Improving Arts Learning Opportunities for PPS Students

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Improving Arts Learning Opportunities for PPS
Students

• December 2, 2009

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Study Designed to Understand PPS District Context
for Arts Education

• Conducted by Arts Education Collaborative and
  RAND over 9 months
• Funded by the Heinz and Grable Foundations
• Designed in concert with district leadership
• Conducted to understand context for and state of
  arts education provision and access within
  Pittsburgh Public School District
• Focused on in-school programming
• Conducted within an environment of change in the
  district (enrollment, restructuring, program
  improvement, etc.)

By arts education, we mean the visual arts,
music, dance, and theatre
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PPS Arts Working Group
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Members of the Working Group

• Bonita Allen
• Dr. James Alston
• Denise Azzari
• Marylloyd Claytor
• Dr. Cornelia Davis
• Michael Fuller
• Tamara Goldbogen
• Billy Hartung
• Gaye Hockenberry
• Dr. Monica Lamar
• Dr. Marilyn Michalka Egan
• Dr. Natalie Ozeas

• Art Powell
• Karen Price
• Gina Reichert
• Dr. Barbara Rudiak
• Marilyn Russell
• Janet Sarbaugh
• Robert Scherrer
• Cecile Shellman
• Edward Spahr
• Dr. DAnn Swanson
• Dr. Rhonda Taliaferro
• Ella Wilder Slaughter

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Curriculum Recommendations

• Develop an articulated, standards-based PreK-12
  arts curriculum in dance, music, theatre and
  visual arts that is culturally responsive
• Place the arts in the curriculum review and
  development cycle
• Implement action steps to deliver the PreK-12
  program
• Write curriculum
• Train faculty on implementation
• Train principals and supervisors on
  implementation
• Allocate annual funding to support arts
  programming

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Curriculum Outcomes

• Consistent arts instruction across the district
• Equitable access to rich content for all students
• Assessment aligned to learning objectives
• Professional development consistent with program
  goals.

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Professional Development Recommendations

• Design and implement system for identifying and
  addressing professional development needs and
  interests
• Develop an arts education professional
  development plan for multiple audiences (arts
  specialists, generalists, classroom teachers,
  other discipline specific teachers, parents and
  administrators)
• Identify professional development providers
  (internal and external)

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Professional Development Outcomes

• Improved instructional knowledge and practice
  resulting in increased student achievement
• PPS arts programming aligned to state regulations
• Improved teacher motivation, satisfaction and
  retention
• Improved community satisfaction and endorsement
  of arts programming
• Strengthened community partnerships
• Graduates who are artists, arts educators,
  consumers and patrons of the arts

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Provision Recommendations

• Identify scheduling options to meet the surveyed
  needs of schools
• Recommend guidelines to ensure culturally
  responsive arts education for each student
• Capitalize on parental involvement

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Provision Outcomes

• Students access to culturally responsive arts
  education
• Informed administrators, teachers and parents
  regarding sequential arts education and
  integrated arts programming
• Equitable implementation of arts education in PPS

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Personnel Recommendations

• Provide personnel to ensure
• Sequential arts education
• Integrated arts programming
• Create district and school based leadership teams
• Revise job descriptions of arts
  supervisors(roles, responsibilities and
  performance criteria)
• Provide access to music and visual arts
  specialists in all schools
• Develop a process to support PE and
  English/language arts teachers with teaching
  artists

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Personnel Outcomes

• All students have access to certified visual arts
  and music specialists
• Supervisory job descriptions that reflect
  criteria for roles and responsibilities
• District and school-based arts leadership teams
  supporting and evaluating arts programming
• Parent engagement in arts education

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Partnerships Recommendations

• Develop partnerships to promote equity, student
  engagement and learning
• Delegate authority and discretion to principals
  to initiate partnerships that fit
• Develop principals guide
• Establish process for principals to share
  successes
• Develop clear process to establish, approve,
  implement and evaluate partnerships
• Establish process and tools to assist arts
  organizations to link with schools
• Establish process for teacher/partner to document
  planning, preparation and assessment

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Partnerships Outcomes

• Increased student engagement
• Improved instructional knowledge and practice
• Equitable access to rich content
• Increased knowledge and access to community
  resources
• Strengthened community endorsement of arts
  education

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Policy Recommendations

• All students have standards-based learning
  experiences
• PreK-8 dance, music, theatre, and visual arts
  minimum of once per week
• 9-12 access to each of the four art forms-arts
  considered as part of academic and career
  development electives for graduation
• Executive Director oversees implementation and
  evaluation of arts education programming
• High level position signals district intent to
  provide quality arts education that responds to
  needs and interests of students

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Policy Recommendations(Continued)

• Initiate district level Arts Leadership Team to
  implement recommendations and provide ongoing
  evaluation
• Building level arts educators serve on
  Instructional Cabinet
• Learning in arts disciplines and integrated arts
  learning in all content areas
• Place the arts in the curriculum review and
  development cycle