Chair Williams questions DCLA on arts education standards and DOE relationship

Okay.

What standard does DCLA and New York City Public Schools use to assess the goal of high-quality arts education for every public school student?

And how has arts education access gaps between affluent and historically underserved school communities changed since 2017?

So that is, of course, a question for our colleagues at the DOE.

Our relationship to schools is through funding cultural organizations that do programs after school and school, or more recently are co-locating or working as providers themselves, which is very exciting.

But the NYCPS Arts Office is advancing equity, right?

They're developing sequential pre-K to 12 art pathways.

And are increasing system-wide investment in arts education from FY 2014, that was $516 million, and FY 2025, that was $563 million.

So they have been increasing their funding and digging more deeply into creating sequential arts education.

But again, that is a question for our colleagues in the DOE around assessment.

Yeah, what is that relationship?

Because I know you guys, like you created the plan as in DCLA and like you even mentioned in your testimony that, you know, one of the final objectives was to provide high quality arts education for all New York City school students.

And I know that it's New York City public schools that essentially has to administer that.

But you all are within like New York City government.

I view it like as sister brother agencies.

And so.

What is your relationship and engagement?

Like, is there regular meetings?

Like, how are you working with New York City public schools?

Because I feel like though that information, of course, should rest with them, because you all created the plan, I think that...

I think it should give you some level of hierarchy to hold various other agencies accountable for delivering on what was the plan.

So just it would be helpful to understand, like, what is DCLA's relationship with New York City public schools in advancing this objective?

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, I met with the chancellor a few times and I meet with the head of the DOE Arts pretty

frequently and are ramping up our collaborations together for both what we do with our cultural organizations, but also how we can be more collaborative or helpful.

or supportive in arts ed in public schools.

So that is definitely something that is happening between us.

But you're right that the arts education in public schools is held by the DOE and they are state standards.

So we are a little bit removed from that, but our relationship is strong.

Yeah, I mean, we also have mayoral control, so the administration does wield a ton of power to sort of make certain decisions around school policy, even within the CEC board.

Like, the mayor has share positions on the CEC board, so I think that there's still an opportunity if the administration as a whole is committed to it, that they do have some certain inherent powers by way of, like, mayoral control to

make decisions within New York City public schools.

Yeah, absolutely.

And we are, of course, committed to increasing the quality of arts education in public schools.

Yeah, when I was at the press conference, a reporter had asked, you were there too, a reporter had asked what the commitment was for arts and culture in New York City public schools, and the chancellor did not answer the question.

I love Chancellor Samuels, but he did not answer the question.

So I think it still is a big question around how New York City public schools is ensuring arts education, supporting arts teachers and people who are providing services outside of what New York City public schools is providing.

So I think that is a very audacious place for you all to be in because did not answer the question.

And I think based off of.

what I'm hearing is still is a big concern for many schools and many principals trying to provide robust arts education to their students and not really having the resources to do it.

So, especially in certain schools.