The Vulnerability of Urban Elementary School Arts Programs: A Case Study

Abstract

With the intent of improving understanding of cuts to elementary arts programs, the purpose of this research was to investigate how one urban school district (Lansing School District in Lansing, Michigan) eliminated its elementary arts specialists. Research questions were (1) What policy conditions enabled the Lansing School District’s decision to cut its elementary arts specialists? and (2) How did the decision-making process unfold? This instrumental case study drew on policy analysis, and data sources included 18 interviews with former Lansing School District teachers, current employees, and community arts provider representatives as well as related documents and researcher memos. After coding for themes, I used the Advocacy Coalition Framework to organize findings by research question. Findings showed that a confluence of macro- and microlevel policy conditions enabled the cuts, including declining enrollment, budget problems, and a negative perception of elementary arts teachers facilitated by permissive teacher certification/assignment policies. Analysis also showed that the decision-making process was characterized by rival coalitions whose membership was defined by belief systems. Based on the findings, I offer critical reflection on a number of topics and offer general recommendations as well as implications for researchers.

Did consequential accountability policies decrease the share of visual and performing arts education in U.S. public secondary schools during the No Child Left Behind era?

“…Questions remain as to why these reductions occurred-if not explained by the cross-state time invariant treatment model employed in our study. During the NCLB era, there were instances of school districts eliminating their entire group of music educators to accommodate reductions in school expenditures (Shaw, 2018;Spohn, 2008). These reductions were most evident among schools not reaching AYP (Gerrity, 2009;West, 2012;Why, 2009).…”

“…As a result of this expanded time spent on language arts, math, and science-as well as district budget pressures-arts specialist positions in many school districts were used to instead hire general classroom teachers (Shaw, 2018;Trafi-Prats & Woywod, 2013). These actions occurred despite the empirical evidence showing positive associations between arts engagement and the cognitive, social, and emotional development of youth (for meta-analytic reviews see, See & Kokotsaki, 2015;Winner et al, 2013).…”

Is Music Education in Tune With the Pursuit of Equity? An Examination of Access to Music Education in Michigan’s Schools

“…Music education has always had a tenuous position in America’s schools, with struggles in its introduction to the curriculum in the 1830s (Mark & Gary, 2007) and challenges associated with funding and maintaining a subject often viewed as “nice but not necessary” (Broudy, 1979). Given the permissive state policies around arts education, music programs are especially susceptible to budgetary cuts and shifting local priorities (Burrack et al, 2014; Major, 2013; Shaw, 2018). Although most states require some type of arts education at the K–5 and middle school levels and many require one credit of arts education for high school graduation, the implementation of these requirements varies widely (Arts Education Partnership, 2019).…”

How Music Education Policies Come to Be and What Teachers Can Do

“…When the music teacher was not replaced, it was in response to permissive policy in Michigan, one of seven states that did not (and still does not) require arts instruction in kindergarten through fifth grades 3 and allows classroom teachers to teach elementary art, music, and physical education. 4 It became clear that I could not avoid policy even if I wanted to.…”