Nancy Konitzer


Lynn Tuttle

Title I and the Arts – how does reauthorization impact this relationship?

Posted by Nancy Konitzer, Lynn Tuttle, Sep 16, 2015 1 comment


Nancy Konitzer


Lynn Tuttle

Can Title I funds be used to support arts education?

Yes - Title I funds have had the ability to support supplemental arts education programs in our nation’s public schools since the current bill (No Child Left Behind) became law in 2002. The arts are listed as a core academic subject in Title IX of the law, and Title I supports this by requesting schools to create research-based Title I programs linked to quality standards in core academic subjects. 

The supplemental aspect of this answer has to do with the fact that federal funds must supplement or be in addition to local and state funds going to support public schools. In other words, just because a school is eligible for Title I funds, it cannot use those funds instead of their local/state funds… it must use the Title I funds on top of their local/state funds. And the same goes for programs. If your district or state requires the arts to be taught, then Title I funds can be used to supplement what is considered the basic arts education requirement in the district/state. In Arizona, we focus most Title I funding in the arts to arts integration programs which build on basic arts education offerings (art, music, dance, theatre) established in our state’s schools.

Do the reauthorization bills currently under consideration continue to allow Title I funds to support arts education?

The Senate version does, listing both music and arts in its listing of core academic subjects. The House version appears to be less clear as the House version does not include a listing of core academic subjects.

Are there websites where I can go learn more about Title I funding and the arts?

Absolutely! Our favorite – and we’re bringing them in to keynote for our Title I conference this year – is the California Alliance for Arts Education’s title1arts.org website. This beautiful website gives you videos of administrators already utilizing Title I to support their supplemental arts education programs, as well as a step by step process on how to get such a program started in your own school. You can also visit the Arizona Department of Education website to see information we share with the field, too.

How else does Title I support arts education?

For many schools, including some in Arizona, students are pulled out of arts classes in order to receive their supplemental Title I interventions in reading and math. The law itself frowns upon this. In Section 1115 – the Targeted Assistance Program section of the law – it states: minimize removing children from the regular classroom during regular school hours for instruction provided under this part. In other words, students should not be missing regular classroom classes, including the arts as a currently listed core academic subjects in order to receive their supplemental instruction funded by Title I. Part of our job at the state is to monitor schools and to work with them to create more flexible schedules to allow students to access all core academic subjects as well as their Title I interventions.

Do the reauthorization bills currently under consideration continue Title I’s support for uninterrupted instruction in the arts, music and other core academic subjects?

Again, the Senate version appears to keep this or similar language, while the House version does not.

What else is important to keep in mind regarding the ESEA Reauthorization when it comes to Title I and arts education?

Title I supporters are watching to see if the “Title I Portability” language found in the proposed House version of ESEA ends up in the final version of the bill after conference committee. Title I Portability would allow Title I funds to “follow the student,” – i.e. a poor student who generated the Title I funds could “take” those funds with her as she attended a private school or a different public school. This provision would decimate Title I programs, including Title I supplemental arts programs, by creating an uncertain set of funds for any given school. How can you hire a teacher or provide professional development on arts integration if you are unsure the funds will be there due to student mobility in and out of your school?

Furthermore, the idea of portability flies in the face of the intent of the law. The law is written to create support for academically disadvantaged children who attend schools in high poverty areas. While the funds are generated by poverty, Title I funds may not go directly to students of poverty in the shape of programs; the funds are utilized to create programs for students who are academically at risk. While many of these may be students of poverty, many will not, and Title I is meant to benefit all academically at risk children within a given school – not just those of poverty. In fact, this is one of the areas of compliance we monitor for as a state department of education. 

1 responses for Title I and the Arts – how does reauthorization impact this relationship?

Comments

Ms. Kate Potter says
November 12, 2015 at 11:15 am

Law will only be successful in states like Arizona when the guides or teachers strictly implement it rather than pulling students out of Art classes. Title 1 funds are a big advantage to the poor students.
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