It has been 10 months since Proposition 28, the Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act, was overwhelmingly passed by California voters. Although there are still details to be worked out at the state level, many students in our county are already benefiting from new arts education programs created as a result of this historic funding. I’m wondering how things are going in your context. Do more students have access to arts education during the school day? Are there plans for making this happen soon? Who is making those plans? As each school determines which program or programs it will offer, school administrators — in collaboration with teachers, families, and students — should make the choice that best serves students in their local school community (CDE Proposition 28 FAQ).

As you can imagine, I receive questions about implementing Proposition 28 funding from educators, leaders, and community members daily and in response to this, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) has created a strand of Prop 28-focused sessions at the Arts Empower Mega Conference. The SDCOE Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) website has also been reorganized to better meet your needs. Here you will find important information to support you in creating new arts education programs to increase arts education instruction for students.

If you are looking for additional resources and support, I encourage you to continue reading this newsletter, regularly visit the SDCOE VAPA website, and reach out to me with your questions by email or phone.

VAPA Coordinator, SDCOE

858-295-8881

Visit the SDCOE VAPA website to learn more about these professional learning opportunities:

Is your district looking to increase staffing in response to the funding from Proposition 28? Check out the staffing resources on the SDCOE VAPA website for support from the state arts education framework and organizations across the state.

Are you interested in building your own leadership capacity? If so, you won’t want to miss the professional learning opportunities and resources found on the SDCOE VAPA website.

Standards-based Curriculum, Materials and Facilities

Whether you are new to teaching the arts or looking for new ideas, check out the Standards-based Curriculum as well as the Materials and Facilities resources available on the SDCOE VAPA website to get inspired.

Did you know that our local arts education organizations are available to provide arts education programs for students both during and outside of the school day? Many of them offer resources and professional learning opportunities for educators too! Check out our directory of arts organizations in our county. If you don’t see your favorite organization listed, please connect them with Pauline Crooks so we can share their brilliance with more students!

If you have an upcoming arts event for students or educators, an arts professional learning opportunity, or an arts curriculum resource to share, submit your ideas to us.