>CONGRESS PASSES LONG-AWAITED EDUCATION ACT;
>ARTS EDUCATION WINS SUPPORT
>On December 18, 2001 Congress finished work on the biggest overhaul
>of education law since passage of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary
>Education Act. The new act, titled No Child Left Behind, included key
>provisions long sought by arts education advocates and marks a major
>victory for arts learning.
>Arts as a Core Academic Subject: The new act includes a general
>definition of "core academic subjects," which includes the arts. The
>Arts were given equal billing with reading, math, science, and other
>disciplines. This means that whenever national education programs
>(such as teacher training, school reform, and technology programs) are
>targeted to "core academic subjects," the arts may be eligible to receive
>federal funds. Such a broad recognition of the arts has never before
>been included in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
>The national arts service organizations are working together to produce a
>document with more information about the bill and with specific examples
>of how artists, schools, parents, teachers, community organizations, and
>policymakers can take steps to increase local support for arts education.
>The guide will be available in early 2002.
Jackie Aust
Bryan High Art Teacher/District Art Coordinator
Bryan Texas
austart@bryanisd.org
jab1997@bryanisd.org
