-- Richard Riley
Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Education

Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, published in early 2000 by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, documents the work of seven nationally recognized, independent university research teams investigating the impact of arts education on learning and student success. The nationwide research project, undertaken through a cooperative agreement between the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the U.S. Department of Education, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the Council of Chief State School Officers, leaves no doubt that "if we are to equip young people for professionally and personally rewarding careers, we must give them greatly enriched experiences [through the arts and humanities.]"

"Learning in and Through the Arts" (LITA) and other Champions of Change studies found much evidence that learning in the arts has significant effects on learning in other domains. LITA suggests a dynamic model in which learning in one domain supports and stimulates learning in others, which in turn supports and stimulates learning in a complex web of influence described as a "constellation." LITA and other researchers provide compelling evidence that student achievement is heightened in an environment with high-quality arts education offerings and a school climate supportive of active and productive learning.

The following are additional Champions of Change highlights:

• Data from the College Entrance Examination Board show that students who take four years or more of arts and music classes in high school score an average of 83 points better on their SATs than students who take only one-half year or less.
  
• Research analysis of 25,000 students from the National Educational Longitudinal Survey revealed that involvement in the arts is linked to higher academic performance, increased standardized test scores, more community service and lower school dropout rates. Students, regardless of their socio-economic status, reap cognitive and developmental benefits from arts involvement. In addition, the data show that high arts participation makes a significant difference to students from low-income backgrounds.
  
• There was clear evidence that sustained involvement in particular art forms, i.e., music and theater, is highly correlated with success in mathematics and reading.
  
• Arts programs for youth decrease involvement in delinquent behavior, increase academic achievement and improve youth's attitudes about themselves and their future. Art and art-making encourage and often require behaviors that are positive in family, school, and community settings. Cooperation, respect, sharing, and also trust, altruism, and competence for the task at hand -- these are skills and behaviors nurtured by work in art. The Youth ARTS Development Project research, funded by the federal Department of Justice, discovered that arts participation by young people resulted in the following:

  - Skills: An increased ability to express anger in a constructive way and increased ability to work on tasks from start to finish;
  - Attitudes and Behavior: A decreased frequency of delinquent behavior and improved attitudes toward school; and
  - Court involvement: Fewer new court referrals and less severe new offenses.

Arts education exists in the dual universe of the public school and the community, each with its own unique challenges and opportunities. There is an extraordinary story to be told about the value of arts education. These messages must be told and retold throughout the community.

Montgomery County Schools: A Brief Profile
Montgomery County has a highly-regarded public school system. Public school system enrollment has increased in recent years at a five percent annual rate in response to the rapid pace of population growth in the county, especially among ethnically diverse populations. This is having a significant effect on schools as well as in the community. The school system's population is the most ethnically diverse in its history; five of every 10 students are classified as African-American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American. The school system also reports that students come from as many as 138 foreign countries, with 119 different languages spoken at home.

Many students come from families of modest means with one in four public school students eligible for FARMS (free and reduced-priced meal service.) Local sources, most notably property tax and income tax revenues, make up 85% of the school budgets in Montgomery County. Only one in four taxpayers in Montgomery County has a child in public school, yet the public school budget represents over 50% of the total County operating budget. There is tremendous pressure on the school system from the general community to raise the academic bar for all students and close the achievement gap between Caucasian and Asian students, and other ethnic groups, especially in the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), and the Criterion-Referenced Tests (CRT) in reading and mathematics.

Arts and Cultural Education in Montgomery County Schools

Based on growing awareness of the impact of arts education on student success and the State of Maryland's commitment to providing arts education as an essential part of a child's education, the availability of arts education for all students is a major concern for the county school system.

In Montgomery County schools, arts education currently is at reduced levels from that enjoyed prior to the recession of the early 1990s. At that time, school funding shortages resulted in significant cutbacks to school budgets and most notably to arts education programs and activities. Art and music teachers were laid off. System-wide arts coordinator positions were reduced. The irony is that, when the economy recovered, the school system did not restore funding for arts and humanities education. Rather, the focus seems to have shifted to an emphasis on basic skills and improvement on standardized tests.

As recently as 1995, the State of Maryland made a commitment to high standards of accountability in education that recognized the need for high quality arts education as an essential part of a child's education. This statewide goal was articulated as:

"By the year 2000, 100 percent of Maryland's students will participate in fine arts programs that enable them to meet the content and achievement standards established by State standards for the arts."

To assist school systems like Montgomery County with implementing this goal, the State Board of Education appointed a Fine Arts Standards Task Force and an Education Advisory Panel to develop standards for program evaluation and a plan for implementing programs in the schools. The State Board of Education subsequently approved content and achievement standards, known as Essential Learner Outcomes (ELOs), for dance, music, theater and visual arts programs in public schools. In FY98 and FY99, Fine Arts Grants Programs were initiated by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to help school districts to revise curriculum, promote collaborative program development across jurisdictions, undertake professional development initiatives, and address deficits in specific arts fields such as dance and theater. Additional funding was distributed in FY00 for implementation by local school systems, with another $1.3 million enhancement to the FY01 base budget of $1.9 million.

It is within this context of a strong state policy and increased opportunities for arts education that a paradox emerges in Montgomery County. The school system has long enjoyed a national reputation for delivery of high-quality, sequential instruction in the arts, as well as arts integrated across the curriculum, but in recent years these programs have received cutbacks in support. Today these programs do not exist across the county for every student and many disciplines are largely under-represented.

Also, there currently is no master plan for reintegration of arts into the curriculum, despite the state arts education initiative. Further, schools are not taking full advantage of opportunities to build sustained relationships with community-based arts and humanities organizations to provide additional arts and humanities enrichment for students. Many school districts have experienced a gradual erosion of their support system for arts education. Similarly, Montgomery County finds itself regrouping to meet new challenges with fewer financial and human resources available to do so.

Arts Education in the Community
Montgomery County has a high concentration of visual arts, music, performing arts and other organizations that deliver a wide variety of quality arts education programs for adults and children. These programs take place as part of school activities, after-school programs, on weekends and throughout the summer. They occur in nonprofit settings, in schools, in private studios, through the Montgomery County Recreation Department, and in unique park settings. The following is a partial listing of the arts education programs that are available through the nonprofit sector in Montgomery County. These programs have grown in response to an enormous public interest in the arts. Although this is not a complete list, some of the local community-based arts education resources are listed below:

• Glen Echo Park, under the auspices of the National Park Service, offers year-round community activities in dance, theater and the arts, along with concerts, demonstrations, workshops and festivals that are part of the Chautauqua Summer season. The park also administers an artist-in-residency program allowing the public to see artists at work, and is host to the Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery, offering classes and support for emerging artists.
  
• Adventure Theatre, located in Glen Echo Park, is approaching its 50th year of continuous operation. It offers year-round classes in the dramatic arts for children and adults. Adventure Theatre presents plays from both the classical and new children's literature and, on weekdays, offers educational shows that can be seen at the theatre for field trips or booked for touring to schools.
  
• The County Recreation Department is directly involved in the delivery of arts services through classes and workshops in community centers and other locations throughout the county. These classes typically are inexpensive compared to privately-provided classes and are available in many locations where residents may have no other sources for such classes. The Department offers classes and workshops in music, dance, drama, visual arts and crafts. Over 7,300 residents each year participate in these programs. The Recreation Department also coordinates an annual Youth Art Exhibit.
  
• Round House Theatre, an equity theatre company, offers classes throughout the year for all age groups from preschoolers to evening acting classes for adults to Youth Onstage, a teen touring company. Round House also offers in-school arts education programming for students and curriculum guides for teachers.
  
• Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts (BAPA) offers young people ages three to 18 and their families experiences in the performing arts through classes, performance opportunities and as audiences at their professional stage. In partnership with American University, BAPA's Imagination Quest (IQ) in-school program promotes the effectiveness of teachers, parental involvement and student achievement by using theatrical techniques, resources and lesson plans to teach academic subjects. BAPA's Deaf Access Program serves the deaf community, ages 3 - 18, except for disabled actors who may be older.
  
• The Musical Theater Center (MTC) offers classes in voice, acting and dance to young people and adults, serving more than 1,200 students a year. They also offer summer camp programs that consist of classes and performances. Instruction in musical theater also is accomplished through the production of fully-staged musicals featuring students in grades 3 - 12.
  
• At the core of the Olney Theatre Center Education Program is the infusion of the arts with the humanities for the greater enrichment of both. Olney strives to "integrate the artistic programs and the creative process of the theatre into the school's core curriculum for systemic and sustained impact on the learning process." The Theatre has received a $300,000 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education to offer theatre programs that meet the State Essential Learner Outcomes to all counties in the state.
  
• The Jewish Community Center's Cultural Arts Division offers a rich and eclectic series of arts education programs for children and adults of all ages, including people with disabilities and older adults. The intergenerational workshop "Kids and Adults Together" brings children grades K - 3 together with parents, grandparents and/or caregivers to explore the world through the making of Mexican piñatas, African masks and Israeli mosaics. Dance offerings include ballet, modern dance, contemporary folk dancing, jazz, tap, hip-hop and fundamentals of choreography.
  
• Rockville Arts Place (RAP) offers painting and drawing classes, ceramics, and photography programs for adults and young people. RAP also offers a Portfolio Development class for high school students and a Young Artists Workshop for children ages 11-15. RAP also offers programs affiliated with the Corcoran College of Art and Design.
  
• Montgomery College has three art departments at each of its campuses in Rockville, Takoma Park and Germantown. At Rockville alone, there are 1,700 students enrolled in art classes taught by almost 50 full-time and part-time faculty each semester. The Takoma Park campus is affiliated with the American Film Institute for educational programs. The College has inaugurated a Montgomery College Institute of the Arts to be an overarching organization to promote all of the arts and humanities. Recent plans call for the College to be the successor institution in a merger with the Maryland College of Art and Design.
  
• The county's historical and humanities organizations offer education programs for the community. Many of these organizations engage in partnerships with the schools that help meet the State Essential Learner Outcomes in history and social studies.

  - The Montgomery Historical Society provides programs on state and local history, including a tour of Beall-Dawson House with pre- and post-visit activities, reaching 3,500 fourth graders annually. The Historical Society conducts walking tours and house visits that impact approximately 700 students. An Underground Railroad kit has been developed to augment in-school activities, including original documents and research. Over 600 middle and high school students participate in the National History Day Competition with projects, exhibits, papers, documentaries, drama works, and other activities based on original research. The Society's school coordinator works closely with area and curriculum supervisors on programs and workshops for teachers, and is working on a textbook.
  - Additional equally impressive humanities education activities are provided by the Gaithersburg History Alliance, Historic Medley, Sandy Spring Museum and the National Capital Trolley Museum.

• The Levine School of Music's Montgomery County branch offers a wide variety of public performances and classes for adults and children including private instrumental and vocal instruction, music theory, history and composition classes; certification programs; and orchestra, jazz, choral and band ensembles. Classes serve toddlers through senior citizens, at all skill levels from the beginner to the professional. The Levine School will be one of the tenants of the education center at the Strathmore concert hall.
  
• The Paul Peck Humanities Institute at Montgomery College is affiliated with the Smithsonian Museum. Together they present seminars, lectures, panel discussions, films, exhibits and other events in the county.

Most of these arts and humanities groups reported that the demand for their programs is growing beyond their capacity to deliver them. This is largely due to facilities constraints including size and location among other factors. All groups reported that there are large segments of the population that they are not currently reaching, both in terms of geographic location and culturally diverse populations. Many groups indicated they are not prepared to target these new markets, especially where language and culture are barriers. New marketing strategies will be needed to reach these communities. Most cultural groups report the greatest challenges to fully reaching the community include achieving equity, accessibility and affordability of programs.

Common Concerns about the Future of Arts and Cultural Education
The school system and cultural community share common concerns about the state of arts education in Montgomery County. There is a strong will and desire to create more productive partnerships. Both acknowledge a need for greater dialogue to better understand the pressures and challenges each is facing and to develop a plan to work together to accomplish mutual goals. There also is an agreed-upon urgent need to develop grassroots support for K - 12 arts education. This was particularly important as there was a perceived lack of a broad-based understanding of the value and importance of arts education to the lives of children as reflected in the policies instituted in the schools over the past several years.

Arts and humanities organizations report difficulties in reaching under-served segments of the community. Across-the-board, this has been a major concern of both school personnel and the cultural community. The challenges cited by interviewees in reaching this population stem from a number of factors beyond the control of either schools or arts groups. These communities tend to have less disposable income for workshop or lab fees, less ability to make time available for other-than-income-producing activities, limited access to transportation, and limited access to information about opportunities available to them.

Most cultural groups, as well as schools, reported difficulties in attracting press to write about their programs. There is not the level of attention from the local media that there needs to be. While Montgomery County is situated in an extremely competitive media market, editorial staffs of the media serving the county need to become more sensitive to arts education issues and to covering programs occurring here.

Lack of general public awareness of the value of arts education was a common frustration. While Montgomery County is recognized as a growing, more affluent population, with higher incomes and a higher level of advanced education than its counterparts, there is still the frustration that the general community does not value and support the arts as strongly as this demographic would suggest. This is especially true with arts education in the schools where it is perceived that most communities value their sports programs and their test scores more than their arts programs.

There is a general lack of awareness or understanding of the cultural resources present in the county for arts education. Arts and humanities organization leaders recognize that they are not as aware of the programs and opportunities present in their communities as they might be. School leaders also think that they are not fully aware of the cultural resources that are available to them. There exists a great desire for more networking and ongoing communication on the part of both school leaders and cultural organization leaders.

Arts and humanities organizations and schools articulated the need to build partnerships and program expansion that can link artists and teachers. The difficulties in accomplishing this, of course, begin with managing human, financial and time resources. Educators expressed an interest in having more in-depth relationships with cultural groups in the community, rather than one-time experiences or activities. Teachers who were able to achieve stronger, sustained relationships reported stronger support of the curriculum and linkages to curriculum goals.

4. Arts and Cultural Education: RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), in consultation with the AHCMC, Montgomery College and other nonprofit groups, should develop the five-year plan required by the State of Maryland to enable students in grades K-12:

• To achieve state standards in the arts, at a minimum, and
  
• To ensure a suitable distribution of resources to all students in all schools.

This plan should be prepared in conjunction with the development of a comprehensive, community-based plan for cultural education for all the citizens of Montgomery County, as discussed in Recommendation 4.3.

The state's Goals 2000 program has established standards for achievement in the arts and has required each school system in the state to develop a plan in order to be eligible for funding. MCPS has not yet developed that plan. When completed, this plan will unlock state resources and could be an important guide to further local government support of arts education programs in the public schools. There are several opportunities occurring in Montgomery County that suggest the time is right to pursue this effort. Montgomery County's new school superintendent, Dr. Jerry Weast, has indicated a desire to redevelop the cultural education programs in the public schools.

Through a new federal emphasis on after-school programs, MCPS is embarking on a middle-school initiative to provide activities and programs for students. Staff has been put in place (Middle School After School Coordinators), and there has been movement to incorporate the arts into this effort. In addition, the Maryland State Department of Education Essential Learner Outcomes (ELOs) for the fine arts that are driving the curriculum revision process in school districts across the state, provide a framework for arts groups to establish in-depth partnerships with the schools. A mechanism that would assist educators and cultural groups in collectively addressing the ELOs would support both the curriculum revision process going on in the schools, as well as the development of programs and curriculum guide materials by the cultural groups. More in-depth dialogue between the schools and the arts groups also would help ensure that both high artistic quality and educational expectations are met through these programs. The state's and the local schools' emphasis on workforce development also presents an avenue for partnering with cultural groups in internships, and for discussing the impact of the arts as a career and in industry-related jobs.

Lead Agency: MCPS

Timeline: FY2002 - 04

• Identify budget and staff resources needed to develop the plan.
  
• Inventory existing cultural programs in schools and available to schools.
  
• Convene steering committee to guide the planning process including representatives from the cultural community, AHCMC, Montgomery College and MCPS.

4.2 The Montgomery County Public Schools should build the capacity of the school system to restore arts education programming, create partnerships and meet state standards.

With the emphasis being placed on systemic standards-based reform at the state and county levels and with state-level assessment in the arts on the horizon, consideration should be given to increasing the number of arts coordinators at the MCPS Central Office. Presently, there are four Arts Coordinators, servicing a school system that has experienced a 44% increase in student population. There are no full-time theatre arts and dance curriculum coordinators, a deficiency noted in the Fine Arts Program Review Site Visit Report conducted by the Maryland State Department of Education in May, 1999.

During the period when MCPS was most recognized for its innovative programs in the arts, there were seven Arts Coordinators assigned to serve the school system: three in music, two in visual art, one in theatre/TV, and one in interrelated arts. The arts coordinators served under the Director of the Department of Aesthetic Education. They now serve under the Director of the Department of Physical Education and Aesthetic Education.

Partnerships are a necessary means by which to achieve the enormous challenges confronting education. However, partnerships are labor intensive. In order to accomplish this goal, consideration should be given to added staffing at the county level both at the Arts and Humanities Council and at the central office of the MCPS.

Lead Agency: MCPS

Timeline: FY2003 - 06

Initial Steps:

• Begin developing budget requests for new positions.
  
• Meet with cultural community to begin public awareness campaign.

4.3 The AHCMC should establish an arts education planning and advocacy function within its own operation to:

• Promote community development and support for arts education among emerging and diverse communities;
  
• Promote the value of the arts and humanities in educational settings;
  
• Generate positive publicity about the role of the arts in education;
  
• Build a communications network among the cultural community, Montgomery County Public Schools, and the general public;
  
• Create partnerships that will promote arts education in Montgomery County; and
  
• Develop a comprehensive, community-based plan for cultural education in Montgomery County in conjunction with the MCPS five-year plan.

Many individuals interviewed expressed concern that there has not been a unified advocacy effort in support of arts education in the county. Many feel that cutbacks within the school system and the current lack of emphasis on arts education as necessary to a complete education are symptomatic of the need to raise community awareness. Though many groups advocate for the arts in various ways, a concerted, organized message would be able to target decision makers and help create a vision for arts education that would support both programs in the schools, as well as those which take place in the community.

A community-based comprehensive plan would assess the needs and demand for cultural education in the county both in the schools and in the community. The in-school assessment would need to be coordinated with the school system's five-year planning process. The plan must include, but not be limited to, the following elements:

• A complete inventory of cultural programs both in-school and in the community;
  
• Strategic recommendations for strengthening cultural education in the schools;
  
• Strategic recommendations for strengthening cultural education in the community;
  
• Strategic recommendations to market programs by local cultural organizations to the schools and to non-English speaking and under-served populations; and
  
• Clear, specific and achievable implementation steps and advocacy strategies.

Such a plan would help to define the community's vision and core values with regard to arts education; help connect community arts programs with the educational goals of the school system; and present a strategy to galvanize community resources in support of arts and humanities education.

In addition, the development of an online Clearinghouse for Information on Arts Education programs, in-school offerings, family programming, and classes for children and adults was a recurring idea throughout the interviews. Given the size and growing population of the county, and the expense of the media markets, marketing has become a significant issue, especially with respect to reaching new segments of the population. Schools report difficulty in identifying and partnering with cultural resources. There also is an influx of new teachers into the system who do not have as much familiarity with the community and with grant and program opportunities as do the veterans. There is a general sense of an inability to access "what's out there."

For the general community, the online clearinghouse would provide access to the number and scope of programs available community-wide in after-school and weekend classes and events. For the schools, an online clearinghouse could serve a larger function in addition to providing listings of activities. Access to descriptions of activities, sample study guide material, scholarships available, and video clips of performances or lessons would create a marketplace generating greater awareness among principals and educators of the scope and variety of programs and services available to them. Ideally, either independent website links or direct two-way interactive electronic dialogue would be a component of the clearinghouse to facilitate direct communication between school personnel and cultural groups. Several arts groups expressed a need to identify new teaching artists. Sharing of lists and recommendations seems to lean toward word of mouth and other informal methods. Addressing ways in which individual artists can be linked into community education programs through arts groups also could be a valuable function of the clearinghouse.

To address the need for advocacy, communication and coordination of existing arts education resources, there must be dedicated staff working in the area of arts education at the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Given the scope of the challenges presented, as well as the opportunities for participation in the evolving state and county education reform movement, it is recommended that, at minimum, the Arts and Humanities Council establish a Program Director position for arts education policy and programs to oversee the development of an arts education division. The design of the staff positions and program components should take into consideration the following areas of need: advocacy and public awareness of cultural education, grants to schools, artists and cultural organizations for technical assistance, county-wide coordination activities, communication, and networking.

A Program Director position is essential to provide both the school system and the cultural community with a central point person capable of nurturing collaborations between the school and cultural communities. The Program Director would serve as liaison to the community at large, as well as assist the Arts and Humanities Council leadership in identifying issues, trends and opportunities for partnerships. In developing an education division, the Program Director would need to focus his/her attention on policy and planning issues, and on building relationships between and among the school and cultural communities. There is no evidence gathered in this planning process that the Arts and Humanities Council should consider engaging in direct programming to schools and the community. The nonprofit, County government and private entities already engaging in these efforts provide a substantial number of quality programs. There is, however, a lack of coordination and facilitation among the available resources that should be addressed by the Arts and Humanities Council.

Eventually, in order to be most effective, this position would be supported by two program assistants, one focused in the coordination of grants and technical assistance programs, the other centered in supporting the communications networks, advocacy and community outreach. While these support positions will not be available in the early years, as the program grows and achieves success, it should be possible to expand staffing.

Lead Agency: AHCMC

Timeline: FY2002 - 05

Initial Steps:

• Identify resources for arts education funding and arts education plan.
  
• Select and convene a committee to develop advocacy strategy.
  
• Convene steering committee to begin development of plan.
  
• Meet with county Chamber of Commerce's education committee to establish community linkages.

4.4 The County and the Montgomery County Board of Education should support the AHCMC in establishing its arts education planning and advocacy function.

The consultants were able to meet with an extremely varied and broad-based cross-section of education leaders and activists, teachers, artists, arts administrators, and parents. The willingness of the participants to respond and lend their creativity and ideas to this process speaks to the enormous potential within Montgomery County to create a vision for arts education in the community that once again sets the national standard. There are, however, constituencies who should be involved in this process in a meaningful way who were not involved at this stage due to limitations of time and/or availability, including institutes for higher education and the social service community.

It is clear that, with the change in administration in the Montgomery County Public Schools, there is a tremendous opportunity to embark on a large-scale community discussion about arts education in Montgomery County ­ both within the pre-K through 12 public school system and throughout the community.

The timing for a large-scale plan for arts education could not be better. Montgomery County Public Schools is embarking on a long-range planning process to reform public education. The MCPS administration has offered to dovetail this work with the Arts and Humanities Council so as to engage the community in the broadest sense in the education dialogue. Involvement of the Arts and Humanities Council and its constituencies in this venture would bring additional voices for arts education and additional political clout. The system has appointed Community Superintendents to oversee the new initiatives in math, reading comprehension, and language arts, along with reform in general. Focus groups on the arts could be set up in conjunction with community forums hosted by the school system. This process directly ties the arts in with the Board of Education's third Goal and Academic Priority:

"Goal 3. Strengthen Productive Partnerships for Education. Secure the commitment of the entire community to maintain quality education in Montgomery County by building partnerships among families, the community, business and staff that promote and support initiatives to help all children succeed."

A more extensive planning process for arts education also should address the critical issue of community commitment and broadening the base of support for arts education. Arts education leaders emphasized the need to connect with underserved areas of the county and with parents and students in culturally diverse communities.

The observations and site visits that were conducted as part of this plan were done in schools whose art programs are clearly superior. Yet, even within these contexts, allusions were made to schools in which arts programs are struggling, opportunities and access are limited, and resources are lacking. These schools and the challenges their communities are confronting need to be brought into the process in order to fully address issues of equity and access to quality programs.

Lead Agencies: MCPS

AHCMC

County Government
Montgomery College
Timeline: FY2003

Initial Steps:

• Identify lead persons from MCPS, AHCMC, County government and Montgomery College who will serve as the key people in the arts education planning process.