Arts ARE Education:
The Campaign to Maintain & Grow PreK-12 Arts Education Programs (including Dance) in the 2021-2022 School Year
2020 has been a year like no other in education. As a PreK-12 dance educator, like all other teachers, the pandemic demanded that you pivot your instruction and do your best to ensure meaningful learning outcomes for your students -- whether in a virtual, hybrid, or altered classroom environment where safety was the highest priority. Now, as the 2020-21 school year moves toward an end, we must prepare to meet challenges that lie ahead for 2021-22 if arts education is to remain central to every student’s well-rounded education in our nation's public Pre-K12 schools.
School districts will be facing budget shortfalls due to state and local deficits caused by the pandemic recession. These cutbacks -- along with the costs associated with the continued need for Personal Protective Equipment in performing arts classrooms, a focus on remedial curriculum, and scheduling modifications to address learning loss -- will likely impact student access to dance and other arts education.
Inspired by “Arts Education is Essential,” the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) is launching Arts ARE Education, a new national campaign that will emphasize funding, maintaining, and growing PreK-12 dance and arts education programs in the 2021-22 school year and beyond. To activate the campaign, we are reaching out to encourage dance arts teachers and school boards to indicate support for arts education in their districts.
Visit the Arts ARE Education website to learn more and access your advocacy toolkit!
Check out a recent Eblast that explains all the details!
Save the Date: NDEO is Presenting a Free Town Hall Webinar to Examine this Advocacy Campaign on Tuesday, Feb. 9th at 5:30pm EST - Registration information coming soon.
Questions? Email membership@ndeo.org