Research is a powerful advocacy tool. Numerous published reports demonstrate that student involvement in the arts is linked to higher academic performance, increased standardized test scores, greater involvement in community service and lower dropout rates. This section of our website contains facts sheets, links to the latest research as well as guides to support your efforts to evaluate, plan and advocate for arts education in your district. opportunities and threats in our field. Below we have listed some featured research reports.

What Exactly Does the Superintendent of Public Instruction Do?

published by CAAEStaff on May 13, 2010 - 12:00am

The Survey: This month, the California Alliance for Arts Education conducted a survey of candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction. It asked candidates to respond to go on record about a variety of issues related to arts education, including access, assessment and workforce preparation. The survey is intended to provide voters with information about how these candidates might impact arts education policy and implementation as superintendent.

Well-Rounded Curriculum in the Spotlight as ESEA Re-Write Gains Momentum

published by CAAEStaff on April 28, 2010 - 12:00am

By Heather Noonan, Vice President for Advocacy for the League of American Orchestras and Co-Chair of the ad-hoc National Arts Education Policy Working Group.

How will the next version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) support access to the arts as part of a well-rounded education for every child? This month the Administration, Congress, and arts education advocates have advanced the conversation. Now is a critical time for arts advocates to engage in the real heart of the debate.

You Asked: Advocacy Tips for your District

published by CAAEStaff on March 16, 2010 - 12:00am

Whether you are just getting started, or have been at it a while, organizing successful advocacy in your district can be tough. Earlier this month we brought together advocates from all over the state for a webinar, Standing Up for Arts Education. Veterans from the field offered tips on the basics, from building a team, crafting effective messages to picking the right targets. Participants asked questions and posited next steps.

Articulating the Value of Arts Education to Corporate Funders

published by CAAEStaff on March 4, 2010 - 12:00am

By Jason Pugatch, Associate Director, Young Storytellers Foundation

It’s one of the great anomalies of our society that the arts are both valued and underfunded; both praised and looked upon as a frivolity. A Harris Poll found that 93% of Americans find arts education to be a vital part of a well-rounded education. A visit to the opera or a museum opening continues to carry social caché.

Are Public-Private Partnerships the Way Forward?

published by CAAEStaff on February 4, 2010 - 12:00am

In recent years, the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) has put together an innovative program called My Masterpieces: Discovering Art in My Community, which capitalizes on local art institutions through field trips and specifically co-designed K-6 visual art curriculum. With California facing a fiscal meltdown and harrowing cycles of budget cuts, we wondered if these kinds of public-private models offer a viable way to build sustainable arts education programs. We spoke with Marshall Ayers, the Arts Education Coordinator for the district, to learn more.

A College Freshman Returns to her High School to Champion Arts Education

published by CAAEStaff on January 20, 2010 - 12:00am

San Francisco State University freshman, theatre major and poetry slam champion, Jasmine Williams, talked to us about why she returned to her high school to talk to the next generation about a career in the arts.

Alliance: What got you so passionate about the arts?

Theatre & Dance Credentialing: The Time is Now

published by CAAEStaff on October 7, 2009 - 12:00am

Recently, Kathy Lynch, the Alliance’s legislative advocate, and I met with the California State Commission on Teacher Credentialing. After taking input from professional dance and theatre instructors from across California, we wanted to make the case for separate credentialing of dance and theatre instructors. Why?

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