State Superintendent Announces Joint Task Force on Creativity, Arts, and Cultural Education

 

At the March 9th meeting of Michigan's State Board of Education, a joint Task Force on Creativity, Arts and Cultural Education was presented to the State Board. Serving as Honorary Chairs of this Task Force are:

 The presentation to the State Board of Education was made by:

The Task Force on Creativity, Arts, and Cultural Education received strong support from the State Board of Education for the work they are undertaking.

 

The presentation was made to the State Board at the same time that ArtServe Michigan held Arts Adocacy Day in the State Capitol. Jointly, these efforts provide a strong statement on the important role arts education plays in the improvement of Michigan's schools and economy.

 

The purpose of the Task Force is to mobilize stakeholders and resources in support of creativity, arts and cultural education that will meaningfully improve the development and academic achievement of Michigan infants, toddlers, children and youth.

 

The Task Force will conduct its work through five Work Groups:

•Work Group I    Early Childhood Education

Work Group 2   High Priority Schools, Students and Communities

•Work Group 3   Out of School and Community Programs

•

•Work Group 4   Higher Education, Teacher Preparation & Professional Development

•Work Group 5   Career Preparation & Economic Development

 

The Task Force was invited back to the State Board this summer to report on the work of the Task Force. The Task Force will be operating on an expedited basis to identify research, data, strategies and resources that can support high priority schools in their improvement efforts. The Task Force will identify short and long-term recommendations. 

 

Become Involved

Individuals and organizations interested in becoming involved with the work of the Task Force should send an email with the heading "Task Force on Creativity, Arts, and Cultural Education" with complete contact information (name, title, organization, address, email, phone, fax and Work Group area of interest, to:

 

kingb@michigan.gov

 

This will become the basis for an on-going process to ensure that Michigan's diverse citizenry has multiple opportunities to become involved in the process of making the arts an integral part of every child's education.

 

Below is the Memorandum from Thomas, D. Watkins, Jr., Superintendent of Public Instruction informing the State Board of Education of the Task Force on Creativity, Arts and Cultural Education.

 

Ana Luisa Cardona

Consultant for Arts Education

Michigan Department of Education

Office of School Improvement

Curriculum and Instruction Unit

cardona@michigan.gov

 

_____________________________________________

 

February 23, 2004

 

TO:                 State Board of Education

 

FROM:            Thomas D. Watkins Jr., Chairman

 

SUBJECT:      High Priority Schools-Presentation on Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs/Michigan Department of Education Task Force on Creativity, Arts, and Cultural Education

 

The Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Department Education have partnered to jointly convene a task force that mobilizes stakeholders, best practices, and resources in support of creativity, arts and cultural education in Michigan.

 

Dr. William Anderson, Director of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries, and I have agreed to serve as honorary chairs for this Task Force that will align its work with the State Board of Education Strategic Goal and Governor Granholm’s Great Starts and Cool Cities initiatives.

 

The Task Force on Creativity, Arts and Cultural Education will build upon the many years of work in support of arts education by State Board members Kathleen N. Straus and Eileen Lappin Weiser who served on ArtServe Michigan. In addition, Mrs. Straus served on the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) Study Group on the Lost Curriculum, and Mrs. Weiser served on the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Task Force will continue the work of the NASBE Study Group in Michigan by focusing its work on the identification of resources, best practices, and quality assessment measures that support high priority schools, students, and communities.

 

The Task Force will conduct its work on an expedited sixty-day timeframe.  Work groups will review research; identify expertise, promising practices and strategies; assess needs and make recommendations in the areas of:

 

§         High priority schools

§         Early childhood

§         Community and out-of-school programs

§         Higher education

§         Economic development

 

The Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs has secured Challenge America Grant funds from the National Endowment for the Arts to launch the work of the Task Force whose initial work is intended to be shared with high priority schools and communities during the 2004-2005 school year.

 

___________________________________________

 

Visit and bookmark the Arts page on the Michigan Department of Education website:


http://www.michigan.gov/mde/1,1607,7-140-6525_6530_6568-19393--,00.html

 

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ArtsEdNews
Ana Luisa Cardona, Editor
Michigan Department of Education
Consultant for Arts Education

 

cardona@michigan.gov
517-335-0466