A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Biennial Evaluation Report - FY 93-94

Chapter 127

Educational Improvement Partnerships--National Programs Arts in Education

(No CFDA Number)

I. Program Profile

Legislation: Section 1564 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 2964) (expires September 30, 1999).

Purpose: To establish and conduct programs in which the arts are an integral part of elementary and secondary school curricula.

Funding History

Fiscal Year Appropriation 1 Fiscal Year Appropriation1
1976 $750,000 1987 $3,337,000
1980 3,500,000 1988 3,315,000
1981 2,025,000 1989 3,458,000
1982 2,025,000 1990 3,851,000
1983 2,025,000 1991 4,392,000
1984 2,125,000 1992 8,600,0002
1985 3,157,000 1993 6,944,000
1986 3,157,000 1994 8,944,000

1/ This program is one of several activities authorized by ESEA, Title I, Chapter 2, Part B, Section 1561. The maximum amount authorized for Part B is 6 percent of the amount appropriated for Chapter 2. Section 1561 also establishes a minimum level of $3,500,000 for the Arts in Education program.

2/ A one-time increase was provided in FY 1992 to allow grantees to switch funding cycles and begin receiving their awards on or around July 1, instead of October 1.

II. Program Information and Analysis

Population Targeting

The Arts in Education program provides funding to the Very Special Arts (VSA) program (formerly the National Committee on Arts for the Handicapped (NCAH)) to encourage and support quality programs integrating the arts into general education for disabled youth and adults. The program also provides funds to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which support a variety of activities including: the Alliance for Arts Education, a network of State arts education committees that focus on making the arts an integral part of basic education; the American College Theater Festival; Performances for Young People internship programs; the Arts Centers and Schools program; and other educational services.

The Kennedy Center has no specific targeting provisions. Disabled and non-disabled children and youth, parents, teachers, and school administrators participate.

Services

For FY 1993, VSA was awarded $3,968,000 to conduct training and technical assistance related to organizational and public/private partnership development, program development and expansion, training, and information services and public awareness in all 50 States and Puerto Rico. The program is designed to help build a cohesive national network, public and private partnerships, and ongoing arts education programs for persons with disabilities. At the center of the VSA program is the VSA Festival which is intended to enable individuals of all ages to celebrate their artistic accomplishments. In FY 1993, more than 600 such local festivals were held around the country.

For FY 1993, the Kennedy Center received $2,976,000 to help carry out its educational activities for the year. These funds were primarily used to support the Alliance for Arts Education, the "Imagination Celebration," the American College Theater Festival, and the Arts Centers and Schools Program.

VSA received a supplemental award for FY 1992 through the Drug Planning and Outreach program for $250,000 to fund two innovative projects. The first project was The Art of Prevention, a training video for teachers on drug prevention. The second project was the Very Special Arts Video Challenge, a project to engage students to explore issues relating to drug abuse and create innovative prevention messages.

For FY 1993, VSA also received a supplemental award through the Drug Planning and Outreach Program for $300,000 to fund an innovative project. Through the Murals Reflecting Prevention project, students (grades 1-12) from schools across the United States learned about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention through the process of creating murals. Teachers were provided a comprehensive project packet, complemented by a videotape.

III. Sources of Information

  1. Program files.

IV. Planned Studies

None.

V. Contacts for Further Information

Program Operations:
Carrolyn Andrews, (202) 260-2670

Program Studies:
Robert Glenn, (202) 401-1958

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