A Simple Presumption for Arts in Education Week

Arts in Ed Week logo“I start from a simple presumption that I think most parents and teachers share.  And that is that all students – 100 percent – should have access to arts instruction.  All Children should have arts-rich schools.” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

And the U.S. Congress agrees. In fact, in 2010, it passed Concurrent Resolution 275 to declare the week that begins with the second Sunday in September Arts in Education Week. The Arts Education Partnership (AEP), in keeping with its role as America’s premier source of information on the role of the arts in the education and lives of our children and youth, is hosting a special Arts in Education Week website to share news of the acknowledgements of the importance of arts education and nationwide events occurring this week.

Secretary Duncan talks with students at one of the ED's frequent Student Art Exhibit Openings at the Department's headquarters.

Secretary Duncan talks with students at one of the ED’s frequent Student Art Exhibit Openings at the Department’s headquarters.

Year-round, there are stories in the media about arts education — often times about the increasing body of research that supports their essentialness in a well-rounded education. For this week, however, AEP asked a group of arts and education leaders to share their thoughts on “What story about the arts in education still needs to be told?” These “untold stories” provide plenty of ideas and inspiration to achieve the goal of arts-rich schools for all children.

As the week is unfolding, others are adding their thoughts to both the AEP special website and its Facebook. AEP also issued a special edition of ArtsEd Digest to highlight additional information and resources pertinent to this week’s nationwide advocacy and public awareness efforts, including links to a number of valuable AEP brochures and reports. And don’t forget to follow the discussion this week about arts education at #ArtsEdWeek.

And watch this space next week for a blog about the opening of the annual exhibit of art works by national winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in the Department of Education’s headquarters, which is part of ED’s Student Art Exhibit Program.

Doug Herbert is a special assistant in the Office of Innovation and Improvement and works on issues of national arts education policy and practice.