April 24, 2007
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces $500 Million in
Funding for Physical Education and Visual and Performing Arts
SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that California schools will receive $500 million in Arts, Music, and Physical Education grants for professional development, equipment, and supplies to improve instruction in physical education and the visual and performing arts.
"High-quality arts education and improved physical fitness can support academic achievement in all areas of a student's education," O'Connell said. "These grants will help provide our schools with resources to implement standards-based instruction in physical education and visual and performing arts. With these funds, teachers can expand their content knowledge and teaching skills in physical education and visual and performing arts through professional development, and students can benefit from enhanced equipment and supplies that increase the quality of learning experiences."
The Arts, Music, and Physical Education grants, approved in the 2006-07 California State Budget, will provide each school district, charter school, and county office of education an entitlement of $83.04 per student in grades K-12. The figures are based on average daily attendance data from 2005-06. Each district will be required to expend not less than $2,500 per school site.
There is no deadline on the expenditure of these funds and, therefore, funds may be carried over to a future fiscal year. Districts may bring together teachers, school site administrators, district-level administrators, parents, and students to collaborate on assessing needs and developing a local plan that will support high-quality instruction in both physical education and visual and performing arts.
This is the first time all schools will receive monies specially designated for physical education and the visual and performing arts.
A list of grant recipients can be viewed at Funding Results: Arts, Music, and Physical Education.
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Background on Physical Education in California Schools
Current California Law
- Elementary grades – Students in grades one through six must receive a minimum of 200 minutes of physical education instruction each 10 school days.
- Secondary grades – Students in grades seven through twelve must receive a minimum of 400 minutes of physical education instruction each 10 school days.
- School districts must administer the physical performance test annually to all students in grades five, seven, and nine.
California Content Standards: The Physical Education Model Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve) identifies the essential skills that all students should know and be able to do at each grade level. For more information, please visit Physical Education Model Content Standards for California Public Schools [http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/pestandards.pdf] (PDF; 2.45MB; 76pp.).
Physical Education Framework: The Physical Education Framework for California Public Schools serves as a blueprint for implementing content standards in physical education. The current edition is under revision and the revised version will be published in 2008. For more information, please visit, Physical Education Framework for California Public Schools.
Professional Development for Teachers: The California Physical Education-Health Project (A California Subject Matter Project) provides focused professional development for teachers in physical education. California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (CAHPERD) is a professional organization providing professional development for teachers in physical education.
Background on Visual and Performing Arts in California Schools
Current California Law
Elementary grades – The adopted course of study beginning in grade one and continuing through grade six, shall include instruction in the following areas of study: Visual and Performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
Secondary grades – The adopted course of study for grades seven through twelve shall offer courses in the following areas of study: Visual and performing arts, including dance, music, theater, and visual arts, with emphasis on development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression. Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts instruction is to be provided by credentialed teachers.
Visual and Performing Arts Framework: The Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools serves as a blueprint for implementing content standards for grades K-12 in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts (including digital arts). For more information, please visit Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools [http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/vpa.pdf] (PDF; 4.1MB; 294pp.).
California Content Standards: The Visual and Performing Arts Content Standard for California Public Schools identifies the essential skills that all students should know and be able to do at the grade levels of prekindergarten through grade eight, and the proficient and advanced skills to know and be able to do for grades nine through twelve. All visual and performing arts instruction is to include the strands of artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, aesthetic valuing, and connections/relationships/applications within the instructional learning. For more information, please visit Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards [http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fd/documents/vpastandards.pdf] (PDF; 1.1MB; 172pp.)
Professional Development for Teachers
The California Arts Project (TCAP) – A California Subject Matter Project is the California Department of Education's State Educational Agency for professional development in the visual and performing arts. It provides focused professional development for teachers in dance, music, theatre, visual arts, the writing of curriculum, and program planning and is responsible for working with schools to improve student achievement and learning through comprehensive disciplines-based professional development for teachers.
