Tuesday, August 20, 2013

LAUSD’s ARTS BUDGET TO GET ITS DAY IN THE SUN; Zimmer will present new resolution at upcoming board meeting

Mary Plummer | | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/1dpaSyc

Anderson-Zimmer Debate 05

Christopher Okula/KPCC | Steve Zimmer, board member for Los Angeles Unified School District 4, takes questions one-on-one after a town hall meeting earlier this year. Zimmer will bring a new arts education resolution before the Board Aug. 20.

August 19th, 2013, 6:01am  ::  The Los Angeles Unified School district is pushing forward on its new arts education plan.

On Tuesday, the Board of Education will take up a resolution calling for official adoption of the plan as a "working document." The resolution requires the Superintendent to report back on the implementation of the plan at a public meeting within 60 days.

Board member for District 4, Steve Zimmer, whose area includes Hollywood, Brentwood and Tarzana, is bringing the resolution. There may be some public discussion on Tuesday, but the board isn't expected to vote on the measure until Aug. 27.

Earlier this summer, L.A. Unified released its new arts plan and quietly presented it to the board ahead of the July 1 deadline. The 44-page document outlines the district's vision for how to restore the arts and calls for returning funding for arts education to '07-'08 levels of $34 million. By comparison, the district spent $18.4 million on arts education in 2011-12.

The plan follows an earlier resolution from former school board member Nury Martinez last October to restore arts funding and make it a core part of the curriculum.

One topic that's likely to come up is the budget. The district has held back on releasing it so far.

The board meeting will take place Tuesday at 1 p.m. at 333 South Beaudry Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. The Pass/Fail blog will keep you updated on developments.

Questions about the plan? Let us know in the comments below.

You can read the full board agenda here.

Board member Steve Zimmer's arts education resolution as excerpted from the board meeting agenda.

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