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.  (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        316
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                S.D. 1
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
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 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      International and national scientific research consistently
 
14 and convincingly demonstrate the benefits of studying the arts
 
15 and further supports the actions of the department of education
 
16 and the legislature.  Such studies confirm that exposure to the
 
17 arts throughout a child's formative years can help to facilitate
 
18 the development of the neurological pathways in the brain.  This
 
19 sophisticated neurological network enables all human beings to
 
20 comprehend, understand, analyze, and synthesize highly complex,
 
21 contextual information and relationships.  In addition, studying
 
22 the arts develops one's ability to solve problems and provides
 
23 opportunities to develop time and resources management skills by
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 teaching students to begin and complete specific artistic tasks
 
 2 and projects.  Furthermore, research shows that studying the arts
 
 3 continues to impact the learning processes in other ways such as
 
 4 significantly improving academic test scores for language and
 
 5 mathematics, as well as building and expanding the scholastic and
 
 6 academic knowledge and understanding of other core content
 
 7 subject areas.
 
 8      Within the context of a school, cultural anthropology and
 
 9 sociology studies indicate that studying the arts increases one's
 
10 ability to effectively communicate with adults and peers.  It
 
11 provides a venue to cooperatively interact with other classmates,
 
12 parents, educators, and members of the community.  It helps to
 
13 reduce drop-out rates in schools and develops lifetime skills for
 
14 those with meaningful arts education experiences.  In addition,
 
15 studying the arts culturally enriches the lives of those who
 
16 investigate and examine their content. 
 
17      On an individual basis, studying the arts encourages greater
 
18 self-awareness, confidence, and expression.  Research and
 
19 assessment studies indicate that arts education programs
 
20 measurably increase the creativity, originality, and imagination
 
21 of scores of preschool, elementary, and disabled children.
 
22      From a humanitarian perspective, studying the arts not only
 
23 broadens a child's perspective of the child's immediate
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 environment but also creates a heightened sense of awareness and
 
 2 connection with the past and present occupants and stewards of
 
 3 this world.
 
 4      The legislature further finds that the state foundation on
 
 5 culture and the arts currently enhances the department of
 
 6 education's art education budget by providing nearly $1,000,000
 
 7 for art education projects and programs, which include:
 
 8      (1)  Art in public places-artists in
 
 9              residency project                          $500,000
 
10      (2)  Foundation grant program-arts in education    $250,000
 
11      (3)  Artist in the schools program                  $50,500
 
12      (4)  School arts excellence awards                   $9,000
 
13      (5)  Convention center student art exhibition       $15,000
 
14      In addition, the state foundation on culture and the arts
 
15 will commence a new two-year grants project in fiscal year 1999-
 
16 2000 and fiscal year 2000-2001, which will provide a maximum of
 
17 ten grants at $2,500 each to selected schools.
 
18      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to:
 
19      (1)  Review, revise, and complete the Hawaii content and
 
20           performance standards in the arts; and
 
21      (2)  Develop a strategic plan to fully implement these
 
22           standards.
 
23      SECTION 2.  The state foundation on culture and the arts
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

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

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