National Coalition for Core Arts Standards
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| National Coalition for Core Arts Standards | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Coalition for Core Arts Standards |
| Formation | 2012 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Type | Nonprofit coalition |
| Purpose | Arts education standards development |
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards is a U.S.-based coalition convened to develop voluntary national standards for arts education, drawing on expertise from arts advocacy, professional associations, and education policy stakeholders. The coalition collaborated with state agencies, arts organizations, and academic institutions to produce the National Core Arts Standards, engaging contributors from across the performing and visual arts fields. It coordinated input from practicing artists, teacher educators, school districts, cultural institutions, and philanthropic foundations to align arts learning with broader curricular frameworks.
History
The coalition was formed in response to calls from arts advocates and policymakers after widespread standards initiatives such as the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the assessments debates that followed the Every Student Succeeds Act. Early conveners included representatives from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Association for Music Education, and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, working alongside leaders from the Getty Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and state departments like the California Department of Education. Development took place amid contemporary standards projects involving the National Council for the Social Studies, the National Science Teachers Association, and organizations tied to the Council of Chief State School Officers, with consultation from university partners such as Teachers College, Columbia University and Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Organization and Governance
The coalition operated through a steering committee and task forces composed of representatives from major arts organizations including the National Art Education Association, the American Choral Directors Association, the International Society for Technology in Education, and the Music Teachers National Association. Governance balanced membership from cultural institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with state education leaders from the Texas Education Agency and the New York State Education Department. Funding and oversight involved philanthropic entities such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and professional networks including the International Society for Music Education, ensuring stakeholder representation comparable to coalitions convened by the Aspen Institute and the Brookings Institution.
Development of the National Core Arts Standards
Drafting employed model-development practices used by organizations such as the National Governors Association and the American Educational Research Association, incorporating review cycles with panels drawn from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the College Board, and the National Assessment Governing Board. Working groups representing visual arts, music, theatre, dance, and media arts adapted artistic processes into performance standards informed by research from institutions like the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Michigan. Public comment periods invited feedback from state arts supervisors, district curriculum directors, and professional associations including the National Dance Education Organization and the International Society for Education through Art.
Content and Structure of the Standards
The published standards organized arts learning around anchor standards and artistic processes similar to frameworks used by the Common Core State Standards Initiative and the Next Generation Science Standards. Content delineated proficiency progressions across grade bands, integrating benchmarks for creating, performing, responding, and connecting as echoed in curricula at institutions such as the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music. Supplemental resources referenced pedagogical materials from the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and museum education programs at the Museum of Modern Art, aligning with assessment practices used by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Implementation and Adoption
States and districts evaluated the standards in light of local curricular priorities, drawing on technical assistance models from the Council of Chief State School Officers and professional development exemplars at the Kennedy Center. Adopting agencies coordinated with university teacher-preparation programs at Boston Conservatory and University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and with assessment consortia similar to those convened by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Implementation strategies included partnerships with cultural organizations such as the Metropolitan Opera, the Guggenheim Museum, and regional arts councils modeled after the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
Impact and Criticism
Supporters cited alignment benefits comparable to initiatives by the Carnegie Foundation and improved coherence across arts disciplines seen in reports by the RAND Corporation and the Wallace Foundation. Critics, drawing comparisons to debates around the Common Core State Standards Initiative and the No Child Left Behind Act, argued concerns about national influence on local curricula, resource disparities highlighted by the Education Trust, and challenges identified in studies from the National Education Association and Pew Charitable Trusts. Ongoing discourse involved arts researchers from Columbia University Teachers College, district leaders from Los Angeles Unified School District, and advocates from organizations like Americans for the Arts and the National Parents Union.