Education Leaders Assemble to Strategize on Increasing
Arts Education Participation in All New Jersey Schools
Nearly 200 New Jersey Arts education leaders and education officials gathered at “Arts Ed Summit 2017” to chart the future direction for arts education in the state. The day-long event was held at the Foundation for Education Administration Center in Monroe Township on September 28.
Set against a backdrop of inspiring student artwork and performances, the Summit provided an energizing forum for discussions about strategies to increase student participation in Arts Education in all schools in New Jersey. Participants were particularly encouraged by recent findings from the 2017 Rutgers-Eagleton Public Opinion Survey released on September 14 that revealed nearly all New Jerseyans (90%) believe that arts education is important for all students. Equally promising were results from the 2017 New Jersey Arts Education Census Report released on September 20 that found that New Jersey is now reaching the point of “universal access” to arts education for all students.
Opening remarks were provided by Dr. Dale Schmid, Visual & Performing Arts coordinator for New Jersey’s State Department of Education, Nick Paleologos, executive director, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and Robert Morrison, co-director, Arts Ed NJ.
“Along with knowledge comes responsibility and so now it’s our responsibility to take the next step forward and that’s what today is about,” said Dr. Schmid. “To help ensure equity access to everybody, and to close that gap.”
