Should Fine Arts be Included in the Iowa Core Curriculum?
Submitted by Steve on January 30, 2014
From Mary Stegmeir writing for the Des Moines Register:
The fine arts deserve an equal footing in Iowa’s schools with math, reading and other core subjects, a group of teachers told state lawmakers Wednesday. When times are tight, cuts often hit music, art and drama first, the teachers said. Federal policies that rate schools based on student test scores have also taken their toll, with some districts in Iowa and across the nation reducing arts offerings to carve out more time for math and reading instruction. The Iowa Alliance for Arts Educators urged lawmakers to fight that trend by adding state standards for fine arts education to the Iowa Core.
That document, approved by the State Board of Education in 2008, lays out what students should know and be able to do at each grade.
Iowa is one of only two states in the nation without standards for arts education, according to national data. Nebraska, the only other state, is expected to approve fine arts standards this year.