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Colorado State Board of Education & the Arts

Wed, 11/21/2007 - 07:49 — admin

One of the highlights of the Colorado Arts Education Summit was the opportunity to hear and speak with State Board of Education Member Randy DeHoff. This Forum will provide a chance to continue that dialogue, to hear more about the State Board and arts, share your comments and ask questions for Randy DeHoff.
Find the State Board of Education Resolution on Arts Education by clicking here.
Here is Randy's first posting soliciting your input on Higher Education Admission Requirements. Thanks for giving him your feedback.
Randy - SBE             Higher Education Admission Requirements
Last week, CCHE adopted the next stage of the Higher Ed Admission Requirements (HEAR) with slight modifications. These admission requirements are effective for the entering class in 2010. The new requirements include 4 years of English, 4 years of math (the 4th year does not have to be advanced math), 3 years of science, 3 years of social studies, 1 year of foreign language, and 2 academic electives, which include art, music, and drama. That's 17 credits out of a typical graduation requirement of 22 to 24 credits, leaving room for at least one arts course each year, or two courses if you include the required electives. Yet we heard loud objections that these requirements will drive the arts out of the curriculum.
The State Board of Ed is required to adopt "model" graduation requirements to guide school districts in setting their graduation requirements for the 21st century. The Higher Ed requirements will probably form the basis of our graduation requirements.
I  have three questions for everyone out there.
1. Are the new Higher Ed requirements reasonble expectations for a HS graduate to be successful in the 21st century?
2. If these requirements still allow for 6 to 8 additional elective courses, why would they drive out the arts?
3. Most importantly, how can we or must we restructure K-12 education, especially high school, to ensure students achieve the necessary skills and knowledge for the 21st century without sacrificing a balanced education that includes a strong arts component?
That should be enough to get a discussion going. I look for to participating.