You CAN Make a Difference
I often use this space to provide advocacy advice and suggest strategies for use in saving, maintaining, and expanding programs for everyone to consider. Not today. Instead, I want to share with you an actual exchange with a band director whose program was in an immediate crisis. Panic Button Two years ago I was on […]
September 11 – A Day to Remember
On September 11, 2001, I was at my desk in Manhattan tending to the start of the day. What would transpire over the next 19 hours is something I will never forget. At the time, I sat down and wrote about what had happened on that day as I experienced it. I shared it with […]
Transcript of Secretary Duncan’s Conference Call with SupportMusic
The transcript and an MP3 audio file of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's conference call with the music and arts education community is now posted at the SupportMusic website. A great tool for concerned citizens to use to make the case for the central role of music and the arts in the education of our […]
Secretary Duncan Releases Arts Education Guidance to Superintendents
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released a letter to local superintendents and community leaders regarding use of education funds to support arts education as a core subject. Download the PDF below: Arts Education Letter_Secretary Duncan.pdf You may recall my writing on the subject of "More Bully… Less Pulpit" This is certainly a step in the […]
Data, Data Everywhere, But Not a Drop to Use
As I complete my preparations for my trip to Seattle for advanced training in Tableau to assist us with our work for our customers and the arts education field I am reminded of an article I read recently in education week which took off on an old saw "Water, Water Everywhere but Not a Drop […]
NAEP Releases National Arts “Report Card”
The National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP) released the "National Report Card" for Arts Education. Some of the key findings were: For both music and visual arts, on average among the 8th graders assessed: Students eligible for reduced or free lunch scored lower than students ineligible Black and Hispanic students scored lower than White and […]
Stimulus $$$ Saves more Music Teachers
This morning, another school district reported using stimulus funds to save music programs: Teaching positions and librarian schedules could be spared this year in the county's largest school district. Other potential staff reductions in areas like maintenance and custodial operations also may not be necessary. If the Roseburg Public Schools Budget Committee follows staff suggestions […]
U.S. education secretary says California students in peril – Los Angeles Times
The LA Times reports on Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's comments last week noting that public education in the state is "in crisis." The threat all education programs, including music and arts programs, is unlike anything our nation has ever seen. This is a very sobering read about a school system teetering on collapse: Reporting […]
A Tale of Two School Systems – WSJ.com
I read this weekend the following article in the Wall Street Journal discussing the comparison between schools in India… and schools in the use. It was a fascinating read! Here is a snippet: Last year, as a New Delhi mom desperate to get my daughter into an elite private school, I chose my interview outfits […]
For Arts Education We Need: More Bully, Less Pulpit
Maybe it is just me. Maybe I have been fighting for arts educations rightful place in our children's education for too long. But I can no longer get excited when our public officials, no matter how high the office, say nice things about arts education and then fail to back up the rhetorical support with […]
