Arts Education Task Force
Advocacy for Equitable Arts Education
The Arts Education Task Force (AETF) is convened by the Texas Cultural Trust to discuss and clarify what constitutes equitable arts education access for Texas students. The group is comprised of more than 30 of the state’s most respected arts and arts education leaders–academics, educators, advocates, and philanthropists–from statewide groups including service organizations, education organizations, and other relevant perspectives.
In 2018, the Texas Cultural Trust’s Arts Education Task Force (AETF) was charged with defining what constitutes equitable arts access in public schools. Through this effort, the AETF revealed the inequities in access to fine arts education that exist among school districts and campuses. Task Force meetings in 2018 concluded with the creation of an evaluation tool for use by campus and district administrators to identify levels of arts access. To date, the Arts Education Access Rubric has been utilized to:
- Generate a heat map illustrating arts education access in Texas at ArtCanTexas.org
- Conduct a statewide pilot for future implementation of the rubric
- Support district level advocacy resulting in arts access growth on the local level
The priorities of the AETF reflect current needs in the field and address equity in arts education access. Building on our previous work, AETF is charged with the following:
- Support the implementation of the Arts Education Access Rubric
- Develop resources to best support identified underserved campuses and districts
- Identify legislation that will impact arts education in the 87th Legislative Session
- Inform communications and resources to support and increase awareness around arts education priorities for the 87th Legislative Session
Arts Education Access Evaluation
The Arts Education Access Evaluation, developed by the Arts Education Task Force, evaluates equitable arts education access across the state. Campuses are encouraged to evaluate arts access on the elementary, middle school, and high school level.
- Elementary Arts Education Access Evaluation
- Middle School Arts Education Access Evaluation
- High School Arts Education Access Evaluation
Arts Education Task Force Members
Dr. Christopher Anderson, Arlington ISD
Kris Andrews, Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts
Dr. Priscilla Canales, Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Former Superintendent
Barbara Cargill, Former State Board of Education
Sara Chapman, Texas Art Educators Association
Dr. Joe Clark, Spring ISD, Texas Music Administrators Conference
Dr. Kelly Crook, University of Texas at Austin, Former Superintendent
Dr. Jackie deMontmollin, Denton ISD, Texas Educational Theatre Association
Dr. Jill Fox, Office of Senator Lois Kolkhorst
Dr. Gary Gibbs, Texas Commission on the Arts
Risa Ginther, Parent Teacher Association
Charles Glover, The Meadows Foundation
Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, ExcelinEd
Ann Graham, Texans for the Arts
Dr. Brent Hasty, MindPOP
Dan Jackson, Texas Cultural Trust Board
Travis James, TXP, Inc.
JD Janda, Tomball ISD, Texas Music Administrators Conference
Linda Johnson, Texas Education Agency
Mary Lou Johnson, Texas Dance Educators Association
Kathleen Keating, Texas Cultural Trust Board
Matrex Kilgore, Texas Commission on the Arts
Kelsey Kling, Texas Education Agency
Paul Kretchmer, Austin ISD, Central Texas Fine Arts Administrators
Linda LaMantia, Texas Cultural Trust Board
Max Lars, Chief of Staff, Representative John H. Bucy III
Julie Linn, Shapiro Linn Strategic Consulting LLC
Deborah Lugo, The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
Heidi Marquez Smith, Texas Cultural Trust
Jack McBride, Arts Connect Houston
Dinah Menger, Fort Worth ISD, Texas Music Administrators Conference
Jenny Parry, Texas Cultural Trust
Marisa Perez-Diaz, State Board of Education
Judy Robison, Texas Cultural Trust Board
Byron Sanders, Big Thought
Roxanne Schroeder-Arce, University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts
Carla Schumann, Comal ISD, Texas Educational Theatre Association
Tania Schwartz, Texas Cultural Trust Board
Dr. Michelle Smith, Raise Your Hand Texas
Michele Stahl, Texas Education Agency
Dr. David Stevens, UIL- Academics
Kay Vanlandingham, Texas Music Educators Association
Leslie Ward, AT&T, Texas Cultural Trust Board
Dr. Robin Ward, Rice University
Dr. Audrey Young, State Board of Education