Arts, Foreign Language at Risk of Becoming 'Lost Curriculum' Says Association of State Boards of Education 10/21/2003
From: David Griffith of NASBE, 703-684-4000 ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 -- Arts and foreign language instruction has been marginalized and is increasingly at risk of being completely eliminated as part of the public schools' core curriculum warns a new report by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). With most states emphasizing accountability in only a few academic subjects, primarily reading, math, and science, there is a growing fear that schools are narrowly focusing on those subjects at the expense of other important components of a comprehensive education, such as the arts and humanities. "Unfortunately, arts and foreign language are too often thought of as an 'educational luxury.' The fact is, however, that these subjects should be considered as fundamental to a child's education as the three 'R's'," said Brenda Welburn, NASBE executive director. Indeed, there is a substantial body of research highlighting the benefits of including the arts and foreign language in the curriculum. Students who study and participate in the arts do substantially better than those who do not in almost every academic measure. Arts study can also help level the playing field for disadvantaged students. The implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has further raised concerns about the narrowing of the curriculum. While NCLB includes subjects such as the arts, civics and geography as part of a core curriculum, there is a fear that states are focusing their attention and resources on the law's primary emphasis on reading, math, and science to the detriment of other curricular areas. As educators and policymakers focus on leaving no child behind, many are questioning whether our nation's schools are also leaving half of the child's education behind. Parents and the public at large appear to intrinsically understand this. A recent Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll found that 80 percent of Americans have a great deal or a fair amount of concern that "relying on testing for English and math only to judge a school's performance will mean less emphasis on arts, music, history, and other subjects." The report, "The Complete Curriculum: Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America's Schools," made several recommendations for state policymakers to promote arts and foreign language instruction: -- Adopt high-quality licensure requirements for staff in the arts and foreign languages that are aligned with student standards in these subject areas; -- Ensure adequate time for high-quality professional development; -- Ensure adequate staff expertise at the state education agency to work in the areas of the arts and foreign languages; -- Incorporate both the arts and foreign languages into core graduation requirements, while simultaneously increasing the number of credits required for graduation; -- Incorporate arts and foreign language learning in the early years into standards, curriculum frameworks, and course requirements. "Whether the label is a well-rounded education, a liberal arts education, or a comprehensive education, the goal is the same: to prepare students for the working world, for their roles and responsibilities as citizens in a democracy, and to prepare them for life in an increasingly interdependent and culturally diverse world. A student cannot be considered to be fully educated without learning about the arts and a foreign language. It is vital to a child's intellectual and personal development, but also imperative for the nation's well-being," said Welburn. The report is available by calling (800) 220-5183. ------ NASBE, http://www.nasbe.org, represents America's state and territorial boards of education. Their principal objectives are to strengthen state leadership in education policymaking; advocate equality of access to educational opportunity; promote excellence in the education of all students; and assure responsible lay governance of education. |