One Provides Local Theater Field Trips for Schools (East Valley Tribune)
California: CalArts Offering 5-Week Residency for Teaching Artists (Santa Clarita Valley News)
California: Organization Partnerships Fill Gaps in Arts Education (Glendale News-Press)
Florida: Cultural Council Head Wins Award for Arts Advocacy (Palm Beach Post)
Massachusetts: Mayor Walsh Unveils Boston Cultural Planning Initiative (Boston Globe)
Michigan: Full STEAM Ahead in Ann Arbor (Concentrate Media)
New York: Complicated Teacher Evaluation Proposal is the Exception, Not the Rule (Five Thirty Eight)
North Dakota: Arts Proponents Push for STEAM Programming Within K-12 Schools (Inforum)
Ohio: Why 5 of 8 Rule Matters to Ohio Kids’ Future (Cincinnati.com)
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Arts Council Holds Arts Education Forum (Tahlequah Daily Press)
South Carolina: South Carolina Arts Commission Grant Deadline Extended (Charleston Chronicle)
Utah: Valuing the Arts in Utah Valley Schools (Daily Herald)
Wisconsin: Equity an Arts Education Issue in Madison (The Cap Times)
WORTH READING
Service Learning Project Connects Autistic Children, Families with the Arts: Using a community inclusion philosophy, Minnesota State University Moorhead students and the Plains Art Museum created an accessible arts experience for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. (Inforum)
Arts Vital to Academic Success: Nobody wants to take art programs away from school kids. Some will argue, school is first and foremost for learning academic skills such as reading, writing, math and science. If shrinking budgets dictate curtailing anything, logic might direct us towards cutting the arts; according to evidence, cutting the arts is not the answer. (Cincinnati.com)
Science, Math, and Art Valued More Than Technology in Education Poll: Providing computers to public school students is important to voters, but not as crucial as other factors affecting education, including a more intense focus on math, science, and the arts, according to a new California poll. (LA Times)
Has the STEM Funding Craze Gone Too Far? In today’s education philanthropy, STEM funding can be found with ease. Funders nationwide are writing checks to entice more students into science, technology, engineering, and math fields. This focus is accompanied by dismissive attitudes toward the humanities and social sciences, a trend which may not be good for us in the long run. (Inside Philanthropy)