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Contact your state senator or representative on the Education Committee today!
An Act to Strengthen Arts Education (Maine LD 1385) was presented to the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by the bill’s sponsor Representative Emily Cain of Orono yesterday afternoon. Leading testimony in support of the bill, which proposes changes to graduation and assessment requirements in the Visual and Performing Arts, was Carol Trimble, Executive Director of the Maine Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE) representing all of the organizations of the Arts are Basic Coalition (Maine Music Educators Association, Maine Art Education Association, Dance Education in Maine Schools, Maine Drama Council, VSA Arts of Maine, and the Maine Alliance for Arts Education). Also providing supporting testimony were Dr. Trudy Wilson (USM professor of art education and past president of Maine Art Education Association), Silvia Moore-Young (president-elect of Maine Music Educators Association and a music educator), and Hannah Linnett (high-school senior and youth representative on the board of MAAE).
The bill would increase graduation requirements for the Visual and Performing Arts (dance, drama, visual art, and music) from 1 credit to 2 and would include requirements for portfolio and performance assessment. See the bill’s text here: Link
The committee’s work session for the bill will take place (weather permitting) tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, April 5. If your state senator and/or representative serves on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, please contact them today to let them know how important it is to students in your community to make time for arts education. See the committee list with links for contact information here: Link
The most important thing for us to accomplish with this bill is for the Committee to understand that all students K-12 must have sufficient instructional time in the Visual and Performing Arts and effective assessment opportunities for demonstrating their learning. We should also stress that the arts must not be marginalized and implementation timelines must not be delayed. Please give this message to your state senator or representative, if he/she serves on the Education Committee. Send a copy of your message to ctrimble@maineartseducation.org , so that Carol Trimble of MAAE can track the advocacy efforts.
Please share this information with other arts and education supporters.
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