Ohio News

Smart Culture Source
A searchable website called Smart Culture Source developed by the Cleveland Arts Education Consortium supported by The Cleveland Foundation was introduced online in September 2009 for families in Cuyahoga County and beyond. This innovative, one-stop site, www.smartculturesource.org, lists after-school, weekend and summer arts and culture programs for Pre-K to Grade 12. Read more about Smart Culture Source at Cleveland.com.

Sun News article by Faith Hampton, May 16, 2010 "New Web site smart choice for cultural events in Cuyahoga County" Click here to read.

Plain Dealer article by Julie Washington, February 26,2010 "Smart Culture Source offers online arts options for kids" Click here to read.

Blue Ribbon Schools

Congratulations from all CAEC member arts organizations goes to the following 8 local schools honored this year as Blue Ribbon Schools. They are:
Bay High School in Bay Village.
Chagrin Falls Middle School.
Royal View Elementary School in North Royalton.
Solon Middle School.
Communion of Saints Catholic School in Cleveland Heights (formerly called St. Ann School).
St. Anselm School in Chester Township.
St. Christopher School in Rocky River.
St. Raphael Catholic School in Bay Village.
Click here for more information.

NAMM's Best Communities for Music Education

Once again, NAMM recognizes excellence. NAMM announced the results of its 11th annual Best Communities for Music Education survey acknowledging schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment to and support of music education in schools. The list includes 14 Ohio schools and districts among the 174 recognized. Congratulations to:
Avon Lake City School District, Avon Lake, OH
Bay Village City School District, Bay Village, OH
Beachwood City Schools, Beachwood, OH
Berea City School District, Berea, OH
Canfield Local Schools, Canfield, OH
Cuyahoga Heights Local School District, Cleveland, OH
Hilliard City School District, Hilliard, OH
Olmsted Falls City Schools, Olmsted Falls, OH
Open Door Christian Schools, Elyria, OH
Perrysburg Exempted Village Schools, Perrysburg, OH
Princeton City Schools, Cincinnati, OH
Shaker Heights City School District, Shaker Heights, OH
Stow-Munroe Falls City School District, Stow, OH
The Sycamore Community School District, Cincinnati, OH

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. Originally standing for National Association of Music Merchants, the organization represents international interests with a mission to increase active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. The Foundation's contributions to the industry throughout the year have provided opportunities to reach new audiences and create new music makers of all ages. For more information, click here.

Congressional Art Competition and District 11

District 11 and Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) host, promote and celebrate the Congressional Art Competition. This past year, more than 200 works of art were entered, showing the extraordinary talent, depth and artistic achievements of the district's high school students. Artwork is currently on display at the Martin Luther King Jr. Branch of the Cleveland Public Libraries, located at 1962 Stokes Boulevard in University Circle. Congratulations to the participants and winners.

For more information, click here.

National News

The Well-Rounded Curriculum

Education Secretary Arne Duncan begins his remarks at the April 9, 2010 Arts Education Partnership National Forum by saying, "If there is a message that I hope you will take away from today's conference it is this: The arts can no longer be treated as a frill. As First Lady Michelle Obama has said," the arts are not just a nice thing to have or do if there is free time or if one can afford it... Paintings and poetry, music and design... they all define who we are as a people."

Farther into the talk, he says, "We have proposed to take the $40 million for arts education that now goes to directed grants and a couple of small competitions with an array of applications and requirements, and replace it with a much bigger, competitive pool of $265 million to strengthen the teaching of arts, foreign languages, civics and government, and other subjects.

Existing arts education programs have worthy goals. But they have resulted in fragmented funding at the federal, state, and local level.

Under our new ESEA proposal, high-need districts, and states and non-profits in partnership with high-need districts, would be eligible to apply for the grants, which place a priority on cross-subject learning but don't mandate it. At the same time, we would increase access and funding for college-level, dual credit, and other accelerated courses in high-need schools to support not only a well-rounded, but a rigorous curriculum.
Two of our new and most innovative programs--Investing in Innovation or i3, and Promise Neighborhoods, loosely modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone's comprehensive community-based organization--have the potential to support effective arts education programs and partnerships as well."Secretary Duncan also remarks that he is "pleased that the arts community, for more than 15 years, has pioneered the development of voluntary standards in dance, drama, music, and the visual arts.

Forty-nine states now have established content and/or performance standards outlining what students should know and be able to do in one or more art form. Many districts, including Chicago, now not only articulate arts standards, but also spell out a sequential series of courses aligned with state standards.

So, arts education is making real progress toward defining quality and demonstrating outcomes, but challenges remain. A number of states have taken steps to develop rigorous arts assessments. Unfortunately, those assessments have faced setbacks and funding cutbacks in recent years.
Too many schools still fail to offer a standards-based course of study in all four arts disciplines. We all know that unacceptable disparities in arts education between low-income and affluent districts continue to persist.

Despite these challenges, and the tough budgetary climate, arts education must not just survive but thrive. A well-balanced curriculum is simply too vital to our students and our national character to let the teaching of the arts and humanities erode."

Find the entire speech by clicking here.