In 1994 the Educate America Act created arts standards for Pre-K through 12th grade to assist students in becoming creative thinkers, makers and responders to the world around them. A great deal has changed since that time, especially in regards to education technology and information sharing, and in 2011 the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards was created to develop new national voluntary arts standards with input from professional artists, researchers and practicing arts educators in five different arts disciplines: Dance, Media Arts, Visual Arts, Music, and Theater. These new standards enable teachers to provide high quality instruction that help students succeed, in school and in life.
Because policy decisions are relegated to state and local school districts, the national core arts standards remain voluntary until individual states adopt them as policy. There are various processes for adopting, adapting and revising these new standards, but the bottom line is ARTS EDUCATION NEEDS YOR VOICE. To learn more about what New York (or your state) is planning and how your voice can contribute, please visit www.seadae.org
