Extensive research and decades of best practice in teaching and learning in dance, media arts, music, theatre and visual arts has shown that student participation in a comprehensive education that includes the arts addresses major educational challenges: closing the achievement and opportunity gap, reducing drop-out rates, preparing students for work, career and college, developing 21st Century skills, and producing sound citizens with a perspective on the world and themselves.

Your responses to this survey will provide insight into your arts education vision, leadership, and expectations for students in your community.

School Board Director Candidate Survey

Your Arts Background:

What arts learning opportunities did you experience during your youth (in school and outside school)? What level of expertise did you acquire during your school years? If you chose not to participate in this art form, please leave blank.

(select all that apply)

Dance (modern, ballet, tap, jazz, ethnic, ballroom, social, folk)

Exposure/Appreciation

Novice/Beginner

Intermediate/Accomplished

Advanced

This art form was not available for study

Media Arts (television, production, film, video, web-design, digital imagery)

Exposure/Appreciation

Novice/Beginner

Intermediate/Accomplished

Advanced

This art form was not available for study

Music (general, band, orchestra, vocal, world culture)

Exposure/Appreciation

Novice/Beginner

Intermediate/Accomplished

Advanced

This art form was not available for study

Theatre (plays, scriptwriting, improvisation, production, drama club)

Exposure/Appreciation

Novice/Beginner

Intermediate/Accomplished

Advanced

This art form was not available for study

Visual Arts (painting, drawing, collage, photography, sculpture, ceramics)

Exposure/Appreciation

Novice/Beginner

Intermediate/Accomplished

Advanced

This art form was not available for study

When referring to your answers above, when did you experience the arts during your school years: (select all that apply).

Dance

During the School Day

Before or After School/School-sponsored Activities

Private Study (Outside School/lessons, classes, tutoring, coaching)

Informally (family, community, cultural experiences)

Media Arts

During the School Day

Before or After School/School-sponsored Activities

Private Study (Outside School/lessons, classes, tutoring, coaching)

Informally (family, community, cultural experiences)

Music

During the School Day

Before or After School/School-sponsored Activities

Private Study (Outside School/lessons, classes, tutoring, coaching)

Informally (family, community, cultural experiences)

Theatre

During the School Day

Before or After School/School-sponsored Activities

Private Study (Outside School/lessons, classes, tutoring, coaching)

Informally (family, community, cultural experiences)

Visual Arts

During the School Day

Before or After School/School-sponsored Activities

Private Study (Outside School/lessons, classes, tutoring, coaching)

Informally (family, community, cultural experiences)

Teaching and Learning in the Arts:

Who do you think or believe should be responsible for arts instruction in public schools? (select all that apply)

Credentialed Visual and Performing Arts Teachers

Elementary Classroom/Generalist Teachers

Artists/Teaching Artists/Arts Organizations

Volunteers/Parents

If elected as a School Director, what strategies/goals do you envision for broadening the school-day curriculum to include standards-based arts education? (select all that apply).

Meet the Washington State basic education requirements in K-12 that includes instruction in the arts as a core subject

Ensure funding levels at the school to support sequential arts instruction

Focus on student achievement in high stakes testing first before providing opportunities in arts learning

Partner with outside arts providers

Establish a district-level per pupil funding formula for the arts that is equivalent to other academic subject support

Recognize use of the arts as a qualified Title 1 student achievement strategy

Meet with my community to establish a policy, a plan, goals, objectives and strategies for implementing arts education

Work collaboratively with other School Directors to share best practices (locally and state-wide) on the delivery of arts education instruction

What are the arts learning experiences that you expect or want for all students in your community? (Select all that apply)

Meet the high school course/credit requirement

Provide grade-by-grade teaching/learning opportunities in all art form throughout K-12 educationfor all students

Provide grade-by-grade teaching/learning opportunities in at least one or more art form(s) throughout K-12 education

Combine internal and external resources to build an arts access plan (i.e. school personnel & community arts providers)

Focus on student achievement in English language arts, mathematics, science and physical education first

Include arts opportunities that balance exposure and intensive study

As a newly elected school director, what would be your first step(s) regarding

the arts in your community? (Select all that apply)

Convene an arts education taskforce

Seek assistance from state and local arts/arts-related agencies

Establish arts education as a targeted district goal

Survey my schools/district through an arts needs assessment process

Host a parent/business/citizens forum on how to make the arts central to learning in my community

Plan to observe arts education practice in the classroom when visiting schools

Optional:

I have a personal/professional anecdote about the impact of the arts or arts education on me, my family, our community,which I would like to share:

Please include me in a listserv that includes a compendium of arts education resources, ideas, research and model programs.

Thank you for your time in completing this survey, your willingness to serve your community, and your support of K-12 education in our state. Results from your responses and those of other school director candidates from across the state will be compiled and posted on the ArtsEd Washington website: You will be notified when that is published.