| Art programs, such as art appreciation,
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| | program can be linked to improvement in
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| drama, theater and music, have been
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| | everything from math skills to truancy.
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| suffering across the nation for 30 years,
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| | Arts education in elementary and
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| as school officials concentrate on the
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| | secondary schools produce skilled
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| basics of learning. With federal
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| | sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and
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| programs, such as No Child Left Behind,
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| | so many other arts-related careers. The
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| even more focus has been placed on basic
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| | arts also improve the socialization
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| learning skills, which excludes the arts.
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| | skills of students.
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| This also means that any extra funding is
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| | Bill Eriendson, assistant superintendent
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| funneled into these basic learning
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| | of the San Jose schools, stated that the
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| programs in order to meet state and
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| | level of funding for the arts is
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| federal-set standards. Arts education is
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| | inadequate. Last year, the state budgeted
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| one of the standards that should be met
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| | $500 million for the arts and physical
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| by schools within the state of
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| | education; however, this amount was a
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| California, yet the state does not impose
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| | one-time deal. The norm is $105 million,
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| penalties on schools that do not met
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| | which is about $15 per student. According
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| these particular standards.
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| | to Eriendson, the San Jose schools
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| A statewide survey by SRI International
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| | requires about $800,000 to restore just
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| concluded that of the 1,123 schools
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| | their music programs at the elementary
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| surveyed:
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| | San Jose schools. This figure does not
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| 89 percent failed to meet state standards
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| | include the purchase of instruments.
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| for arts education;
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| | San Jose schools are a good
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| Nearly 1/3 offered no art education
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| | representation of the statewide findings.
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| coursework that met state standards;
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| | Besides trying to meet state and federal
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| 61 percent had no full-time arts
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| | standards in the basic coursework, the
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| specialist, with classroom teachers
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| | San Jose schools were hit with
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| without adequate training teaching arts
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| | Proposition 13 that was passed in 1978,
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| education at the elementary level;
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| | which imposed tax cuts for Californians
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| Kindergarten through 12 enrollment in
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| | and greatly reduced funding for arts
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| music classes declined by 37 percent over
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| | education. The arts were first cut in the
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| a five-year period, ending last June; and
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| | secondary San Jose schools and then in
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| Poor schools have the least access to
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| | the elementary San Jose schools. By the
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| arts education; whereas better income
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| | late 1980s, arts education was all but
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| schools (where parents can afford private
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| | gone in the San Jose schools.
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| lessons) are more apt to have it.
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| | According to Funk, there currently is a
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| Chris Funk is the San Jose schools
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| | waiting list of 225 San Jose schools
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| principal of Lincoln High School, a
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| | students. He finds San Jose schools
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| stellar magnet arts school. He believes
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| | students are drawn to the dance, theater,
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| that the more San Jose schools students
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| | music and visual arts programs offered by
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| are exposed to the arts the better they
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| | his school. Without the support of the
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| will do in testing within other
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| | Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000
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| coursework.
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| | for this school year, this San Jose
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| Studies have proven that a strong arts
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| | schools arts magnet would not exist.
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