Arts Education and School Improvement Resources for Local and State Leaders

April 1997, 23 pages, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington D.C. 20202-0110

Arts Education and School Improvement Resources for Local and State Leaders is a new publication from the U.S. Department of Education. The Department of Education developed this guide in response "to the tremendous interest in strengthening schools, communities, and the economy through the arts that was voiced by the NEA's American Canvas." The purpose of the guide is "to help local and state leaders and arts education practitioners learn about opportunities in U.S. Department of Education programs for securing funding for improving education and using the arts to improve overall student performance." The guide is intended to help education decision makers identify possible financial support for local arts education initiatives.

Profiles of nineteen separate federal programs include information about the type of grant and who is eligible, the most recent appropriation level, examples of program funds used for arts education (when available), and specific contact information. Appendices direct the reader to sources of further information, list legislative support for arts education, and describe other federal programs for arts education.

Grantmakers involved in public school arts education programs may find this report valuable, particularly since the direct telephone numbers of specific federal offices are listed in each program profile. The guide could assist grantmakers who wish to contact federal staff with research questions about programs in all parts of the U.S., programs that have been evaluated favorably, or the applicability of particular local programs to possible federal support programs. The guide is in the public domain and is available on the Department of Education web site.