Arts Education

Lynwood Unified School District (LUSD) is a K-12 district located just west of Downey and north of Compton. It encompasses 12 elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. The district prioritizes arts education, and district administrators have found the Arts Ed Profile a valuable tool in helping them advocate for increased arts education.

Thank you to the hundreds of residents who participated in community forums across LA County this past spring to impact the future of arts education. Your input makes a difference!

The Arts Ed Profile is aimed at understanding the quality, quantity, and equity of arts education offered in K-12 schools across LA County. Here are a few success stories from both school districts and funding organizations.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2018 California Department of Education (CDE) Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SAEE) grants! This year, three of the Los Angeles County recipients will be using the funding to support arts education. Pasadena Unified and Lancaster school districts join the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) in redoubling their commitment to the arts.

Teaching Artists Guild (TAG) is an advocacy organization dedicated to the professionalization and visibility of artists who teach, establishing them as equally valued peers with partners in education, community, and social services. Recently, TAG launched the interactive Teaching Artists Asset Map. This important resource illuminates the depth and breadth of the field, assisting in the creation of community and connections.

Interactive data tools such as ProPublica's recently released Miseducation and our own Arts Ed Profile online tool can be important in uncovering inequities based on demographics within a district or school.

"We are living in an era of great disruption and enormous potential." —opening comments, Presencing Foundations Program, Berlin, Germany

In August, the Los Angeles County Arts Education Collective (formerly Arts For All) announced $748,400 in one-year matching grants to 42 school districts, including three charter networks through its Advancement Grant Program.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has long advocated for the importance of the arts in public education. In 2002, the Supervisors unanimously adopted the Los Angeles County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education which established the LA County Arts Ed Collective as a part of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. The Arts Ed Collective was directed to work with the Office of Education to ensure that LA County’s 1.5 million public school students receive high-quality arts education.

Resources and Presentation materials from the Arts Now: LA County Arts Education Summit