indings reported from this study provide a complex portrait of a number of areas in which NCLB has affected art education. Although the report provided aggregated summaries of findings the data produced, differences exist in how NCLB affected art education programs locally and within instructional levels. In some cases the impact was more profound than in others. Just as art education programs vary because of resources, local values and beliefs, and priorities established by teachers, administrators, school boards, and the variety of decision makers and stakeholders in communities, it cannot be denied that NCLB has affected all educational programs in all settings to some extent. Keeping these variations in mind and the need to be responsive to local needs of communities, schools, and students, the following recommendations are offered.
(1) Visual arts education must be at the core of education in public schools. With the passage of NCLB, visual arts education was identified by the national government as a necessary discipline at the core of education in American schools. Such placement put art education among the national education concerns. With this decision political leaders demonstrated their understanding of the need for providing comprehensive education in the visual arts for all students and the value the American public places on such education. They embraced the realizations that in having a quality art education, citizens are more productive in the workforce; the economy is positively
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affected; the quality of life of citizens is dramatically enhanced; cultural and communications connections with the rest of the world are significantly expanded and improved; and the cultural heritage of the country is established, built, and refined. Additionally, they demonstrated their understanding that citizens with an education in the visual arts have increased potential to contribute to the economic, political, and social development and maintenance of the nation. The secondary benefits of this potential have implications for all people in all stations of life and for enhancing the ideals of democratic societies.
Placing art education at the core of education in American schools must be more than a well-intended action. It must actually take place. All too often in the past, the actions of proponents and decision makers have not always produced the desired outcomes. In some cases actions designed to produce results failed to successfully accomplish the goals due to local circumstances or resources, and because of failure to adequately understand the goals, loss of motivation to accomplish goals, or because of differences among priorities held by those charged with implementing action, or a myriad of additional reasons.
Those with decision-making power must provide action and support for making this goal a reality. This involves educating stakeholders and others who can contribute to the realization of this goal. Art educators and all stakeholders must be vigilant and proactive in keeping focused on achieving the goal. They must marshal all available resources to campaign for the achievement of this goal in all communities. They need to strengthen their base of support by initiating and building relationships with those who have similar needs and concerns in order to strengthen their collective voices. They
short, they must construct long-ranged strategies and action plans that are inclusive and proactive and take continuous measured actions that will make this goal a reality. Efforts should focus on convincing power sources that achieving this goal will contribute to achieving the goals of others and increase the capacities of everyone. It must be made clear that achieving this goal is in the best interests of all individuals, communities and the nation. With placement of arts education at the core of disciplines in American schools, art education was identified as a national priority. Now it must be treated as one and action must be taken to make it so.
(2) Art educators must be provided professional development that will expand their knowledge and skills for providing quality education in the visual arts. Art educators understand that the ultimate responsibility for their professional development rests on themselves. They know that in order to improve their teaching and to develop their capacities as educators, they must continuously learn. They need to be life-long students of their profession and of the fields of art education and general education. They have to seek opportunities for professional development in all of its forms. They should communicate their professional development needs to their local administrators and school boards. They must be creative in addressing their needs through all means. They should be open to new developments and information and be flexible and willing to explore them. It is essential that they delay judgments about the possible outcomes of initiatives and allow time for changes they may produce to happen. By contrast they must also be cautious about embracing ill-considered, ill-conceived, or impractical approaches that clearly may be counter-productive or contrary to achieving
the outcomes they need to achieve. Art educators should investigate developments in the field and ask probing questions about the purposes and motivations fueling initiatives and outcomes they may produce. They should be circumspect about embracing initiatives that have not produced evidence of achieving the goals for which they are intended or in implementing initiatives that do not match the local needs, resources, or circumstances that shape art education programs. The history of education is littered with the ruins of failed initiatives that were hailed as panaceas or enlightened approaches to solving complex problems and answering intricate questions education must address. Such failures have impacted the lives of students and their learning. They have created long- termed effects on students that have closed opportunities, shifted priorities, and stifled their interest in pursuing education. Providing high quality continuous professional development for art educators can contribute to producing positive development and outcomes for art education programs, art educators, and students in them.
Professional associations at the local, state, and national levels must be committed to providing professional development for all art educators whether they are members of such associations or not. Professional associations must understand that they have a responsibility to meet the professional development needs of educators in order to enhance the professionalism of their members and also to positively impact the quality of visual arts education provided in all schools. By providing quality, ongoing, and meaningful professional development experiences for art educators, professional associations meet the continuous needs of their members and enhance their importance by providing guidance and support for the professional development of art educators. It is equally important for art educators to view professional associations as a critical partner