| Educators in the San Francisco Public Schools | | | | under the direction of a project manager. The |
| are frustrated by the lack of balance in | | | | Steering Committee continues to provide |
| education. The recent focus on mandatory | | | | guidance during the initial implementation |
| testing has moved schools nationwide away | | | | phase of the plan and will gradually become |
| from holistic education. And this can have | | | | an advisory body for the San Francisco |
| serious consequences on children in the San | | | | Schools plan. The San Francisco Schools have |
| Francisco Schools. Richard Florida in The | | | | made an important step forward by |
| Flight of the Creative Class says, "What we | | | | acknowledging the role arts play in academic |
| really need in order to prepare our children | | | | education. The arts engage students and honor |
| for the creative economy is a comprehensive | | | | the many different learning styles students |
| education. Something that takes them from | | | | possess. The arts are essential to |
| aesthetics to algebra without pretending that | | | | understanding one's self, the community, and |
| the two are mutually exclusive." Aha! Elliot | | | | global culture. Through arts, students in the |
| W. Eisner, professor of education and art, | | | | San Francisco Schools can acquire the skills |
| Stanford University agrees. He states that | | | | and creativity needed to succeed later in |
| "The arts are fundamental resources through | | | | life. San Francisco Schools leaders know that |
| which the world is viewed, meaning is | | | | the arts encourage commitment and |
| created, and the mind developed." Arts | | | | persistence, and they have discovered that an |
| education has a profound effect on students, | | | | involvement in the arts leads to increased |
| there's no doubt about it. San Francisco | | | | attendance and helps many students stay in |
| Schools are finally acknowledging this, and | | | | school, all the way through 12th grade. One |
| are acting on it In March 2004, voters, in | | | | San Francisco Schools elementary principal |
| unprecedented numbers, passed Proposition H. | | | | agreed, "Art gives kids something they can do |
| This proposition earmarked tens of millions | | | | well. . . .For some, this is where they |
| of city funds for schools, including new | | | | start." We need to see more initiatives like |
| funds for arts education. This had added | | | | this all over the country. As the San |
| further community and political support to | | | | Francisco Schools are finally starting to |
| the cause of arts education equity and access | | | | recognize, there is a connection between art |
| for all San Francisco Schools students. A San | | | | and academic education that can go a long way |
| Francisco Schools Steering Committee was then | | | | towards improving the state of education in |
| formed to begin work on the master plan. The | | | | this country. |
| steering committee, as well as others, is | | | | |
| composed of district administrators, | | | | San Francisco Public Schools Patricia Hawke |
| teachers, parents, principals, funders, city | | | | is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing |
| agency representatives and arts providers. | | | | free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| They met on a regular basis until August 2005 | | | | private K-12 schools. |