HISTORY
In November 2022, California voters approved Proposition 28, which allocates significant ongoing funding to expand arts education at every school in the state. Each school’s Prop. 28 allocation is determined by the formula in the proposition, which is based on the school's enrollment plus enrollment of economically disadvantaged students. At least 80% of Prop 28 expenditures must be spent on staffing. Because Prop. 28 has a “do not supplant” clause, schools must hold on to existing arts programs.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Because there are no elementary schools in which Prop. 28 will fund a full-time teacher, the VAPA Department has hired full-time teachers who are assigned to multiple schools, rather than schools individually attempting to hire 120 part-time educators. However, each school’s Prop. 28 allocations are tracked individually–there is no “pooling” of funds. These VAPA Elementary Arts educators provide arts instruction to students in grades UTK-3 while their classroom teacher receives contractual prep time. Students in grades 4-5 receive music instruction from a different educator on the VAPA Elementary Music team during their classroom teacher's prep time.
VAPA Elementary Arts educators are supervised by the VAPA Department and Program Manager Tim Benson. School site principals create the schedule. Additional or make-up prep time must be provided by the regular/established enrichment teacher at the school site, to be organized by the school's Elementary Preparation and Enrichment Committee.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Schools are assigned two teachers: one in the fall and one in the spring. For one semester, a Performing Arts (PA) teacher will teach an integrated curriculum of dance, music and theatre. The other semester, a Media Arts and Visual Arts (MAVA) teacher will teach an integrated curriculum of media arts and visual arts. Instructional supplies are also funded by Prop. 28 and ordered by the school. Teachers are assigned to schools for a certain number of days based on the school's Prop 28 allocation.
The program provides equitable access to all arts disciplines for UTK-3 students and may be customized for school needs.
INSTRUCTION
Instruction is guided by the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve, adopted by the State Board of Education on January 9, 2019. Instruction in every arts discipline and at every grade level utilize the same four artistic processes:
- Creating
- Presenting/Performing/Producing
- Responding
- Connecting
CONTACT
VAPA Program Manager: Tim Benson - [email protected]