District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0137 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	Statement of Introduction
6	6	Strengthening Arts in Schools Amendment Act of 2025
7	7	February 24, 2025
8	8
9	9	Today, along with Councilmembers McDuffie, White, Parker, and Pinto, I am introducing the
10	10	“Strengthening Arts in Schools Amendment Act of 2025”. This bill aims to standardize and enhance arts
11	11	curriculum and arts standards in DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools by establishing an
12	12	“Arts Liaison” position in the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
13	13	Evidence-based studies consistently demonstrate the positive impact of arts education on student
14	14	outcomes, including increased engagement, reduced disciplinary issues, and improved academic
15	15	achievement and college aspirations. For disadvantaged youth, participation in arts is linked to higher
16	16	college attendance, better employment opportunities, and greater civic involvement, with low-income
17	17	students particularly benefiting from schools offering comprehensive arts programs.
18	18	i
19	19
20	20	Student access to quality arts education in DCPS and DCPCS varies widely by school, ward, and
21	21	grade level.
22	22	ii
23	23	Although DCPS has the support of the DCPS arts team, there are no similar centralized
24	24	supports in place for art, music, or performing arts teachers at charter schools. In addition, D.C.’s arts
25	25	education standards have not been updated since 2008.
26	26	iii
27	27	Without sufficient resources and a
28	28	comprehensive plan to implement an effective arts curriculum in all schools, our students will continue
29	29	to miss out on potential opportunities and future success. It is crucial that the District strive to achieve
30	30	equitable arts education for all.
31	31	In partnership with Local Education Agencies (“LEAs”), the arts liaison would provide
32	32	recommendations to OSSE regarding the development of updated state level arts standards. They would
33	33	also assess the DCPCS arts curriculum and recommend improvements to OSSE. The arts liaison would
34	34	function as the primary communication point for LEAs, support professional development for arts
35	35	teachers, and connect with arts organizations to provide resources and opportunities for LEAs. These
36	36	actions will help us reach our goal of guaranteeing equal access to a quality arts education to all
37	37	students.
38	38
39	39
40	40
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43	43
44	44	i
45	45	Brookings Institution, "New Evidence of the Benefits of Arts Education," Brookings, last modified February 12, 2019,
46	46	https://www.brookings.edu/articles/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/.
47	47
48	48	University of Florida, "The Importance of Art Education in the Classroom," University of Florida Online, accessed January
49	49	28, 2025, https://arteducationmasters.arts.ufl.edu/articles/importance-of-art-education/.
50	50
51	51	James Catterall, Doing Well and Doing Good by Doing Art: The Effects of Education in the Visual and Performing Arts on
52	52	the Achievements and Values of Young Adults, ArtsEdSearch, accessed January 28, 2025,
53	53	https://www.artsedsearch.org/study/doing-well-and-doing-good-by-doing-art-the-effects-of-education-in-the-visual-and-
54	54	performing-arts-on-the-achievements-and-values-of-young-adults/.
55	55
56	56	ii
57	57	"Specialized Programs Offered by Public Schools," Arts Integration in SY23-24, all grade levels and sectors, EdScape,
58	58	accessed January 02, 2025, https://edscape.dc.gov/page/schools-specialized-programs-offered.
59	59
60	60	iii
61	61	"Education Standards," State Board of Education, accessed January 02, 2025, https://sboe.dc.gov/page/education-
62	62	standards#:~:text=Early%20Learning%20Standards%20%E2%80%93%20Updated%20January,and%20drafting%2019%20g
63	63	uiding%20principles. _____________________________
64	64	Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie
65	65	_____________________________
66	66	Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau
67	67
68	68
69	69
70	70	_____________________________
71	71	Councilmember Zachary Parker
72	72
73	73	_____________________________
74	74	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.
75	75	_____________________________
76	76	Councilmember Brooke Pinto
77	77
78	78	1
79	79
80	80	A BILL
81	81
82	82	_________________________
83	83	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
84	84	_________________________
85	85
86	86	To amend the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000 to establish an Arts Liaison 1
87	87	position within the Division of Teaching and Learning in the Office of the State 2
88	88	Superintendent of Education, and to outline the duties of the Arts Liaison. 3
89	89	4
90	90	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 5
91	91	act may be cited as the “Strengthening Arts in Schools Amendment Act of 2025”. 6
92	92	Sec. 2. Section 3(b) of the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000, effective 7
93	93	October 21, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-176; D.C. Code – 38-2602(b)) is amended by adding a new 8
94	94	paragraph (34) to read as follows: 9 2
95	95
96	96	“(34)(A) Establish an Arts Liaison position within the Office of the State 10
97	97	Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”) regarding arts curriculum and arts standards in DC Public 11
98	98	Charter Schools (“DCPCS”) and DC Public Schools (“DCPS”). 12
99	99	“(B) In addition to any other duties the OSSE may assign, the Arts Liaison 13
100	100	shall: 14
101	101	“(i) partner with Local Education Agencies (“LEAs”) and other 15
102	102	relevant stakeholders to develop state-level arts standards; 16
103	103	“(ii) partner with LEAs to strengthen arts curricula and instruction; 17
104	104	“(iii) serve as the primary communication point for arts-related 18
105	105	issues at LEAs; 19
106	106	“(iv) provide arts-related guidance and support to school 20
107	107	administrators and teachers at LEAs; 21
108	108	“(v) support professional development opportunities for arts 22
109	109	teachers at LEAs; and 23
110	110	“(vi) partner with arts organizations to provide resources, 24
111	111	opportunities, and organize events for LEAs. 25
112	112	“(C) For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “arts” shall have the 26
113	113	same meaning as provided in section 3(2) of the Commission on the Arts and Humanities Act, 27
114	114	effective October 21, 1975 (D.C. Law 1-22; D.C. Code § 39-202(5)).”. 28
115	115	Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 29
116	116	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 30
117	117	statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 31
118	118	October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 32 3
119	119
120	120	Sec. 4. Effective date. 33
121	121	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 34
122	122	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 35
123	123	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 36
124	124	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 37
125	125	Columbia Register. 38