American Education Budgets

Section Two: History: Since public schools across the country have faced budget cuts in the past decade and a half, a common cost-cutting measure is to lessen the funding for arts education, prioritizing what are deemed more essential subjects such as math, reading, and science. Yet in fact, the current iteration of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, also known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, lists that the arts are among the core academic subjects, requiring all schools to enable all students to achieve in the arts and reap all the benefits of a comprehensive arts education. Yet the economically prioritized curriculum is still draining the sources from these imperative programs leaving instruments, paintbrushes, and other artistic pieces in closets to collect dust, because no one will be there to teach or use them. Most impacting in the history of

Education is important as we develop a society of lifelong learners, but budget cuts for schools should not be at the expense of art programs. All students have unique learning styles and ways they best absorb information. To compromise that process is destructive to the success of their overall learning experience. “The Sanctuary of School” makes the reader aware of the many individuals who go through the public-school system. Barry’s essay advocates the need for funding of art programs and the supportive, creative outlets they

In most affluent schools, parents have the expectation that their kids are being offered a full liberal arts curriculum that will allow them to further their creativity and curiosity. However, many schools have been only focusing on the subjects that are being tested on standardized tests set by the state, because they receive more school funding if they achieve higher test scores. In her article titled “The Essentials of a Good Education”, Diane Ravitch, utilizing direct examples of schools, and policies that limit student’s knowledge of the arts in order to have more time preparing for tests, points out that this shift in focus is causing students to suffer academically and is killing their curiosity and creativity.

In today’s society, the value of music education is declining at an alarming speed. Many schools around the United States have been forced to cut spending on music in place of other classes that are viewed as being much more important. This is a travesty for our culture and for our future generations. Little does our society realize that there are many benefits that music education has to offer. The Government should make every kids take a music class of their choice at a young age.

As the final addition to this social issue, Laredo charter and public schools have become victims of this change in not implementing music into their curriculum. This issue particularly narrows its intended audience to the United Independent School District, and how the district is not doing an exceptional job in contributing to student’s performance in school. Students in class performance have suffered greatly, grades from exams are constantly failing, and greater budget cuts are being made to fix the problem in adding more mathematics, history, and science courses. Not only does this apply to elementary schools, but also middle schools, high schools, and even the college systems in Laredo being greatly affected. Authors Jamey Kelley and Steven

In today’s school systems, art and music classes are not mandatory to be taught. This makes them very vulnerable to budget cuts in struggling schools. It is estimated that more than eighty percent of schools nationwide have experienced cuts to their budgets since 2008 (Metla). Every child in America deserves a complete education, and a complete education includes the arts. Due to budget cuts, many students do not receive instruction in art and music and therefore do not receive a full education. Music and art classes in schools are just as important as core classes and should not be subject to budget cuts.

In harsh economic times, schools tend to cut music classes first. The current economic situation has not helped music classes. In an Arizona school district, the first classes cut were music classes (Rhoden). Rhoden states, “Tuesday evening, the Humboldt Unified School District Governing Board made the difficult decision to reduce the elementary music program…” When times get tough it seems to people that music is just not important enough to keep in the daily schedule. Current society puts a stress on reading and math. An article from CNN states,

Many schools around the country are cutting their music program because of budget cuts in their counties. The arts for some reason are always the first to be cut; apparently the school doesn’t think they are essential to their students learning. Schools try to focus on the more important academic classes because of the high testing standards they must now meet. (Nesoff 2003) This is not just happening in poor school districts it is happening in large districts across the country including magnet schools for the arts: “When Albert Margolis and his wife attended the final music program for their son's kindergarten class in May, they were shocked when a teacher stood up after the performance and

The decline in music education programs in public schools is a result of budget cuts is becoming more visible. State-level arts spending has dropped from $409 million in the fiscal year 2002 to $354.5 million in the fiscal year 2003, and declined again to $272.4 million in 2004 (“Quick Facts”). It is clearly

Much too often in America today, modern music and art programs in schools are perceived to many as extracurricular activities rather than important subjects that are vital to a students learning and skill development. The truth of the matter is that encouraging music and art education in public schools has a much larger impact on student’s grades, academic performance, and the economy than the majority people realize. Within the next year city school budgets will be dropping by twenty five percent, and despite the fact that music and art programs have been showing a dramatic contribution to student’s learning, this substantial drop in funding for the programs will lead to no dedicated money for art or music programs (Mezzacappa). There is

One impact that students would be missing out on would be the skills they would learn through fine arts. Fine arts show to personally enhance student’s school work ethic, civil communications and personal drive to succeed. Analyzed in 2002 by UCLA, over 50 studies showed that these enhancements proved to help students thorough their time in college and participating in fine art activities (“Athletics and Fine arts can Coexist!”). With all these skills that students could learn through this creative program, America needs to keep the program in order for those students involved to gain these

Across much of the United States, education budgets, most markedly the funding for music education, are being slashed due to Congressional attempts to balance the budget. Although many areas are affected by a lack of music education for students, according to the Detroit Free Press people from impoverished areas such as Detroit complain that over half of public schools in their area have no instrumental or vocal music instruction. This bankrupts many children from learning skills that could not only have turned into future career aspirations, but would have enriched their educational experience. It is clear that more funding should be allocated to districts for music education because it can encourage higher academic performance, encourage tolerance among an increasingly diversified student body, and greatly contribute to mental and physical health.

In your article, you state four reasons why music programs should not be allowed in schools. The article states that music programs are a big budget concern for schools. There are many costs that go into music programs which include paying for required instruments, space for practices, concerts, extra music faculty and instructors. The school is not the only place affected by these costs, parents have to spend a great deal of money too. The parents of the students need to pay for their child’s instruments, or lessons. Another point brought up in the article is that it distracts students from their academics. Music programs will take the students attention away from more important subjects like math and English. Having these programs will not allow students to put enough time into their homework and studying for tests, due to the amount of time it takes up. The students involved in these programs will also need to practice, attend

“The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading writing, and arithmetic…music dance, painting, and theatre are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education).

School supply lists consist of items that are meant to be needed in order to benefit a student’s education. The lists of items could differ from year to year a little but, more or less, they stay the same. The lists will continue to grow as school budgets can not afford to supply students with all the materials needed to provide them an education and keep them comfortable and healthy in class which shows reasoning for the school supply lists getting longer. Parents are becoming angrier with the supply lists for their students. Parents often feel these items are expensive, redundant, too specific, & often not education related.