by Amy Sauceda

“When we talk about this issue we have to start with equity and what does that mean,” says Ryan Smith, director of education programs and policy for The United Way of Greater Los Angeles. “We need to talk more about providing students with the resources they need.”

The Los Angeles Unified School District's Curriculum and Instruction Committee met this morning to explore, among other topics, the plan to distribute arts education throughout the district.

Arts for LA is pleased to announce Executive Director Danielle Brazell has been nominated by Mayor Eric Garcetti to serve as the new general manager of the Cultural Affairs Department of the City of Los Angeles. Her work with the department will begin pending confirmation by the Los Angeles City Council.

The Los Angeles Unified School District announced yesterday it would hire Rory Pullens to serve as the executive director of the district’s arts education program.  Mr. Pullens has previously served as the principal of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC.  His appointment is set to take effect July 1.

President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) co-chairs George Stevens Jr. and Margo Lion today announced the expansion of PCAH’s successful Turnaround Arts initiative – a program designed to help turn around low-performing schools, narrow the achievement gap, and increase student engagement through the arts.  The program is expanding to 6 additional states this year including ten California schools.

Arts for LA, in partnership with Arts for All and the California Alliance for Arts Education, recently crafted and distributed an arts education template for the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) process. School districts throughout Los Angeles County are in the midst of crafting their LCAPs (see story above).

The President recently released the FY 2015 budget request to Congress, which includes funding for the nation’s cultural agencies and programs. 

Some important items included in the budget: