EdTA Advocacy Update
February 26, 2019
The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.
EdTA NEWS
Announcing New Education Manager and Legendary Lesson Plan Contest
EdTA is excited to announce the addition of an Education Manager to the staff, Cory Wilkerson, who will be supporting members with new educational resources. As a part of this effort, over the coming months there will be many opportunities for members to contribute ideas and resources with the first being the “Legendary Lesson Plan” Contest.
Educational Theatre Foundation Announces Grants to Aid California Schools Impacted by Wildfires
The Educational Theatre Foundation has announced a new grant, funded by musical licensor Music Theatre International, to aid high schools and middle schools that saw theatre programs affected by the 2018 wild fires in California. (Playbill)
NATIONAL NEWS
NEA Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge
The National Endowment for the Arts and the American Theatre Wing are looking for emerging songwriting stars for the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge. (National Endowment for the Arts)
Americans for the Arts Launches New Arts Education Resource
Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce its newest tool in the arts education field: The 12 Core Competencies of an Arts Education Leader. This landmark research offers the field direction in fostering new ways to envision professional development for arts education leaders. (Americans for the Arts)
STATE NEWS
Got state theatre and other arts education news you want to share? Send it to Katie: kferchen@schooltheatre.org
Alaska: Alaska Native Arts Teacher Asks Governor to Reconsider Proposed Budget Cuts (KTOO Public Media)
California: California Adopts New Art Standards for ‘Creative Economy’ (Sun Gazette)
Fairfield High Drama Teacher Uses Handmade Puppets in Her Classroom (Times-Herald)
Colorado: Extra Arts Education Boosts Students’ Writing Scores – and Their Compassion, Big New Study Finds (Chalkbeat)
Connecticut: ATLAS Middle School: New, Progressive, Arts-Based Education Option in New Haven (WTNH-8)
Delaware: Three Delaware Organizations to Receive $54K in Federal Arts Grants (Delaware Public Media)
Florida: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Drama: One Year Later (Broadway World Fort Lauderdale)
Indiana: NEA Awards $215,000 to 9 Indiana Arts Nonprofits, 2 Artists (WTHR-13)
Theater Program is Helping Young Actors ‘SOAR’ to Their Next Level (WISHTV-8)
Michigan: STEM Becomes STEAM in 6th Annual Event at Henry Ford Elementary (Dearborn Press and Guide)
Minnesota: Weber Pledges Support for Art Funding (The Globe)
Missouri: Arts and Education Council Receives Funding from PNC Foundation and PNC Bank for Arts Entrepreneurs, Programming (Broadway World St. Louis)
New Jersey: Menendez, Booker Announces Arts Education Programs Federal Funding (NJ BIZ)
New Mexico: School for Arts Seeks to Change Status (Albuquerue Journal)
New York: Nixon Centre Plays Central Role in Arts-Integrated Education (Newnan Times-Herald)
North Carolina: Appalachian State Celebrates Theatre in Our Schools Month with Day of High School Workshops (Watauga Democrat)
Pennsylvania: Black Pennsylvanians Who Excelled in Arts, Culture, and Education (Penn Live)
Tennessee: Arts Take the Main Stage in a New Mt. Pleasant Partnership (Columbia Daily Herald)
Mark S. and Martha Em Raby Establish Claudell Wootton Art Education Endowment (Leaf Chronicle)
Texas: 5 Ways Extra Arts Education Benefits Houston Students (Houston Public Media)
Young Audiences of NE Texas Announces Annual Arts in Education Award Winners (CBS-19)
Utah: Visually Impaired Utah Students Push for Accessibility in the Arts (Desert News Utah)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
UK: Education is About to Undergo a Major Shift – and We Must Be Ready for It (Eastern Daily Press)
South Sudan: South Sudan Youth Use Theater to Promote Peace, Reconciliation (News Ghana)
WORTH READING
Art Education Improves Students’ Academic, Social Development, Study Finds
A new study from the Houston Education Research Consortium — a partnership between Rice University and Houston-area schools — has found an initiative to expand arts education in elementary and middle schools improved students' academic and emotional development, according to the consortium's website. (Education Dive)
Middle School Music and Theater Students Get Better Grades
Does your middle schooler want to study music, theater, or dance? Do you fear it will be a distraction from academics and put their grades at risk? A rigorously designed, decade-long study of more than 30,000 Florida students suggests the exact opposite is more likely. (Pacific Standard)