Introduction
Setting high standards and holding schools accountable for results is the way we ensure that schools help students learn math and reading. Moving forward, this is how we will ensure results in arts education. The table below illustrates the accountability indicators that schools will be responsible for:

Indicator: Participation in Arts Education according to NYSED Instructional Requirements

Benchmarks
Grades 1 – 3: 186 hours/year allocated equally in dance, music, theater, and visual arts
Grades 4 – 6: 93 hours/year allocated equally in dance, music, theater, and visual arts
Grades 7 – 8: ½ unit (55 hours) of visual arts AND ½ unit (55 Hours) of study in music taught by a licensed arts teacher**
Grades 9 – 12: : 1 unit of credit (1 year) in dance, music, theater, and/or visual arts taught by a licensed arts teacher OR ½ unit of music & ½ unit of visual arts taught by a licensed arts teacher

Source
The NYSED Instructional Requirements for the Arts will be incorporated into the Office of Compliance Services program including its Annual Compliance Review. Principals will be required to self-report their schools’ progress towards meeting these requirements twice annually.

The following data collection streams will support the Annual Compliance Review: Annual Arts Education Survey; data from ATS; data from HSST

Impact
The Office of Compliance Services will track and report on compliance in the fall (an informal report to provide principals the opportunity to identify where they need assistance). In the spring, schools’ updated progress towards meeting the NYSED Instructional Requirements in the arts will be reported in the final compliance report and reflected in principals’ annual performance evaluations. Failure to meet compliance standards will factor into principals’ eligibility for performance bonuses

Indicator: Access to and satisfaction with arts education in schools

Benchmark
Number of students taking an arts course or activity either before, during, or after school
Number of students offered an arts course or activity either before, during, or after school
Number of students not offered an arts course either before, during, or after school
Number of parents indicating they would most like to see more or better arts programs in their child’s school
Number of parents, teachers, and students who believe that a school does or does not have a sufficiently broad and diverse curriculum, including in the arts, to effectively engage students

Source
Parent, Student, and Teacher Learning Environment Survey (collected each June)

Impact
Survey results represent the largest component of each school’s score on the School Environment section of Progress Reports that makes up 15% of the Progress Report grade. Schools with Progress Report grades of A (top 15%) are eligible for performance bonuses; schools with Progress Report grades of D or F (bottom 15%) are subject to target setting and improvement measures, possible leadership change, restructuring, or closure. Progress Report outcomes also factor into principals’ annual performance evaluations.

Indicator: Extent to which schools provide a broad and engaging curriculum, including the arts, to enhance learning both within and outside the school day

Benchmark
Each school will receive a Quality Score of Outstanding, Well Developed, Proficient, Underdeveloped with Proficient Characteristics, or Underdeveloped

Source
School Quality Reviews (rolling; released in June)

Impact
Must score Proficient or better in order to be eligible for performance bonuses. Quality Review scores also factor into principals’ annual performance evaluations

Indicator: Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation in the Arts

Benchmark
Increases in the number of students receiving an Arts-Endorsed Regents Honors Diploma

Source
Comprehensive exit exams in dance, music, theater, and visual arts will be available to all students in the coming school year. All students who complete a major sequence in one art form and pass a corresponding exit exam will earn an Arts-Endorsed Regents Honors diploma

Impact
An increase in the number of students receiving an Arts-Endorsed Regents Honors Diploma is a basis for a higher grade on the school’s Progress Report

**NYC is in the process of filing a formal request to the NYSED to allow schools to offer any two of the four arts forms to fulfill the 7th and 8th grade requirements.

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DATA COLLECTION AND THE ARTS
To help schools track student progress in the arts and to keep the community-at-large apprised of each school’s provision of arts education the following tools are used to capture data about arts learning:

Annual Compliance Review: The NYSED Instructional Requirements for the arts will be incorporated into the Annual Compliance Review. Principals will be required to self-report their schools progress towards meeting these requirements. Additional information from DOE databases will be used to support data provided by principals. The Office of Compliance will track and report on compliance in the fall through a preliminary report that provides principals an opportunity to identify where they need assistance. In the spring, schools’ updated progress towards meeting the NYSED Instructional Requirements for the arts will be reported in schools’ final compliance reports and incorporated into annual principal performance evaluations.

ATS/HSST: Data from ATS/HSST is used to track middle and high school student participation in arts education courses and will supplement information gathered through the Annual Compliance Review. These data include information about students in grade 7 and 8 fulfilling promotion requirements for the arts and high school students completing graduation requirements for the arts.

Progress Report Grade (Learning Environment Survey): The Progress Report grade provides an overall assessment of the school’s contribution to student learning. Arts education questions appear on the Parent, Student, and Teacher Learning Environment Survey that is a part of the School Environment component of the Progress Report grade.

School Quality Scores: Starting in 2007-2008, Quality Reviews will include arts education as an evaluation criterion. Schools will be evaluated on the extent to which they provide a broad and engaging curriculum, including the arts, to enhance learning both within and outside the school day.

Annual Arts Education Survey: Arts education data will be collected from all schools and will include information on student participation; school spending; cultural partnerships; implementation of the Blueprints; arts staffing; space/facilities; professional development; and integration of the arts across school curricula. Data from this survey will be published in the Annual Arts in Schools Report.

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DATA REPORTING
The first-ever Annual Arts in Schools Report provides baseline data from the 2006-2007 school year, the year prior to the launch of ArtsCount. The Arts Education Task Force, composed of members of the arts and cultural community and school leaders, has played an important role in guiding the DOE in reporting these data. For more information on the 2006-2007 Annual Arts in Schools Report please visit the ArtsCount page: http://schools.nyc.gov/offices/teachlearn/arts/artscount.html

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