California State PTA Newsletter January 2016

SMARTS, Parents for the Arts Network is California State PTA's program to encourage arts education. Please spread the word about the benefits of arts education for all of California's K-12 students.

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Join arts-education advocates at the California State PTA Annual Convention May 4-7 in San Diego

Parents know: The arts matter. That's why California State PTA has been an arts-education advocate from the start!

Join thousands of PTA volunteers, educators and advocates May 4-7 in San Diego for our Annual Convention, featuring special programs and events on the importance arts education for all children:

Arts Advocacy Breakfast — Be a part of the launching of the new California Arts Data Project

with the California Department of Education and Create CA

Reflections Art Gallery — The Reflections Art Gallery is something you won’t want to miss! You

will be able to view the Award of Excellence Reflections entries, along with selected favorites of the judges

Panel for Arts Education — Hear the power of arts education and how it impacts student

achievement

Special Workshops — Learn more about being an effective arts-education advocate

And so much more!

Registration's open, so sign up today and we'll see you in San Diego!

What a year for the arts!

Arts advocates: Give yourselves a pat on the back! 2015 was a banner year for arts education, thanks to dedicated individuals like yourself making a difference across the country.

The year's national milestones include:

Arts-education policy enacted with the Every Student Succeeds Act

Dedicated funding for arts education

New funding for the National Endowment for the Art

New opportunities for STEAM education

Retention of arts eligibility in Title I funding.

Find out more about these key accomplishments from Americans for the Arts.

There's still time to make kids' voices heard with the Student Voice Campaign

The Student Voices Campaign is a creative way for young people to make their voices heard in their local school district as part of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) process.

Launched by the California Alliance for Arts Education, the campaign invites students in grades 7-12 to create videos that share their vision for better schools and their education and share them with school district leaders as part of the annual LCFF planning process.

Videos are due April 1, so find out more and help make student voices heard!

Don't miss CREATE CA's March 2016 convening

Join PTA volunteers as well as hundreds of arts advocates from across the state for CREATE CA's premier engagement event March 3 and 4 in Fresno. Learn more about arts

education, connect with others and expand partnerships, share strategies, celebrate success stories, hone advocacy and communications skills – and help make arts education a core part of every child’s education!

Spread the word: Free news and resources in your inbox

Our SMARTS Parents for the Arts newsletter is just one of the many ways California State PTA helps keeps

parents, educators and community members informed and engaged on issues affecting our children. Learn more about the issues that matter most to you by subscribing to our other free email updates -- and spread the word!

This message is being sent to the SMARTS Parents for the Arts Network as well as unit, council and district PTA presidents. Please feel free to forward this message to your members and other interested parties.