Greater Orange News Service

MARCH is…MUSIC AWARENESS MONTH and
California Arts Education Month
The Music For All Foundation is again promoting March as national Music Awareness Month. For more information on Music For All Foundation Wear Blue Campaign CLICK ON: http://music-for-all.org/wearblue.html or for information on the Foundation http://music-for-all.org/about.html .

The Music For All Foundation site has posted a report on how in response to the No Child Left Behind Act (which holds school districts accountable for improving student achievement in mathematics and reading/language arts) many school districts have increased resources on core subjects, as well as the mandatory amount of time on reading and math, while at the same time 20% of school districts report reductions in both time and resources to music and arts.
To view the March 2005 Center on Education Policy Report just CLICK ON:
http://music-for-all.org/WME/documents/CEPPB3web.pdf.

Many challenges continue to exist for arts education in California. In the recently released state budget, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger includes an historic augmentation for visual and performing arts instruction in California schools. The California Assembly of Local Arts Agencies has made it easy to contact your state representatives to show your support of the art budget with their California Arts Action Center website. All you need is your ZIP CODE for this one stop email action center. To take action and get involved (on either side of the issue) CLICK ON: http://capwiz.com/artsusa/ca/state/main/?state=CA

The California State PTA and California Alliance for Arts Education also are coordinating a statewide campaign to bring elected officials into our schools to witness the power of learning in the arts during the month of March.
For more information on the California PTA SMArts Effort CLICK ON:
http://www.capta.org/sections/programs-smarts/index.cfm

March marks the second month of the American Federation of Teachers’ kick-off campaign to “fix” widespread perceived problems with No Child Left Behind in its Let’s Get it Right Campaign. Although NCLB reauthorization is not scheduled until 2007, the AFT is focusing on it now to make sure that the problems are documented and dealt with. The NCLB dedicated site features the NCLB Sing-A-Long featuring cartoon characters, an e-petition, and a NCLB blog to document problems. The 15 second sing-along cartoon ends with a character blowing a sour note out of his horn and another declaring “They must of cut music!” Viewers are then invited to click on a screen to take action which leads them to a petition.

NCLB SING-A-LONG CLICK ON:
http://www.letsgetitright.org/cartoon/
NCLB AFT BLOG CLICK ON:
http://www.letsgetitright.org/blog/