REPORT TITLE: 
Arts Education


DESCRIPTION:
Makes an appropriation to complete the Hawaii content and
performance standards in the arts and develop a strategic plan
to incorporate and integrate these content and performance
standards for students in grades K-12.  (HB316 HD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        316
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
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.  Subsequently, the commission developed
 
 6 content and performance standards for eight content subject areas
 
 7 that it considered essential to the education of all K-12 grade
 
 8 students.  The report, "Final Report, Hawaii State Commission on
 
 9 Performance Standards," published in June 1994, was adopted by
 
10 the board of education in October 1994, with an understanding
 
11 that the proposed content and performance standards would be
 
12 reviewed and appropriately revised.  Curriculum modules and
 
13 programs based on the standards were to be developed and
 
14 implemented on a school-by-school basis, student assessment
 
15 studies systematically conducted, and fiscal accountability
 
16 reports annually submitted to the legislature and governor.
 
17      By identifying the fine arts (hereinafter referred to as the
 
18 arts) as a core content subject area, the department of education
 
19 recognizes the importance of the four disciplines of dance,
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 music, theater, and the visual arts.  The legislature considers
 
 2 the arts to be a fundamental component of a student's
 
 3 comprehensive educational experience, because it enhances and
 
 4 accelerates the learning of all students.  In addition, the
 
 5 legislature 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 consistently and convincingly demonstrates the benefits of
 
15 studying the arts and further supports the actions of the
 
16 department of education and the legislature.  Such studies
 
17 confirm that exposure to the arts throughout a child's formative
 
18 years can help to facilitate the development of the neurological
 
19 pathways in the brain.  This sophisticated neurological network
 
20 enables all human beings to comprehend, understand, analyze, and
 
21 synthesize highly complex, contextual information and
 
22 relationships.  In addition, studying the arts develops one's
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 ability to solve problems and provides opportunities to develop
 
 2 time and resources management skills by teaching students to
 
 3 begin and complete specific artistic tasks and projects.
 
 4 Furthermore, research shows that studying the arts continues to
 
 5 impact the learning processes in other ways such as significantly
 
 6 improving academic test scores for language and mathematics, as
 
 7 well as building and expanding the scholastic and academic
 
 8 knowledge and understanding of other core content 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 content. 
 
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 of scores of preschool, elementary, and disabled children.
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      From a humanitarian perspective, studying the arts not only
 
 2 broadens a child's perspective of the child's immediate
 
 3 environment but also 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 1999-
 
18 2000 and fiscal year 2000-2001, which will provide a maximum of
 
19 ten grants 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
 

 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

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

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

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