Bill Text: CA ACR26 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 26 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Arts Education Month.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 48-26)

Status: (Passed) 2009-06-03 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 44, Statutes of 2009. [ACR26 Detail]

Download: California-2009-ACR26-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: ACR 26	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  44
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JUNE 3, 2009
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  JUNE 1, 2009
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 2, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 2, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Davis
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Blumenfield, Charles Calderon, De
Leon, Gaines, Krekorian, Price, Silva, Audra Strickland, Adams,
Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Bass, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Tom
Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Carter,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, DeVore, Duvall, Emmerson, Eng, Evans,
Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Furutani, Galgiani, Garrick,
Gilmore, Hagman, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman,
Jeffries, Jones, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Mendoza, Miller,
Monning, Nava, Nestande, Niello, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez,
Portantino, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson,
Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Villines, and Yamada)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2009

   Relative to arts education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 26, Davis. Arts Education Month.
   This measure would declare March 2009 to be Arts Education Month
and would encourage all elected officials to participate with their
educational communities in celebrating the arts.



   WHEREAS, Arts education, which includes dance, music, theatre, and
the visual arts, is an essential and integral part of basic
education for all pupils in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades
1 to 12, inclusive; and
   WHEREAS, The arts are crucial to achieving a state educational
policy that is devoted to the teaching of basic academic skills and
lifelong learning capacities with the goal of truly preparing all
children for success after high school regardless of gender, age,
economic status, physical ability, or learning ability; and
   WHEREAS, A systematic, substantive, and sequential visual and
performing arts curriculum addresses and develops ways of thinking,
questioning, expression, and learning that complement learning in
other core subjects, but that is unique in what it has to offer; and
   WHEREAS, Pupils benefit from arts learning in the areas of
cultural understanding, readiness for learning and creative thinking,
cognitive outcomes, emotional intelligence and expression, social
interaction and collaboration, and preparation for the workplace and
lifelong learning; and
   WHEREAS, Arts education in California is mandated for pupils in
grades 1 to 12, inclusive, by Sections 51210 and 51220 of the
Education Code, which provide, in part, "[t]he adopted course of
study ... shall include instruction ... in [v]isual and performing
arts including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre,
and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation
and the skills of creative expression"; and
   WHEREAS, The arts are recognized as part of a quality education,
and the University of California and the California State University
have instituted a policy that includes visual and performing arts as
a college preparatory subject for all high school pupils wishing to
enter California's institutions of higher education; and
   WHEREAS, In 2006 the Legislature passed and Governor
Schwarzenegger signed into law a landmark investment in music and
arts education programs, including a block grant of one hundred five
million dollars ($105,000,000) to support standards-aligned
instruction in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive; and
   WHEREAS, In 2006 the Legislature also passed and Governor
Schwarzenegger signed into law an additional five hundred million
dollars ($500,000,000) to be distributed on a one-time basis for the
purchase of visual and performing arts and physical education
professional development supplies and equipment; and
   WHEREAS, In 2007, this ongoing investment in arts education plus a
cost-of-living increase was passed by the Legislature and signed
into law by Governor Schwarzenegger; and
   WHEREAS, The Legislature intends this funding to help implement a
comprehensive vision for arts education at the local level, to ensure
that every pupil in California benefits from this investment; and
   WHEREAS, This funding is the first step in investing in quality
visual and performing arts programs for all California pupils; and
   WHEREAS, Many national and state professional arts education
associations hold celebrations in the month of March, giving
California schools a unique opportunity to focus on the value of the
arts for all pupils, to foster cross-cultural understanding, to give
recognition to the state's outstanding young artists, and to enhance
public support for this essential part of the curriculum; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of March
2009 as Arts Education Month and encourages all elected officials to
participate with their educational communities in celebrating the
arts with meaningful activities and programs for pupils, teachers,
and the public that demonstrate learning and understanding in the
visual and performing arts, and urges all residents to become
interested in and give full support to quality school arts programs
for children and youth; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.