REPORT TITLE: 
Arts Education


DESCRIPTION:
Makes an appropriation to develop a strategic plan to fully
implement the fine arts content and performance standards for
all Hawaii students in grades K-12.  (HB316 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        316
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ARTS EDUCATION.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in its efforts to
 
 2 ensure the academic success and the holistic development of the
 
 3 students in Hawaii, the legislature enacted Act 334, Session Laws
 
 4 of Hawaii 1991, which established the Hawaii commission for
 
 5 performance standards.  Subsequent to the signature of the
 
 6 governor, the commission developed content and performance
 
 7 standards for eight content subject areas that it considered
 
 8 essential to the education of all K-12 grade students.  The
 
 9 report, "Final Report, Hawaii State Commission on Performance
 
10 Standards," published in June 1994, was reviewed by the board of
 
11 education and adopted in October 1994, with an understanding that
 
12 the proposed content and performance standards will be reviewed
 
13 and appropriately revised.  In addition, curriculum modules and
 
14 programs based on the standards are to be developed and
 
15 implemented, school-by-school and student assessment studies
 
16 systematically conducted, and fiscal accountability reports
 
17 annually submitted to the legislature and governor.
 
18      By identifying the fine arts (hereinafter referred to as the
 
19 arts) as a core content subject area, the department of education
 
20 recognizes and includes the four disciplines of dance, music,
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 theatre, and the visual arts.  The legislature considers the arts
 
 2 to be a fundamental component of a student's comprehensive
 
 3 educational experience because it enhances and accelerates the
 
 4 learning of all students.  In addition, the legislature
 
 5 recognizes and appreciates that studying the arts:
 
 6      (1)  Can help students acquire and develop vocational,
 
 7           professional, and personal skills so they can
 
 8           eventually lead full, productive, and meaningful lives;
 
 9           and
 
10      (2)  Encourages these young citizens to become productive
 
11           and contributing members of their communities and
 
12           society.
 
13      A body of international and national scientific research
 
14 findings that consistently and convincingly demonstrates the
 
15 benefits of studying the arts further supports the actions of the
 
16 department of education and the legislature.  Such studies
 
17 confirm how a child's exposure to the arts throughout the child's
 
18 formative years can help to facilitate the development of the
 
19 neurological pathways in the brain.  This sophisticated
 
20 neurological network enables all human beings to comprehend,
 
21 understand, analyze, and synthesize highly complex, contextual
 
22 information and relationships.  In addition, studying the arts
 
23 develops one's ability to solve problem and provides
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 opportunities to develop time and resources management skills by
 
 2 teaching students to start and complete specific artistic tasks
 
 3 and projects.  Furthermore, research shows that studying the arts
 
 4 continues to impact the learning processes in other ways such as
 
 5 significantly improving the academic test scores for language and
 
 6 mathematics, as well as building and expanding the scholastic and
 
 7 academic knowledge and understanding of other core content
 
 8 subject areas.
 
 9      Within the context of a school, cultural anthropology and
 
10 sociology studies indicate that studying the arts increases one's
 
11 ability to effectively communicate with adults and peers.  It
 
12 provides a venue to cooperatively interact with other classmates,
 
13 parents, educators, and members of the community.  It helps to
 
14 reduce drop-out rates in schools and develops lifetime skills for
 
15 those with meaningful arts education experiences.  In addition,
 
16 studying the arts culturally enriches the lives of those who
 
17 investigate and examine its contents. 
 
18      On an individual basis, studying the arts encourages greater
 
19 self-awareness, confidence, and expression.  Research and
 
20 assessment studies indicate that arts education programs
 
21 measurably increase the creativity, originality, and imagination
 
22 scores of preschool, elementary, and disabled children.
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      From a humanitarian perspective, studying the arts not only
 
 2 broadens a child's perspective of the child's immediate
 
 3 environment but creates a heightened sense of awareness and
 
 4 connection with the past and present occupants and stewards of
 
 5 this world.
 
 6      The legislature further finds that the state foundation on
 
 7 culture and the arts currently enhances the department of
 
 8 education's art education budget by providing nearly $1,000,000
 
 9 for art education projects and programs, which include:
 
10      (1)  Art in Public Places-Artists in
 
11              Residency Project                          $500,000
 
12      (2)  Foundation Grant Program-Arts in Education    $250,000
 
13      (3)  Artist in the Schools Program                  $50,500
 
14      (4)  School Arts Excellence Awards                   $9,000
 
15      (5)  Convention Center Student Art Exhibition      $15,000.
 
16      In addition, the state foundation on culture and the arts
 
17 will commence a new two-year grants project in fiscal year 2000
 
18 and fiscal year 2001, which will provide a maximum of ten grants
 
19 at $2,500 each to selected schools.
 
20      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to:
 
21      (1)  Review, revise, and complete the Hawaii content and
 
22           performance standards in the arts; and
 
23      (2)  Develop a strategic plan to fully implement these
 
24           standards.
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 2.  The state foundation on culture and the arts
 
 2 shall, in consultation with the department of education:
 
 3      (1)  Review, revise, and complete the Hawaii content and
 
 4           performance standards in the arts for grades K-12 as
 
 5           recommended by the Hawaii commission on performance
 
 6           standards and adopted by the board of education in
 
 7           accordance with Act 334, Session Laws of Hawaii 1991,
 
 8           by June 1, 2000; and
 
 9      (2)  Develop a statewide strategic plan for grades K-12 arts
 
10           education that incorporates and integrates the arts
 
11           content and performance standards established in
 
12           paragraph (1), by December 1, 2000.  The plan shall
 
13           address:
 
14           (A)  Curriculum development for classroom instruction;
 
15           (B)  Professional development for educators and
 
16                artists; and
 
17           (C)  The methodology and mechanisms by which
 
18                implementation and attainment of fine arts content
 
19                and performance standards can be ascertained and
 
20                assessed.
 
21      In accordance with its mandate and duties, the state
 
22 foundation on culture and the arts shall also consult with the
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 the college of education and the college of arts and humanities
 
 2 of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the Hawaii Association of
 
 3 Independent Schools, the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education, and
 
 4 other organizations and individuals in these matters.
 
 5      SECTION 3.  The state foundation on culture and the arts
 
 6 shall submit annual reports to the legislature of its efforts to
 
 7 implement the provisions of section 2 no later than twenty days
 
 8 prior to the convening of each regular session from 2000 to 2005,
 
 9 inclusive.
 
10      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
11 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $150,000 or so much
 
12 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 and the sum
 
13 of $150,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
 
14 year 2000-2001 for the state foundation on culture and the arts
 
15 to implement the provisions of section 2.
 
16      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the state
 
17 foundation on culture and the arts for the purposes of this Act.
 
18      SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.