Board Resolution Endorses March 2026 as Arts Education Month

San Diego County Board of Education endorses March 2026 as Arts Education Month. Resolution No. 2026-08 reads:

WHEREAS the arts are a necessary and required component of every California student’s education to develop well-rounded, life-long learners who contribute to the prosperity and quality of life for local and global communities; and

WHEREAS arts education is crucial to achieving a state educational policy devoted to the teaching of essential academic skills and lifelong learning capacities to truly prepare all children for success in school and life regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, language, economic status, physical ability, or learning ability; and

WHEREAS arts education prepares students for the workforce, furthers academic goals, complements learning in other core subjects, improves student engagement and attendance, strengthens family and community engagement, and enhances a positive school culture and climate; and

WHEREAS arts education uniquely communicates the ideas and emotions of the human spirit and connects us to our history, heritage, and culture; fostering appreciation, affirmation, and revitalization of one’s culture and understanding of other cultures; developing emotional intelligence, social and emotional learning, critical thinking, effective communication, collaborative skills, and creativity; and

WHEREAS arts education – dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts – develops engaged, creative, expressive, responsive, empathetic, and artistically literate communities; it fosters joy, promotes tolerance, and cultivates decency in society; and

WHEREAS arts education nurtures creativity and expression and is a valuable means to attain long-term employment across diverse industries; and

WHEREAS creativity is critical to our future economies and essential for people to stay relevant and thrive in our fast-evolving workforce, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report; and

WHEREAS the arts are a recognized part of a quality education, and the University of California and the California State University have instituted a policy that includes arts education as a college-preparatory subject for all high school pupils wishing to enter the state’s institutions of higher education; and

WHEREAS California voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of Proposition 28: The Arts and Music in Schools – Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act, mandating dedicated funding and equitable access to arts education for all California public school students; and

WHEREAS every student has a right to a well-rounded education that includes the arts and the benefits they bring as mandated in sections 51210 and 51220 of the Education Code, which states in part, “The adopted course of study … shall include instruction … in … [v]isual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression;” and

WHEREAS the State Board of Education adopted the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve in 2019 and the California Arts Education Framework for Public Schools, Transitional Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve in 2020, which provide a foundation for the development of artistic competencies and the cultivation of a lifelong appreciation and understanding of the arts, reflecting the fundamental belief that every child should have equitable access to high-quality, standards-based arts education to thrive and participate in modern society.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the San Diego County Board of Education, hereby declares March 2026 as Arts Education Month and urges all residents to become interested in and fully support quality arts education programs for all students.