Implementation Guide
Turn the law into action. Practical guidance for districts and schools planning their Prop 28 investments.
Getting Started
Assess Your Landscape
Understand your current arts education offerings across all grade levels and disciplines
Review the Framework
Consult the CA Arts Education Framework, especially Chapter 9: Implementing Effective Arts Education
Engage Your Community
Connect with arts education, community partners, and your County Arts Lead
Develop Your Plan
Create an expenditure plan that addresses all four investment areas strategically
The Four Investment Areas
Staffing
Professional Learning
Supplies and Materials
Partnerships
Employment of Certificated or Classified Employees
One of the goals of Proposition 28 is to increase access to arts courses and an investment in hiring certificated or classified staff would support this goal. Decisions on job titles, duties, and classifications should be done at the local level.
Considerations for employing new arts staff:
- Supplement versus supplant: Positions should be new and not previously funded elsewhere
- Connect with a local teacher credentialing program to find potential candidates
- Consider hiring teachers through intern credentialing programs
- Partner with a neighboring LEA to pool funding for a shared position
- Ensure that all five arts disciplines: dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts, are represented in your courses across all grade levels and for all learners and populations including: Preschool, Special Education, Court and Community Schools
Additional Resources for Prop 28 Implementation:
- Proposition 28-Arts and Music Education Funding: Information from the California Department of Education (CDE).
- Prop 28-Arts and Music In Schools: General information: from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
- Thanks to Proposition 28 School Districts Need Art Teachers (PDF): Authored by Dr. Eric Engdahl for the California County Superintendents Arts Initiative.
- What the California Arts and Music in Schools Act Means for the Arts Teacher Workforce: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has commissioned a policy brief from SRI Education, a nonprofit research center, which provides the first clear estimate of the number of arts teachers needed to effectively implement Proposition 28, the California Arts and Music in Schools Act. This brief offers actionable recommendations for school administrators, higher education institutions, arts organizations, and funders.
Instruction and Training (Professional Learning)
An investment in instruction and training would build and grow the capacity of arts teaching staff through best practices and current pedagogy in arts education.
Potential topics for instruction and training:
- California Arts Standards and Framework
- Discipline-specific networks/PLCs/workshops/conferences
- Arts and critical topics such as: ELD, UDL, and SEL
- Arts integration – Connecting the arts to other content areas such as: ELA, Math, Science, and/or History-Social Science
- Arts and LCAP priority areas including: LTELs, course access, student and family engagement, chronic absenteeism, and school climate
- Arts for all learners and populations including: Preschool, Special Education, Court and Community Schools
Supplies and Materials
Just like any class, arts courses need supplies and materials to function successfully. Necessary resources could include print or digital curriculum and instructional materials. Additional investments could include very specialized instructional tools like musical instruments, video editing software, kilns, or stage lighting. When considering expenditures for supplies and materials, it is important to think about making a long-term investment. Consider purchasing resources that can be used multiple times over their lifetime versus those that are quickly consumed. When deciding what to purchase, ask the question: Is this item necessary to the success of the class or program? Any use of the funding for capital improvements or construction should be discussed with an auditor.
Considerations for materials and supplies:
- Invest vs Spend
- Supplement versus supplant – Resources should be new and not previously funded elsewhere
- Ensure adequate training and infrastructure for any items purchased
- New courses need new resources, plan accordingly
- Plan for upkeep and maintenance, as well as subscriptions for any virtual resources like curriculum
- Ensure appropriate fiscal coding for equipment purchases
Arts Educational Partnership Programs
One of the best ways to engage with parents, families, and the community is through partnership programs. Connect with local artists, arts councils, arts organizations, museums, cultural centers, businesses, and industries to bring more arts opportunities to your students.
Potential Arts Education Partnerships:
- Local artists, arts councils, arts organizations, museums, and cultural centers
- Businesses and industries
- Non-traditional partners – healthcare, local government
Ways to Partner:
- Artist presentations, lessons, and residencies
- Study trips to arts-connected spaces and aligned to curriculum goals
- Student-led campus and community arts projects: murals, sculpture gardens, performances
- Student events and showcases
