Bill Text: CA SB933 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Visual and performing arts education: grant program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2018-09-23 - In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. [SB933 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB933-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  March 01, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 933

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Introduced by Senator Allen

January 25, 2018

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An act to add Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 53080) to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to visual and performing arts education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 933, as amended, Allen. Visual and performing arts education: California Arts Education Act. grant program.

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes school districts and other local educational agencies to provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to include, among other subjects, visual and performing arts.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact the California Arts Education Act and would make related findings and declarations.

This bill would establish the Arts for Every Student Incentive Grant Program, to be administered by the State Department of Education, to encourage and maintain the delivery of high-quality visual and performing arts education programs and provide a jump start for school districts lacking the capacity to provide access to a visual and performing arts education to every pupil, as specified. The bill would require the department to provide grants to eligible applicants for the purposes of the program, to give special consideration to specified applicants, to award grants based on an appropriate scoring system that is based on a demonstrated commitment to high-quality visual and performing arts education and equity, and to consult with persons and entities that have expertise in visual and performing arts education, as specified.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The visual and performing arts are an essential part of a well-rounded education for the state’s pupils.

(b) Pupils with access to visual and performing arts are more likely to graduate from high school. Pupils with the most intensive arts experiences show the lowest risk of dropping out, and pupils with little to no arts experience are five times more likely to drop out.

(c) Pupils with access to visual and performing arts pursue higher education. Pupils with arts education experiences are more likely than their peers without arts education experiences both to attend postsecondary school and to earn a four-year degree.

(d) Visual and performing arts increase and improve 21st century skills, such as perseverance, grit, and collaboration. The arts build the capacity for sustained attention, completing complex tasks, and working as a productive member of a group or team.

(e) Visual and performing arts strengthen problem-solving ability. The arts encourage the development of the reasoning and analytical skills that help solve complex problems.

(f) Visual and performing arts build leadership capacity. Learning in and through the arts develops decisionmaking, planning, and strategy skills, as well as a greater sense of confidence and identity.

(g) Visual and performing arts improve critical thinking. The arts help develop pupils’ ability to understand multiple viewpoints, hypothesize, compare facts, and critique.

(h) Visual and performing arts help increase academic achievement in reading and mathematics. Pupils who participate in the arts become better readers and writers and outperform their peers on mathematics assessments. These benefits of an arts education are highest for low-income pupils and English language learners.

(i) Visual and performing arts motivate pupils to learn and to be engaged in school. The arts allow pupils to connect new knowledge to personal experience and to share that knowledge with others. Pupils involved in the arts are more likely to come to school and to participate.

(j) Visual and performing arts promote cross-cultural understanding. Arts learning experiences encourage prosocial behavior and tolerance that prepare pupils for life in a global and diverse society.

(k) Pupils with access to visual and performing arts are civically engaged. Pupils who have had an arts education are more likely to feel engaged and to volunteer in their communities.

(l) While the benefits of visual and performing arts are most pronounced for pupils at the highest risk of failure, those same pupils have the least access to arts education. In California, only 38 percent of pupils are enrolled in an arts course.

(m) Statistics indicate the arts have lagged behind other subjects in funding and administrative support, despite improvements in overall school funding.

SEC. 2.

 Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 53080) is added to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:

CHAPTER  17. Arts for Every Student Incentive Grant Program

53080.

 (a) For purposes of this chapter, “grant program” means the Arts for Every Student Incentive Grant Program established pursuant to this chapter.

(b) (1) The Arts for Every Student Incentive Grant Program is hereby established, to be administered by the department, as a state education, access, and equity initiative with the goal of providing pupils in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, with the knowledge and skills to be successful in school, work, and life and to close the gap in access to visual and performing arts education that exists in communities across the state, particularly the most underresourced. The program shall encourage and maintain the delivery of high-quality visual and performing arts education programs and provide a jump start for school districts lacking the capacity to provide access to a visual and performing arts education to every pupil.

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the grant program provide a one-time investment to establish models of best practice, leading to sustained funding over time through the local control funding formula.

(c) When awarding grants pursuant to the grant program, the department shall give special consideration to all of the following:

(1) Socioeconomically disadvantaged school districts with limited access to visual and performing arts education, in which funding may be used to create new opportunities.

(2) School districts with a demonstrated commitment to visual and performing arts education, in which funding may be used to match local investment for specific programs.

(3) School districts demonstrating districtwide commitment to visual and performing arts education in their existing local control and accountability plans.

(4) School districts that articulate a plan for the sustained provision of visual and performing arts education.

(d) An applicant’s grant program application shall include a plan describing how it will use the grant. The department shall give favorable consideration to plans that expend appropriate grant resources on effective visual and performing arts education supports, including on any of the following:

(1) Offering high-quality curriculum and instruction in all five disciplines aligned with the state’s visual and performing arts content standards for sequential, standards-based arts education, provided by certificated visual and performing arts educators and qualified community arts providers.

(2) Offering visual and performing arts education and integration professional learning for teachers to enhance educator quality, preparation, and professional learning in the visual and performing arts.

(3) Collecting and reporting appropriate data for the evaluation of the grant program.

(4) Making public and private direct and indirect investments in mentorship and training.

(5) Building awareness and public will through community engagement and mobilization.

(6) Identifying and utilizing community cultural and linguistic resources.

(e) (1) The department shall award grants pursuant to the grant program based on an appropriate scoring system that is based on a demonstrated commitment to high-quality visual and performing arts education and equity.

(2) A grant recipient may consist of one or more, or any combination of, of the following:

(A) A school district.

(B) A county office of education.

(C) A charter school.

(f) In developing and administering the grant program, the department shall consult with persons and entities that have expertise in visual and performing arts education, including the following:

(1) Higher education institutions with certificated visual and performing arts programs.

(2) Community cultural organizations.

(3) School district personnel.

(4) Creative industry business leaders.

(5) Teachers.

(6) Parents.

(7) Visual and performing arts education policy experts.

(8) Statewide professional visual and performing arts organizations.

SECTION 1.

(a)The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1)Visual and performing arts help increase academic achievement in reading and mathematics. Pupils who participate in the arts become better readers and writers and outperform their peers on mathematics assessments. These benefits of an arts education are highest for low-income pupils and English language learners.

(2)Visual and performing arts increase and improve 21st-century skills such as perseverance, grit, and collaboration. The arts build the capacity for sustained attention, completing complex tasks, and working as a productive member of a group or team.

(3)Visual and performing arts strengthen problem-solving ability. The arts encourage the development of the reasoning and analytical skills that help solve complex problems.

(4)Visual and performing arts build leadership capacity. Learning in and through the arts develops decisionmaking, planning, and strategy skills, as well as a greater sense of confidence and identity.

(5)Visual and performing arts improve critical thinking. The arts help develop pupils’ abilities to understand multiple viewpoints, hypothesize, compare facts, and critique.

(6)Visual and performing arts motivate pupils to learn and to be engaged in school. The arts allow pupils to connect new knowledge to personal experience, and to share that knowledge with others. Pupils involved in the arts are more likely to come to school and to participate.

(7)Visual and performing arts promote cross-cultural understanding. Arts learning experiences encourage prosocial behavior and tolerance that prepare pupils for life in a global and diverse society.

(8)Pupils with access to visual and performing arts are more likely to graduate from high school. Pupils with the most intensive arts experiences show the lowest risk of dropping out, and pupils with little to no arts experience are five times more likely to drop out.

(9)Pupils with access to visual and performing arts pursue higher education. Pupils with arts education experiences are more likely than their peers without arts education experiences both to attend postsecondary school and to earn a four-year degree.

(10)Pupils with access to visual and performing arts are civically engaged. Pupils who have had an arts education are more likely to feel engaged and to volunteer in their communities.

(11)While the benefits of visual and performing arts are most pronounced for pupils at the highest risk of failure, those same pupils have the least access to arts education. In California, only 38 percent of pupils are enrolled in an arts course.

(b)It is the intent of the Legislature to enact the California Arts Education Act.