Commission Calls for Strengthening Arts Education

From the Department of Public Instruction

Recommendations from the State Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Arts Education call for recognizing the arts as the “fourth R” in the foundation of a basic education and strengthening instruction in the arts throughout the K-12 curriculum.

The 24 commission members — who represented music, theatre, dance, visual art and design; business and industry; legislators; and education leaders — conducted a year-long study of the status of arts education in Wisconsin. The commission presented a final report in July 2000 to the Department of Public Instruction, including recommendations for improving arts education.

“I will be giving careful consideration to the recommendations contained in this report,” said State Superintendent John T. Benson. “The commission’s work reinforces that instruction in the arts is as important to our strength in and understanding of the global community as reading, writing, and arithmetic. Arts instruction cultivates the creative, communicative, and cognitive skills in our students that are so highly valued in the workplace and the world.”

The commission reviewed national research on arts education, met with national leaders, conducted a survey of state arts educators, received testimony from state arts education leaders, held public forums across the state, and met regularly to review information and compile recommendations.

The commission’s study found that state students in kindergarten through sixth grade receive weekly instruction in the arts by or under the supervision of certified arts and music teachers. Wisconsin students in upper grades have access to arts instruction through elective coursework or extracurricular activities. Students have very limited access to classes in theatre and dance across all grade levels.

The report noted that Wisconsin has written academic standards for the arts at the state level, but the arts are not included in statewide assessments. It also noted that 34 states require between one-half and two credits of fine arts instruction for high school graduation or college entrance. Wisconsin does not require fine arts credits for high school graduation.

The report stressed the importance of the arts in developing students’ creative-thinking and problem-solving skills as well as the arts contribution to understanding the diverse cultures of our global society.

It stated that, “The arts are considered an important part of a culture. Cultures are judged on the basis of their art forms. The arts provide unique ways of thinking, knowing, and doing, and are just as valuable to the development of the mind as any other subject in school. Depriving students of a basic education in the arts will result in a cognitively and culturally impoverished nation.”

“The arts are the foundation for learning; they help shape who we are and how we express ourselves,” wrote Kelly Wolff, mill manager for Fort James Corporation in Green Bay. “Children love to learn when they have the ability to use self-expression and creativity. This element is lacking in our requirements after the elementary school years. In business, we need the creative side of our employees more than ever. We are still facing the need to improve our efficiencies and productivity with limited resources. Our employees are our best resource to add value and cost savings. We need the creative thinkers who can, and will, make our companies stronger and more competitive.”

Recommendations from the commission’s report include the need for:

• instruction in each of the arts to be from licensed arts teachers;

• inclusion of theatre and dance education in schools;

• students to have arts instruction throughout their K-12 schooling;

• instruction in the arts to be based on written standards and curriculum;

• adequate, meaningful assessment of the arts; and

• improved communication regarding the importance of arts education.

This PDF file contains this news release, an overview of the commission’s 49 recommendations and a list of members of the State Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Arts Education:

DPI news release

For a complete report, contact the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, (262) 646-5144, virdrisc@gdinet.com, or the Department of Public Instruction, (608) 267-5041.

Posted August 10, 2000