Theatre Credential Study Group
Historical Context
June 15, 2007
CJ Foss
Office of School Redesign Coordinator
Theatre Arts Educator
1980’s
• 1983: High school reform. Among other
things, a new law requires high school
students to take either one year of foreign
language OR visual or performing arts.
• 1989-90: Arts education report.
Assembly Speaker Willie Brown's Arts
Education Task Force issues a report
stressing the importance of arts education,
urging the California Arts Council and the
Department of Education to bring artists
into the schools to help train teachers as
well as work with students.
1990’s
• 1992: Arts partnership.
The Local Arts Education Partnership
Program puts into practice the
recommendations of the speaker's
task force.
• 1992: Arts license plate.
The arts partnership program gets
funding through the sale of a special
license plate by the Department of
Motor Vehicles. Designed by painter
Wayne Thiebaud, the palm tree plate
has provided $2.35 million for arts
education since 1996.
1990’s
• 1995:Education Code Number 5121
Course of Study: Grades 1 to 6 (e) Visual and performing
arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance,
music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the
development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of
creative expression.
• 1995: Education Code Number 51220
Areas of Study: Grades 7 to 12 (g) Visual and performing
arts, including dance, music, theater, and visual arts,
with emphasis upon development of aesthetic
appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
1990’s
• 1997-98:
In 1997, state Superintendent of Schools
Delaine Eastin forms a task force to find
ways to bring art and music back into the
classroom, mobilizing public officials and
private arts groups.
In 1998, the Department of Education
begins a grant program that now provides
$6 million a year for arts education.
[Prop 98]
• Credential bill AB 1024 vetoed by
Governor Wilson, 1998.)
COMPLETE BILL HISTORY
BILL NUMBER : A.B. No. 1024
AUTHOR: Davis
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TOPIC : Credentialing and curriculum: dance and theatre.
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TYPE OF BILL :
Inactive
Non-Urgency
Non-Appropriations
2/3 Vote Required
Non-State-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
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BILL HISTORY
1998
Sept. 18 Vetoed by Governor.
Sept. 8Enrolled and to the Governor at 10 a.m.
Aug. 26Senate amendments concurred in. To enrollment. (Ayes 43. Noes 32.
Page 9077.)
BILL NUMBER: AB 1024 VETOED
DATE: 09/18/199
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To the Members of the California Assembly:
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I am returning Assembly Bill No. 1024 without my signature.
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This bill would require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to
adopt regulations establishing new standards for theater and dance
teachers within existing single subject teaching credentials.
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Appreciation of the arts is an important part of every child's
education, and should be encouraged. But this bill imposes a
needless and unrealistic burden upon the holders of most single
subject credentials that is wholly unrelated to their chosen
discipline. A far more relevant and appropriate approach to
achieving the same result was that taken by Senate Concurrent
Resolution 31 of 1994.
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Cordially,
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PETE WILSON
1990’s
• 1999: University requirements added.
Both UC and CSU systems change
admission requirements to include one
year of visual or performing arts,
beginning in 2003.
2000’s
• 2000: Arts budget increases.
Gov. Gray Davis increases the
California Arts Council's annual
budget to earmark $10 million for
education programs.
2000’s
• 2000: Theatre and Dance Credential vetoed.
Governor Gray Davis vetoes AB752, which
would have authorized the CA Commission on
Teacher Credentialing to create an emphasis
credential in theatre and dance to holders of
English and physical education credentials,
respectively.
COMPLETE BILL HISTORY
BILL NUMBER : A.B. No. 752
AUTHOR
: Davis
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TOPIC : Credentialing and curriculum: dance and theatre.
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TYPE OF BILL :
Inactive
Non-Urgency
Non-Appropriations
2/3 Vote Required
Non-State-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
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BILL HISTORY
2000
Sept. 28 Vetoed by Governor.
Sept. 11 Enrolled and to the Governor at 9:30 a.m.
BILL NUMBER: AB 752 VETOED
DATE: 09/28/2000
SEP 28 2000
To Members of the California Assembly:
I am returning Assembly Bill 752 without my signature.
This bill would authorize the Commission on Teacher Credentialing
(CTC) to create an emphasis credential in theatre and dance to
holders of English and physical education credentials, respectively.
Current law however, authorizes the CTC to provide a special
authorization to teach theatre or dance to English or physical
education credential holders. This existing authority should be
sufficient to meet the need for quality dance and theatre
instructors.
In addition, reducing barriers to the teaching profession is directly
related to alleviating teacher shortages. State policy has been to
encourage credentialing in subject areas with vacancies that are hard
to fill. Dance and theatre are not among the shortage areas school
districts commonly identify.
For these reasons, I cannot support this measure.
Sincerely,
GRAY DAVIS
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What progress has been made toward securing a
separate dance and theatre credential?
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There has been a long history to the securing of separate
dance and theatre credentials.
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The California Commission on Teaching Credentials (CTC)
instituted a survey that went to all sectors of education.
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The majority of Visual & Performing Arts practitioners felt the
separate credentials were a necessity.
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However, administrators who answered the survey stated that
there was not enough demand for those classes to justify the
expense of instituting dance and theatre credentials.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
What progress has been made toward securing a
separate dance and theatre credential?
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A bill for the credentials has been vetoed by two distinct
governors in this state.
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There is a fear of granting credentials to people who cannot
get jobs.
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With the introduction of NCLB to the conversation of
credentialing and the requirement of a teacher holding an
appropriate credential the Subject Matter Authorization came
into existence through CTC’s work, in both Dance and Theatre
(among other subjects).
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This authorization requires 32 units of semester coursework,
closely approaching requirements for Single Subject
Credentials.
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As this authorization settles in, it may become easier to move
to a Single Subject Credential in Dance and Theatre as the
colleges and universities are offering the needed coursework.
History of Legislation Affecting Arts Education in
California over the Past Three Decades
• 1970: Ryan Act. State law essentially
eliminates arts-course training
requirements for elementary
schoolteachers.
• 1978: Proposition 13. The landmark
property-tax cap results in school
funding being shifted from local
communities to the state. Districts
are forced to cut staff and programs,
hitting the arts hard.
2000’s
• 2001: The state Board of Education
adopts content standards for the arts.
• 2003: California Arts Council budget
cut by over 90%. Grantmaking
activities suspended, including arts
in education grant programs.
2003
• SCR 5 (Scott)
A far-reaching California Alliance for Arts for
Education (CAAE) sponsored resolution
affirming the importance of standards-based
instruction in the visual and performing arts.
• SB469 (Scott)
Co-sponsored by CAAE and the CA State
PTA, the bill elevates the Visual and
Performing Arts in the Instructional Materials
bill.
2003
• SB611 (Ducheny)
Makes clear the intent of the Legislature to support all
Subject Matter Projects, including the arts, health,
and foreign language. The intent will encourage the
University of California to continue maintenance
funding in these three subject areas.
• CA Master Plan for Education: CAAE advocacy
responsible for inclusion of visual and performing arts
among academic areas to be taught at all levels.
• CDE Arts Work grants: $6 million eliminated in Gov.
Davisﾕ budget and later restored by Legislature.
2004
• CDE Arts Work grants: $6 million eliminated in Gov.
Schwarzeneggerﾕs budget and later restored by
Legislature.
• SB 1213 (Scott) Increased fees for arts license plate
Increases the amount of the fees imposed for
issuance and renewal of specified special interest
license plates approved by the DMV in consultation
with the California Arts Council. Requires the council
to use the revenue exclusively for arts education and
local arts programming. Prohibits the council from
using the revenue for its administrative costs.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Going forward
• What is different now?
• Who will sponsor legislation?
• Who will mobilize the campaign?
• What are the affects on small schools?
Tracking Legislation Tools
• http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html