California bill would reduce art requirements in high school
By Edward Ortiz, Sacramento Bee
A bill that seeks to reduce dropout rates by changing high school graduation requirements statewide has arts education advocates bristling.
Assembly Bill 2446 would allow students to pick from a myriad of arts and career technical education or vocational classes instead of requiring them to take yearlong classes in arts or a foreign language.
“We feel it’s bad educational policy as it sets one education area against another,” said Joe Laddon, policy director of the California Arts Education Alliance.
Approved by the Legislature, the bill is on the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it.
