- Art teaches children that problems can have MORE than ONE solution and that questions can have more than one answer.
- The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 designated arts as a “core academic subject,” meaning it is on equal footing with reading, writing, math, science and other disciplines.
- WI defines the arts in statute or code as a core or academic subject
- WI adopted early childhood or prekindergarten arts education standards
- WI has their own WI K-12 Art and Design Standards.
- WI requires districts or schools to offer arts instruction at the elementary school level.
- WI requires districts or schools to offer arts instruction at the middle school level.
- WI requires districts or schools to offer arts instruction at the high school level.
- 20 states include arts courses as an option to fulfill graduation requirements. WI is NOT one of them, but our neighbors MI, MN and IL all do.
- 16 states require state-, district- or school-level assessment of student learning in the arts. WI is not one of them, but MN is.
- WI specifies arts education as a requirement for schools to be accredited.
- 22 states provide funding for an arts education grant program or a state-funded school for the arts, WI is NOT one of them, but our neighbors MN and IL do.
- WI Art & Design Standards include and are applicable to Digital and Media Arts and the National Media Arts Standards were referenced in the process of developing the WI Art & Design Standards along with the National Core Art Standards for Visual Art. (Advocacy Chair: Member of WI Art & Design Standards Writing Committee)
- If Elementary Art is taught by the elementary classroom teacher rather than a certified art teacher, the curriculum must address ALL the Visual Art Learning Standards.
- Art instruction shall be provided for all pupils in grades kindergarten through 6 and shall be performed by or under the direction of a licensed art teacher. Art instruction shall be available to all pupils in grades 7 through 12 and shall be taught by a licensed art teacher.