CLSBA Unity Conference

Proposition 28 adds The Arts and Music in Schools— Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act to the California Education Code to provide a minimum source for annual funding to “supplement arts education programs” for pupils attending PK–12 public schools.

The passage of Prop 28 is a historic opportunity to reverse years of underinvestment in the arts and provide all students, regardless of their zip code, the complete education they deserve that prepares them for the 21st-century workforce, increases their engagement in school, and develops social-emotional skills.

SRI Education’s latest study, “Creativity Challenge: The State of Arts Education in California,” reveals that 89% of California schools fail to meet the state’s arts education mandate of offering all California students dance, music, theater, and visual arts instruction. Only 14% of schools serving primarily low-income students offer all four arts disciplines, compared to 32% of schools with a majority of affluent students.

What can LEAs do to fulfill the promise of Prop 28? To answer this question, representatives from Create CA and the Moreno Valley USD Schoolboard will provide an overview of Prop 28, review promising practices for LEAs to support and expand arts education, showcase exemplary arts programs, and dive into new resources to aid LEAs in planning and implementing arts programs.

The session will also facilitate small group discussions to surface ideas, questions, and needs to ensure the effective implementation of Prop 28.