III

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 128

Designating March 2000, as ‘‘Arts Education Month’’.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 30, 1999

Mr. COCHRAN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Designating March 2000, as ‘‘Arts Education Month’’.

Whereas arts literacy is a fundamental purpose of schooling

for all students;

Whereas arts education stimulates, develops and refines many

cognitive and creative skills, critical thinking and

nimbleness in judgment, creativity and imagination, cooperative decisionmaking, leadership, high-level literacy and

communication, and the capacity for problem posing and

problem-solving;

Whereas arts education contributes significantly to the creation of flexible, adaptable, and knowledgeable workers

who will be needed in the 21st century economy;

Whereas arts education improves teaching and learning;

Whereas when parents and families, artists, arts organizations, businesses, local civic and cultural leaders, and in-
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•SRES 128 IS

stitutions are actively engaged in instructional programs,

arts education is more successful;

Whereas effective teachers of the arts should be encouraged

to continue to learn and grow in mastery of their art

form as well as in their teaching competence;

Whereas the 1999 study, entitled ‘‘Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessons from School Districts that Value Arts Education’’, found that the literacy, education, programs,

learning and growth described in the preceding clauses

contribute to successful districtwide arts education;

Whereas the 1997 National Assessment of Educational

Progress reported that students lack sufficient opportunity for participatory learning in the arts;

Whereas educators, schools, students, and other community

members recognize the importance of arts education; and

Whereas arts programs, arts curriculum, and other arts activities in schools across the Nation should be encouraged

and publicly recognized: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved,

2 SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF ARTS EDUCATION MONTH.

3 The Senate—

4 (1) designates March 2000, as ‘‘Arts Education

5 Month’’; and

6 (2) encourages schools, students, educators,

7 parents, and other community members to engage in

8 activities designed to—

9 (A) celebrate the positive impact and pub10 lic benefits of the arts;
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•SRES 128 IS

1 (B) encourage all schools to integrate the

2 arts into the school curriculum;

3 (C) spotlight the relationship between the

4 arts and student learning;

5 (D) demonstrate how community involve6 ment in the creation and implementation of arts

7 policies enriches schools;

8 (E) recognize school administrators and

9 faculty who provide quality arts education to

10 students;

11 (F) provide professional development op12 portunities in the arts for teachers;

13 (G) create opportunities for students to ex14 perience the relationship between participation

15 in the arts and developing the life skills nec16 essary for future personal and professional suc17 cess;

18 (H) increase, encourage, and ensure com19 prehensive, sequential arts learning for all stu20 dents;

21 (I) honor individual, class, and student

22 group achievement in the arts; and

23 (J) increase awareness and accessibility to

24 live performances, and original works of art.

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