Subject: Fine Arts Requirement Removed in SB3/HB3 Revisions to the Recommended Program for Graduation - Act Now!ACTION NEEDED: CONTACT YOUR SENATOR & REPRESENTATIVE ASAPIf you believe fine arts should continue to be required for graduation because it is important to the overall education of Texas schoolchildren and you believe that if the legislature doesn’t require fine arts they will be sending school districts the wrong message about its importance, you need to call your Senator’s and Representative’s capitol offices. Ask them to vote no on SB3 and HB3 unless fine arts is kept as a graduation requirement (as is required in the current Recommended Program).This notification is urgent as Senate Bill 3 is expected on the floor Wednesday, April 29.Find your Senator’s and Representative’s Capitol Office NumbersSUMMARYThe current one-credit fine arts graduation requirement will be eliminated if the Senate and House pass their current committee substitutes for Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 3 (the new accountability bills).Senate Bill 3 is expected to go to the floor on Wednesday, April 29.The bills include revisions to the Recommended Program for graduation. The revised program (commonly referred to as the 4x4+2) will require a student to take four years each of math, science, English Language Arts, and Social Studies plus two years of foreign language. The other eight credits in the 26-credit plan will be academic electives. After more than twenty years, there will be no fine arts credit requirement for graduation from Texas public high schools.Without a fine arts requirement, many students will never experience rigorous, meaningful instruction in the arts.TALKING POINTSYou may select from the following talking points for why a fine arts requirement is important as well as add your own:Supports Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Fine Arts Graduation Requirement: Currently, the THECB requires three credits of fine arts for a student to graduate with a baccalaureate degree from a Texas institution. To not include a fine arts requirement in high school is philosophically counter to this requirement. With no high school requirement, there would be no fine arts required for students in public school after grade five. A 4x4+2 plan does not support a seamless K-16 education for Texas students.Supports Leading Business and Technology Author Dan Pink’s Philosophy of 21st Century Workforce Training: Twenty-first century work skill development should be the driving force behind our education system moving forward in Texas . As Pink details in his best-selling book, A Whole New Mind-Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, while “left-brain” abilities are absolutely necessary, that dominance is gone and the workforce of the future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind - creative and empathetic “right-brain” thinkers. Rigorous instruction in fine arts is a major component of this workforce development.Impact on Minority and Low Socioeconomic Students: There is a genuine concern that these students, with no required exposure to fine arts in middle school or high school, will simply be channeled into courses focused on TAKS or end-of-course performance and not clearly given their options to explore fine arts, an area of study that may keep them in school and encourage successful academic performance in other subjects.Aligns Texas Requirements with Federal Legislation: The current core academic subjects defined in No Child Left Behind include mathematics, science, English language arts, social studies, languages other than English, and fine arts. Requiring a fine arts credit aligns Texas with NCLB as well as the core subjects of P21 - The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.Aligns with the College Board Publication, "Academic Preparation for College - What Students Need To Know And Be Able to Do": This College Board document defines the basic academic subjects as English language arts, fine arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and foreign language.Creates Flexibility: Even with a fine arts credit requirement, the Recommended Program will provide for seven academic electives from the foundation and enrichment subject areas versus the 3.5 elective options in the current Recommended Program.Offers Broad-Based Academic Experiences: Fine arts is a subject area offering students the opportunity to explore a variety of academic disciplines through state approved courses in music, art, theater and dance. The arts options are expansive and diverse unlike the other current required enrichment subjects such as communications applications and physical education which are singular or limited course offerings. One ISD includes over forty TEKS-based fine arts courses in its course catalogue.Supports Texas Education Code (TEC) Objectives: Adding a fine arts credit requirement supports a “well balanced and appropriate education” as called for in Objective 4 of Section 4.001 of the TEC.Supports Student Success: Based on a TMEA study of TEA data, students who participate in fine arts courses demonstrate higher achievement in other academic areas, better attendance records, and lower drop-out rates than students who do not participate in fine arts.
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If the state wants to see the impact on not having fine arts in the schools they should bring a hidden camera out to the far east end of HISD and see the transfer/drop out rate. It by itself can be used as an example of what can happen to even the WHITE schools if this is allowed to pass. Its like they don't want kids to go to school and have fun while learning
What kinda BS is this????? Fine Arts is very important to the young mind!!! It is not fine arts that is hurting these TAKS scores, cuz when it comes done to everything, Sports practices 50% more then the marching band, maybe more at other schools!!! At my school, which is still pretty small, coaches call practices till 7 or 8, someitmes 9 at night, then have them come back up at 5 in the morning for practice. Marching Bands during the fall arent even allowed to practice that much due to UIL regulations.
so what if kids enjoy fine arts, not only does it teach them an art that they will know throuhgout life, but also teaches disipline and how to really be part of a team(aka marching band) "One Band, One Sound" since i have even joined band, i have learned so much more then these other kids who dont even do neither sports or band. They are the mains ones who even fail at that
Schools like Katy who are mainly about sports, they have enough kids in their school to get at least recommended. Smaller 4A, 3A, 2A schools don't do that, it always the smaller schools wh oget taken over by the state. Not because of fine arts, but because only 75-80% of the kids come ot school everyday and some kids could just barly give a damn about school.
In conculsion, FINE ARTS IS NOT THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! get some damn good teachers in these smaller schools and actually have enough disipline to disipline these kids when they do poorly!!! stop giving us teachers who confuse themselves on the Denisty=Mass/Volume formula!!!!!!
In my high school, after my algebra 2 teacher passed away back in Febuary, we were stuck with 3 monotoned, boring azz, confusing self math teachers who don't even teach!!!! one of them gets her self confused when she is adding and subtracting, What Kind of s*** is that???? Math is the only thing that is really killing the State of Texas. Not enough good teachers to go around.
and to directors who dont want this to happen. Here is an idea that does help out my school. it is called "accelerated week" for three days(a week before the actual TAKS) we go to 3 science(Biology, Chemistry and Physics) 3 Math(Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2) and 2 Histroy(Geography and US/World Histroy).... we go to different teachers who are strong in those points and teach us what to do, how to work them, what to know, and shortcuts in those long difficult problems that seem to confuse kids during the test. Its pretty much like an over view for alot of students but from what i have seen and expereicned, it does help!!!!!
Bring that idea up the School Board or Principal, and as a student who just did it this past week, hell im ready for these tests
Its all a plan nad idea to save these fine arts programs even though we are not the problem!!!
Anyone in Ms Lee's district? She never turns down a photo op...
But once there's a forced "loss of interest" (which is what this proposal is) the local boards will have the authority to slash programs one by one until POOF! No more chorus, band, dance, theater, music etc...All in the name of funding and "loss of interest". This will mostly affect the largely Hispanic and Black schools. One, you wont have the numbers to fight a decision by the board. There is not enough students in the current programs.
But local district boards cant yet rid the schools of fine arts because its a requirement. But once fine arts is no longer a requirement... They're coming at every program.
This is my first time seeing this... But local districts have long been after fine art programs and wanted ways to rid the schools of them. They are a bit expensive to run... Education has changed since I have been out of school... And its only been 7 years geeezzz
Chris lets be real now...you know that Katy and Cy-Fair etc are not going to get rid of thier programs even if it is not a requirement. And I can't stand Lee! The only thing good about her is she's always around even if she's not doing a damn thing! I bet she'll be at Luby's today acting like she really doing something.
The force loss of interest came about when certain admin types decided that if they couldn't have a 100 piece corpstyle band then it wasn't worth it. Out this way you are dealing with alot of racism (older and ignorant hispanics backed by white folk who are telling them that thier school is fine just the way it is and older black folk who because they got chosen over hispanics for whatever label hispanics white so they don't want they kids to go to the 'white' school.) My area when I was in school was the cream of the crop for almost every thing, at least up to middle school. Our middle school choir and band was almost on pare with Johnston because we had a live vanguard and magnet program ( in those days that actually meant something) We had discipline problems sure but I spent one year at Paul Revere and I did not see too much diference. As I recall there were more GANGS at Revere then at Holland.
I had the same pricipal the whole time at Holland. This is almost unheard of today. In the past 15 years they have had at least 5 or 6 principals and all have made sweeping change. When the band director left Holland for whatever reason (possibly they got rid of the vanguard and magnet programs and the director only wanted THOSE kids in the band. I don't remember seeing too many people I knew there and I could not join so I went to choir) We had a new choir director every year I was at Holland. The elementary school did not have a band but we were taught music. When we got to middle school EVERYONE knew what a quarter note was...try to do that now!
And we have some ignorant black folk out here I tell you! The kids did not lose interest...IT STOPPED BEING OFFERED!
We could have had a band when I was at Furr but tell me how do you hire a band director and then when someone wants to join and they go to the conselars office to get band put on the schedule the people say that we have no band! Our pricipal wanted anything BUT a showstyle band to the point that they merged 2 school bands that were across the town from each other to create HISD's first (and now defunct) military band. When they got a good band director OUT OF RETIREMENT (Bill Singletary, does that ring a bell anyone) they made it so he could not do his job so he left and went to Kirby. This was in the 90's. Remember Kirby in the 90's?!
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
Anyone in Ms Lee's district? She never turns down a photo op...
But once there's a forced "loss of interest" (which is what this proposal is) the local boards will have the authority to slash programs one by one until POOF! No more chorus, band, dance, theater, music etc...All in the name of funding and "loss of interest". This will mostly affect the largely Hispanic and Black schools. One, you wont have the numbers to fight a decision by the board. There is not enough students in the current programs.
But local district boards cant yet rid the schools of fine arts because its a requirement. But once fine arts is no longer a requirement... They're coming at every program.
This is my first time seeing this... But local districts have long been after fine art programs and wanted ways to rid the schools of them. They are a bit expensive to run... Education has changed since I have been out of school... And its only been 7 years geeezzz
Plans to Eliminate Texas High Bands..Need YOUR Help!!!
Subject: Fine Arts Requirement Removed in SB3/HB3 Revisions to the Recommended Program for Graduation - Act Now!
ACTION NEEDED: CONTACT YOUR SENATOR…
Well no they wont get rid of it because there will be enough students. This proposal gives the districts an "option" to slash the programs if there's no interest from the students. They already want to, they just cant.
Of course Katy wont get rid of their bands (maybe in the future but not now). This is for districts like Houston, who think band is a curse on the school. This proposal is just what they need. Its so easy to twist peoples minds.
We are looking for a new superintendent as we speak in HISD. I think it is a perfect time to put whoever might consider the job to oppose this. We always had standardized testing but this mess will make sure we graduate dummies even in the suburbs! And maybe we need to find a worthy canidate to replace ms Lee. She been there tooo long!
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
Oh yea. so what do people need to do?
Plans to Eliminate Texas High Bands..Need YOUR Help!!!
Subject: Fine Arts Requirement Removed in SB3/HB3 Revisions to the Recommended Program for Graduation - Act Now!
ACTION NEEDED: CONTACT YOUR SENATOR…
This is a (Texas) House Bill that the legislatorswill vote on THIS Wednesday, April 29 ( ...funny they are doing this doing state wide TAKS testing when everthing thing is on lock-down ...even the use of school computers to view this message... thats politicians for you) ... You can help prevent this by having EVERYONE contact their STATE Representative/Senator to voice their opinion.
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
Oh yea. so what do people need to do?
Plans to Eliminate Texas High Bands..Need YOUR Help!!!
Subject: Fine Arts Requirement Removed in SB3/HB3 Revisions to the Recommended Program for Graduation - Act Now!
ACTION NEEDED: CONTACT YOUR SENATOR…
Replies
so what if kids enjoy fine arts, not only does it teach them an art that they will know throuhgout life, but also teaches disipline and how to really be part of a team(aka marching band) "One Band, One Sound" since i have even joined band, i have learned so much more then these other kids who dont even do neither sports or band. They are the mains ones who even fail at that
Schools like Katy who are mainly about sports, they have enough kids in their school to get at least recommended. Smaller 4A, 3A, 2A schools don't do that, it always the smaller schools wh oget taken over by the state. Not because of fine arts, but because only 75-80% of the kids come ot school everyday and some kids could just barly give a damn about school.
In conculsion, FINE ARTS IS NOT THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! get some damn good teachers in these smaller schools and actually have enough disipline to disipline these kids when they do poorly!!! stop giving us teachers who confuse themselves on the Denisty=Mass/Volume formula!!!!!!
In my high school, after my algebra 2 teacher passed away back in Febuary, we were stuck with 3 monotoned, boring azz, confusing self math teachers who don't even teach!!!! one of them gets her self confused when she is adding and subtracting, What Kind of s*** is that???? Math is the only thing that is really killing the State of Texas. Not enough good teachers to go around.
and to directors who dont want this to happen. Here is an idea that does help out my school. it is called "accelerated week" for three days(a week before the actual TAKS) we go to 3 science(Biology, Chemistry and Physics) 3 Math(Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2) and 2 Histroy(Geography and US/World Histroy).... we go to different teachers who are strong in those points and teach us what to do, how to work them, what to know, and shortcuts in those long difficult problems that seem to confuse kids during the test. Its pretty much like an over view for alot of students but from what i have seen and expereicned, it does help!!!!!
Bring that idea up the School Board or Principal, and as a student who just did it this past week, hell im ready for these tests
Its all a plan nad idea to save these fine arts programs even though we are not the problem!!!
But once there's a forced "loss of interest" (which is what this proposal is) the local boards will have the authority to slash programs one by one until POOF! No more chorus, band, dance, theater, music etc...All in the name of funding and "loss of interest". This will mostly affect the largely Hispanic and Black schools. One, you wont have the numbers to fight a decision by the board. There is not enough students in the current programs.
But local district boards cant yet rid the schools of fine arts because its a requirement. But once fine arts is no longer a requirement... They're coming at every program.
This is my first time seeing this... But local districts have long been after fine art programs and wanted ways to rid the schools of them. They are a bit expensive to run... Education has changed since I have been out of school... And its only been 7 years geeezzz
The force loss of interest came about when certain admin types decided that if they couldn't have a 100 piece corpstyle band then it wasn't worth it. Out this way you are dealing with alot of racism (older and ignorant hispanics backed by white folk who are telling them that thier school is fine just the way it is and older black folk who because they got chosen over hispanics for whatever label hispanics white so they don't want they kids to go to the 'white' school.) My area when I was in school was the cream of the crop for almost every thing, at least up to middle school. Our middle school choir and band was almost on pare with Johnston because we had a live vanguard and magnet program ( in those days that actually meant something) We had discipline problems sure but I spent one year at Paul Revere and I did not see too much diference. As I recall there were more GANGS at Revere then at Holland.
I had the same pricipal the whole time at Holland. This is almost unheard of today. In the past 15 years they have had at least 5 or 6 principals and all have made sweeping change. When the band director left Holland for whatever reason (possibly they got rid of the vanguard and magnet programs and the director only wanted THOSE kids in the band. I don't remember seeing too many people I knew there and I could not join so I went to choir) We had a new choir director every year I was at Holland. The elementary school did not have a band but we were taught music. When we got to middle school EVERYONE knew what a quarter note was...try to do that now!
And we have some ignorant black folk out here I tell you! The kids did not lose interest...IT STOPPED BEING OFFERED!
We could have had a band when I was at Furr but tell me how do you hire a band director and then when someone wants to join and they go to the conselars office to get band put on the schedule the people say that we have no band! Our pricipal wanted anything BUT a showstyle band to the point that they merged 2 school bands that were across the town from each other to create HISD's first (and now defunct) military band. When they got a good band director OUT OF RETIREMENT (Bill Singletary, does that ring a bell anyone) they made it so he could not do his job so he left and went to Kirby. This was in the 90's. Remember Kirby in the 90's?!
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
Of course Katy wont get rid of their bands (maybe in the future but not now). This is for districts like Houston, who think band is a curse on the school. This proposal is just what they need. Its so easy to twist peoples minds.
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
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