SB 3 and HB 3 (with several floor amendments) passed by unanimous votes in the Senate and House.As of 2011, one credit of fine arts will no longer be required for high school graduation (although schools must continue to offer fine arts).Senate passed an amendment by Senator Florence Shapiro to add a four-semester fine arts requirement for students in grades 6-8 (as of 2011).These bills now move to the opposite chambers for further consideration.GoArts.org for SB3/HB3 Action Full Report(full report included below)On Wednesday Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 3, the accountability bills, were passed by the Senate and House, respectively. The vote in the Senate was 31-0 and in the House 146-0. These bills now move to the opposite chambers for further consideration.High School Fine Arts Must Be Offered, But Students Will Not Be Required to EnrollThe accountability bills define how school districts and campuses will be rated beginning in the 2011 school year. Both bills were passed out of the Senate and House defining a new graduation plan that after twenty years, will not include a one-credit requirement for fine arts. To be clear, school districts will still have to offer fine arts in grades 6-12 but high school students will no longer be required to take fine arts. School districts will still be required by State Board rule minimally to offer one high school course in two of the four fine arts subjects of music, art, theater arts, and dance in high school. An amendment by Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) to restore the one-credit graduation requirement lost by a 17-14 vote.
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Just another way to give kids permission to quit at stuff "Dont worry about it, son. U can quit band if u want, It's not like its gonna keep u from graduating!".... Smh
Physical Education and Health are next on the chopping block
Before you know it Math and science will be offered, but not required.
I dont understand how society is pushing further and further from promoting the basic necessities that we need to live.
Will it remain a requirement for the recommended or advanced tracks, or for the Texas Scholar program?
This can be a positive or negative. On the positive side, this could mean that counselors can stop dumping the riff-raff in a fine arts class "just because". On the negative side, it allows an out for those students that don't do right unless they are forced to.
Hey, at least your Governor didn't try to cut 83% of funding to arts programs. Our legislature didn't let that happen, they acutally gave more money to the arts programs. In fact, they just recently required schools to offer arts programs.
Our kids won't be balanced. They won't have the creativity needed to deal with a changing world. Arts should go hand in hand with science. You have to be creative and innovative to solve new problems, and solving new problems stimulates our thinking.
Anyway, because it's not a requirement to graduate, I see many schools cutting back the fine arts budget even more now.
Our kids won't be balanced. They won't have the creativity needed to deal with a changing world. Arts should go hand in hand with science. You have to be creative and innovative to solve new problems, and solving new problems stimulates our thinking.
Anyway, because it's not a requirement to graduate, I see many schools cutting back the fine arts budget even more now.
I can agree with the balance issue.... but hopefully this change wont create a dent in fine arts programs. At least we'll know that the kids that are in the programs actually WANT TO BE THERE!....
I just dont want to see a situation happen where a top-notch performing student has to drop a fine arts course to complete a "Required" course in order to graduate...
Texas House Bill Pass... No Fine Arts Credit 4 High School Graduates!
SB 3 and HB 3 (with several floor amendments) passed by unanimous votes in the Senate and House.
As of 2011, one credit of fine arts will no longer…
we will be okay..you kats have to look at the bright side..atleast..all the folks in you program...will want to be there and not just because..they need the class to graduate...this could meaan better deicated player..if ya think about it....
About thirty minutes ago Senator Shapiro restored fine arts and physical education to the graduation plan on the floor of the Senate. The requirement is one credit each. Senators Nelson, Van De Putte and Hinojosa all heaped praise on her for her efforts. First of all, a few calls of praise to Senator Shapiro’s office immediately would be wonderful. 512 463-0108. Just a short thank you would be great!
The four semester middle school requirement is still in but will be lowered to two in conference or she will include some kind of language passing that responsibility to the State Board of Education. I think we will still get it. I am confident of what we can get the SBOE to do.
Now the bill goes to the House where members will most likely not concur with the Senate amendments and then the bill goes to conference committee. We will have to launch an alert to encourage the House to accept the Senate amendments.
Fine arts students will have seven electives (counting the requirement) and marching band students will have eight. Others will have six. The current recommended program includes 3.5 electives.
I think this is the best of both worlds - retaining the fine arts requirement and the message it sends to districts plus added flexibility for students. You might be curious to know that of the 40 or so districts I heard from yesterday about half of you thought middle school was most important and the other half thought the high school requirement was most important. That is a indicator to me that we need both. Many thanks for your immediate response.
Robert Floyd
Executive Director
Texas Music Educators Association
Editor, Southwestern Musician
Chair, Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education
1 888 318 8632 or 512 452-0710, ext. 101 www.tmea.org
Replies
Physical Education and Health are next on the chopping block
Before you know it Math and science will be offered, but not required.
I dont understand how society is pushing further and further from promoting the basic necessities that we need to live.
......
got ya......
*hangs & shakes head*
This can be a positive or negative. On the positive side, this could mean that counselors can stop dumping the riff-raff in a fine arts class "just because". On the negative side, it allows an out for those students that don't do right unless they are forced to.
Anyway, because it's not a requirement to graduate, I see many schools cutting back the fine arts budget even more now.
I can agree with the balance issue.... but hopefully this change wont create a dent in fine arts programs. At least we'll know that the kids that are in the programs actually WANT TO BE THERE!....
I just dont want to see a situation happen where a top-notch performing student has to drop a fine arts course to complete a "Required" course in order to graduate...
The four semester middle school requirement is still in but will be lowered to two in conference or she will include some kind of language passing that responsibility to the State Board of Education. I think we will still get it. I am confident of what we can get the SBOE to do.
Now the bill goes to the House where members will most likely not concur with the Senate amendments and then the bill goes to conference committee. We will have to launch an alert to encourage the House to accept the Senate amendments.
Fine arts students will have seven electives (counting the requirement) and marching band students will have eight. Others will have six. The current recommended program includes 3.5 electives.
I think this is the best of both worlds - retaining the fine arts requirement and the message it sends to districts plus added flexibility for students. You might be curious to know that of the 40 or so districts I heard from yesterday about half of you thought middle school was most important and the other half thought the high school requirement was most important. That is a indicator to me that we need both. Many thanks for your immediate response.
Robert Floyd
Executive Director
Texas Music Educators Association
Editor, Southwestern Musician
Chair, Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education
1 888 318 8632 or 512 452-0710, ext. 101
www.tmea.org
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