Testing Factors in Urban Schools

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting an article on testing factors in urban school districts.

Diverse Populations in Urban Schools Add to Testing Difficulties
From the Providence Journal, September 22, 2006

While it is true that urban schools do, on average, score significantly lower on Rhode Island's tests, it is also true that it is harder for those schools to reach moderately or high-performing status. Because they have more diverse populations, urban schools must report the test scores of different subgroups of students if they have at least 45 such students in their schools. Suburban and rural schools often do not have 45 or more of these students, and therefore do not have to report those test scores as separate subgroups. Schools must meet all of their targets to make "adequate yearly progress" under No Child Left Behind and to receive a high-performing classification under the state accountability system. Of the 38 Rhode Island elementary and middle schools classified as making insufficient progress, 24 are in Providence and the rest are in four other urban districts. It seems unfair that urban districts already
facing the biggest challenges should also have the most to answer for, but educators say such scrutiny means minority, poor and special-education students can no longer be ignored. Read more at http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20060922_target22.31a10a0.html .

An Arts Degree in the Business World

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting information about the role of an arts degree in business.

The Art Market
Frieze (London), 9/13/06

"An arts degree, some experts claim, is now one of the most desirable qualifications in the world of business. Yet cross-pollination comes with a high risk of failure - is it worth it?" Read more at http://www.frieze.com/column_single.asp?c=343

# # #

Funding Opportunities

The Institute for Education and the Arts is providing information on two funding opportunities for the arts.

Support American Art in Classroom Program
From the National Endowment for the Humanities

National Endowment for the Humanities announces funds to provide exposure to American art in K-12 public schools, private or charter schools, and resource centers for home school consortia, as well as to create and support opportunities for discussion of aesthetic methods, art history, narrative technique, American history, and American literature. Eligible applicants include city or township governments, county governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, state governments, nonprofit organizations, and private institutions of higher education. The deadline for applications is October 16, 2006. Approximately $325,000 is available to fund 1 award. For further information, contact Barbara Bays at (202) 606-8290 or visit the NEH's website.

Art Projects
From the Puffin Foundation:

Puffin Foundation announces funds for supporting creative and innovative initiatives that will advance progressive social change. Grants are intended to encourage emerging artists in the fields of art, music, theater, dance, photography, and literature. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations. The deadline for applications is December 15, 2006. For further information, go to the Puffin Foundation's site.

# # #

Report on Teacher Education Programs

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting information about the release of a report on university-based teacher education.

Teacher Education Out of Step with Realities of Classrooms: Educating School Teachers Report
From the Education Schools Project, September 19, 2006

The release of Educating School Teachers, a provocative analysis of the quality of university-based teacher education in the United States, prepared by Arthur Levine, president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and former president of Teachers College, Columbia University. While recognizing model programs nationwide, the report will say that the vast majority of the nation's teachers are prepared in programs that have low admission and graduation standards and cling to an outdated vision of teacher education.

Learn more at http://www.edschools.org.

# # #

Arts Participation Report; PTA Support for Arts Education Funding

he Institute for Education and the Arts is posting two items, one on arts participation and consumer spending and one on the National PTA’s support for full funding of the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts Education grants.


NEWS REPORTS RELEASED

"Two new reports were released about arts participation and consumer spending on the performing arts. "Arts, Culture, and the Social Health of the Nation 2005," was released by the Institute for Innovation in Social Policy, Vassar College. This project was designed to monitor the artistic and cultural experiences of Americans by looking at changes in arts participation since 2002. "Consumer Spending on Performing Arts 2005" was released by the National Endowment for the Arts. Overall, 2005 saw gains in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) and personal consumption spending, but such growth eluded consumer spending on live arts events. Consumer expenditures on arts performances reached $12.7 billion, but when adjusted for inflation, year-over-year spending remained steady."

Visit the Arts Marketing website at www.artsmarketing.org to access these reports.

NATIONAL PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION JOINS FIGHT FOR ARTS EDUCATION FUNDING

"Following a speech by Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch at the National Parent Teacher Association's (PTA) convention, the PTA sent a letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Ranking Member Tom Harkin (D-IA) that calls for full funding of the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education. The letter represents a request from nearly six million parents, teachers, students, and child advocates. "

Read more at www.pta.org/documents/senate-71106.pdf

U.S. Department of Education announces Arts in Education grants

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting information about the awarding of U.S. Department of Education Arts Education Grants.

U.S. Department of Education Awards $13 Million in Arts Education Grants
From the Americans for the Arts

"The 2006 slate of Arts in Education Model Development & Dissemination Grant awards was released last month by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). The USDE awarded 34 three-year grants in 21 states. These grants stem from arts education funding, a focus of Arts Advocacy Day, as well as ongoing Americans for the Arts advocacy activities. Several Americans for the Arts members received grants, including the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Many other Americans for the Arts members are key community partners with grant awardees. This program provides grants that focus on the development, documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of effective arts education models that integrate and strengthen arts in elementary and middle-school curricula. For further information on national arts education programs, please contact Director of Federal Affairs Narric Rome at nrome@artsusa.org."

Learn more about the 2006 Arts Education grant awards here.

# # #

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting an article about No Child Left Behind (NCLB) reauthorization.

Education Secretary "Open-Minded" to No Child Left Behind Changes
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 15, 2006

Congress might require new testing methods and revise special education provisions when the No Child Left Behind Act comes up for reauthorization next year, one of the education reform law's chief architects said. "I'm open-minded to different methods of measuring success," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.

Read the complete article here.

Related item: National Association for Secondary School Principals (NASSP) recommendations for NCLB Reauthorization

# # #

Classical Music Quiz

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting a classical music brain teaser originally posted at ArtsJournal.com.

Think You Know Classical Music?

Here's a way to prove it (or not) The Guardian has another of its
famously tough quizzes (We won't reveal our own score).

Take the quiz here.

NPR to Stop Producing "Performance Today"

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting this article from The Washington Post regarding the National Public Radio program Performance Today.

NPR TO STOP PRODUCING "PERFORMANCE TODAY"
Washington Post- AP, 9/7/06

"National Public Radio said it will end production and distribution of 'Performance Today,' the most popular classical music program on the air. . . . The move is another sign of classical music's diminished role at NPR and its affiliated stations. Many public stations have dropped daily classical programming, including 'Performance Today,' in favor of news and talk programs."

Read the complete article here.

# # #

Federal Funding for the Arts

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting news from the Americans for the Arts regarding the status of federal legislation supporting the arts.

CONGRESS DELAYS ARTS FUNDING DECISIONS

"Congress returned from its August recess with a mountain of unfinished business, including nearly all the annual appropriations bills as well as important tax legislation. However, Congress is giving precedence to national security issues during September and will recess again at the end of the month. Therefore, final funding decisions on both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and on the U.S. Department of Education's arts education programs will be delayed until a lame duck session, now scheduled to commence on November 13, 2006, and expected to run at least through Thanksgiving. The good news in this scenario is that arts advocates have a chance to keep up the pressure during the election campaign.

For more information about federal funding, please contact Americans for the Arts Senior Director of Government Affairs Andy Finch at afinch@artsusa.org.

# # #

Librarians at the Gates (The Nation)

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting an article from The Nation regarding librarians’ roles in protecting free speech.

Librarians at the Gates
The Nation, online edition, 8/22/06

"Courage, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. And in an era of increasing controls on the gathering and dissemination of information, many Americans are unaware of the courageous stands librarians take every day.

"The day-to-day challenges librarians face are inherent in the job description: defending access to controversial or banned books, staving off budget cuts, and creating and expanding programs to draw more citizens into one of the few remaining genuinely public commons in American life. While the ethic of secrecy often prevails in the gathering and dissemination of corporate and governmental information, the work of a librarian is imbued with just the opposite. Be it in the capacity of archivist, reference librarian or information technology professional, a common thread is the profession's dogged commitment to safeguarding books, research and information to make knowledge more widespread, not less."

Read the entire article here.

"Mercury Prize for Kids" part of National Music Week in UK

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting an article about the Mercury Prize for secondary school students as part of National Music Week in the UK.

"Mercury Prize for Kids" launched
BBC News, 9/12/2006

"The British recording industry has launched a 'Mercury Prize for kids' in secondary schools across the UK. The competition is part of National Music Week, a joint initiative between the government and the music industry to improve music education in schools. Pupils will choose between 10 British artists from a variety of genres to decide the winner of the prize. . . . 'To date most music education in schools has focused on teaching children to play instruments,' said Peter Jamieson, chairman of the British Phonographic Industry. 'National Music Week is about exposing young people to a broad range of music and helping them to improve their listening skills.'"

Read the complete BBC article here.

Annenberg Media Series: "The Art of Teaching Art"

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting information about resources for teaching art in K-5 classrooms.

THE ART OF TEACHING ART
This series of fourteen videos from Annenberg Media provides a primer on how K-5 teachers can introduce arts into their classrooms. Examples of successful implementation are included, and teachers describe how they know when it's working (video lengths vary). www.learner.org/resources/series165.html

Grant Opportunities

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting a list of funding opportunities for music, arts, and education.


Using Music to Teach Mathematics Grants National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Using Music to Teach Mathematics Grants are available for the incorporation of music into the elementary school classroom to help young students learn mathematics.

Maximum Award: $3,000
Eligibility: Current NCTM members or those who teach in a school with a current K–8 NCTM school membership and currently teach mathematics or collaborate with teachers of mathematics in grades K–2.
Deadline: November 3, 2006.
Contact: http://www.ascapfoundation.org/grants.html

Grants for Arts, Education, and Health Projects
The Milagro Foundation seeks grants applications from community-based, grass-roots organizations that work with underprivileged children and youth in the areas of arts, education, and health.

Maximum Award: $5000
Eligibility:501(c)3 organizations in the United States.
Deadline: N/A.
Contact: www.milagrofoundation.org/apply.asp

Grants to Support Art and Music Programs
The Airborne Teacher Trust Fund invites elementary and middle school teachers to submit proposals for art and music programs that their schools are unable to fund.

Maximum Award:$10,000.
Eligibility: elementary and middle school teachers in both public and private schools.
Deadline:October 1, 2006.
Contact: http://www.airbornetrust.com/index.aspx

Grants for Successful Interactive Teaching Programs
The Best Buy te@ch program rewards schools for successful interactive programs they have launched using available technology. Winning te@ch programs focus on kids using technology to learn standards-based curriculum, rather than on teaching students to use technology or educators using technology that children aren’t able to use hands-on.

Maximum Award:$2,500.
Eligibility:Accredited K-12 public, private, parochial, and nonprofit charter schools located within a 50-mile radius of a Best Buy store.
Deadline: September 30, 2006
Contact: bestbuyteach.scholarshipamerica.org

Art Contest Celebrates the Diverse Heritages of All Students
NCCREST is sponsoring a national art contest in conjunction with its National Forum to capture the vision of all artists about what schools look like when they value and include the background, experiences, and heritage of all students.

Maximum Award: $300 and a trip for two to Washington for the 2007 NCCREST National Forum.
Eligibility: students K-12 and adults.
Deadline: October 31, 2006.
Contact: http://www.nccrest.org/events/events/art_contest.html

Art Teachers Fellowship Program
Surdna Foundation Arts Teachers Fellowship Program is a national initiative to support the artistic revitalization of outstanding arts teachers in specialized, public arts high schools. Through the program, fellows will design individualized courses of study that provide both immersion in their own creative work and the opportunity to interact with other professional artists in their fields to enhance the effectiveness of arts teachers and directly benefit the young people they teach.

Maximum Award: $6,500
Eligibility:permanently assigned full- and part-time arts faculty in specialized, public arts high schools.
Deadline: November 17, 2006.
Contact: Surdna Foundation

Grants for Formal K-12 Education
RGK Foundation awards grants within education to programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science and reading), teacher development, literacy, and higher education.

Maximum Award: $25,000
Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations
Deadline: N/ A
Contact: http://www.rgkfoundation.org/guidelines.php#programs

Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poe: Public's Attitudes Toward Public Schools

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting a notice about the just released Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll.

Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools Released

The annual Phi Delta Kappa (PDK)/Gallup Poll on key education issues shows once again this year that most respondents have a positive opinion of their local public schools, but have an unfavorable view of the quality of schools nationwide. More respondents also claim to have a greater knowledge of No Child Left Behind than in previous years, and nearly 58% feel that the federal education law is hurting or making no difference in education policy. The majority of those polled also believe that that individual student improvement (growth models) should be used to measure a school’s performance. To read more about the survey, click
here.

National Education Foundation Grant Announcement

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting a grant opportunity from the National Education Association.

The National Education Association Foundation Learning and Leadership Grants

Organization: The National Education Association Foundation
Eligibility: Educators at public K-12 schools or public institutions of higher education
Value: Between $2,000 and $5,000
Deadline: October 15, 2006

Grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; and grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. Grant funds may be used for fees, travel expenses, books, or other materials that enable applicants to learn subject matter, instructional approaches, and skills. Recipients are expected to exercise professional leadership by sharing their new learning with their colleagues.

Read more at the

Arts Education Research in Hawaii

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting a notice about new research in arts education.

Federal grant to fund arts education research
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 8/24/2006

Hawaii will become one of only four states to receive a U.S. Department of Education grant to study the effects of arts education. The $1.1 million grant, to be doled out over four years, will be spent in four Hawaii schools to scrutinize the educational benefits of a balanced arts program. Scholars at the University of Hawaii will be involved in collecting and interpreting the data.

Read the entire Star-Bulletin story.