Post date: Jan 18, 2017 12:52:38 AM
AB 37 Pupil instruction: visual and performing arts: content standards in media arts is now on the California Legislative Information website at http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB37
There you can read the bill and sign-up to track its progress.
I also encourage all Coalition members submit supporting comments to the Author (Assembly Member O’ Donnell) there regarding Media Arts Education. Our website has great language to support your statement. I’ve also attached two informative pieces on AB 37, and the Consensus Document that the team created, which was effective in our discussion with CDE staff and Deputy Superintendent Tom Adams.
You may notice that the bill is a replica of the previous Visual and Performing Arts Standards Revision bill with the new insertion of “media arts” where it should have been previously. With the hopeful passage of this bill, we would be included at equal status in the entire process, as stated in the quote below. This would place us into more secure position than we were previously, as “media arts” would have only remained within the National Core Arts Standards as a suggested inclusion in the revision. We would have still needed to find the platform and means to argue for our inclusion. The previous legislative exclusion then was somewhat of a blessing, as the blowback in your, the media arts community’s, strong response, alerted the Superintendent and legislators to quickly and deliberately address the faulty exclusion. We commend Superintendent Torlakson for his bold endorsement, and his current stance in recommending Media Arts through this legislation.
Thanks again for your assistance then, and for your assistance going forward! Please do comment, and stay tuned for any bumps that may arise in this process! This process would hopefully conclude with the Superintendent’s submission on or before Nov 30, 2018, and the Board’s decision on or before Jan 31, 2019. So we do have a lengthy process ahead of us!
I intend to find out more detailed information about how we can support this legislation and will continue to alert you to any major developments. Right now, it looks good to me!
This bill would require the Superintendent to additionally recommend visual and performing arts standards in the subject of media arts, and require those recommendations to go through the same development, public review, and approval process for recommended revisions to the visual and performing arts content standards, as described above.
CA VAPA Standards Revision Focus Groups are currently being held around the state. Some of our members were among the K12 credentialed arts educators and general public that were invited to participate. One Coalition member, Brett Griffith, digital filmmaking teacher at Palo Alto HS, has already attended one meeting on Jan 9 in Santa Clara. His report was quite positive regarding the group's support for media arts:
Monday, Jan 9, 4-6PM at the Santa Clarita Office of Education, a focus group met as part of an effort to include the voices of arts educators in revising California's Visual and Performing Arts standards. Voices from media arts, dance, theater and the visual arts weighed in as CA Dept. of Education explored larger goals for the VAPA standards at the end of K-12; update to structure, scope and sequence, and disciplines covered in the NCAS; content to prepare college and career readiness and recommendations to ensure CA's VAPA standards are useful tools.
Media Arts Coalition input and information from the Otis Report on the Creative Economy helped supplant Media Arts educator Brett Griffith's case for the inclusion of Media Arts in the upcoming standards. This sentiment for inclusion enjoyed support from colleagues in Dance, Theater and Visual Arts, and those at the county and state level in attendance.
Overall, consensus supported or was already utilizing the NCAS standards for their process-based language. Our colleagues were particularly supportive of technology integration as an essential 21st century literacy that ought to be a part of any revision across all standards and valuing continued . Media Arts made a strong case for its inclusion.
Comments are forwarded to the Instructional Quality Commission and the State Board of Education and part of public record.
Thanks Brett!
There are two more physical meetings to come in Sacramento 1/26 and Downey 1/30, along with videoconferences in several other cities. These are invitation only. I will be emailing those whom I know about to possibly meet and practice persuasive arguments for media arts inclusion and support. Please let me know if you have been notified that you are in one of the sessions, or if you just want to be part of this conversation!
The California Alliance for Arts Education has initiated their first annual Student Voices Campaign, which supports students statewide in producing National Core Media Arts Standards-based videos. These videos present students' personal visions for school program budgetary support through the Local Control Funding Formula. It is open to any secondary level teacher, no matter the subject area, as it is an interdisciplinary endeavor. This is a great opportunity for all arts teachers and students to support their arts education, and to include media arts! This is a great example of Media Arts Education in empowering student voice, project-based learning, civic engagement and advocacy, and 21st century skills! The pilot program last year resulted in some great videos from a variety of teachers, and actual programmatic changes in schools and districts!
http://studentvoicescampaign.org/
National Media Arts
I have also just heard of other states, New Mexico and Indiana, that are moving towards adoption/adaptation of the National Core Arts Standards. We’ll see if they include media arts. Nine other states have adopted media arts standards to date. Our own Coalition member, Margaret Mealia, Co-President of the New York State Media Arts Teachers Association has shared that they are working through their own VAPA standards revision process, of which media arts is included! Great to hear!