Music Advocacy

Victory for Fine Arts!!!

High school fine arts graduation requirement restored.
New middle school fine arts requirement created.
High school students get six electives.

Fine arts education gained ground in Texas late last night as the House and Senate adopted the conference committee report of HB 3 (the school accountability bill). For high school, the bill not only retains the one-credit fine arts graduation requirement but also allows students six electives which will make it possible for students to take more fine arts courses. For middle school, the bill requires the State Board of Education to write rules to create a new requirement for one fine arts course in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade. The school accountability bill will now go to Governor Perry for his signature. The following is a brief summary of the bill’s impact on fine arts education. More details on gains by fine arts will be posted on www.GoArts.org by June 3.

Graduation Plans: The one-credit fine arts graduation requirement was retained in the recommended and advanced graduation plans (the requirement was added to the minimum graduation plan beginning with the students who graduate in 2015).

The Recommended Plan, which is considered the default graduation plan, will require the following courses to satisfy the 26-credit plan beginning in fall 2011 (students graduating in 2015):

four credits of math, science, English language arts, and social studies
two credits of foreign language
one credit of fine arts
one credit of physical education (waiver available)
six electives

Middle school fine arts requirement: Starting in 2011, every student will be required to complete a single fine arts course during middle school (grades six, seven, and eight). This legislation marks the first time fine arts has been required in law for middle school students. The addition of this single course requirement gives some relief to the unfortunate ending of the TAKS pull-out bill (SB 1364) that passed in the Senate, but died on the House calendar due to stall tactics during Memorial Day weekend to kill the voter ID bill.

Given the legislative debate leading to its final passage, the outcome of this bill is an incredibly positive one for fine arts education in Texas. Your calls to your representatives and senators ensured they were well aware of the importance of fine arts education for Texas students. Without that support, the version of the bill that passed could have been much different. Thank you for your vigilant attention and support of fine arts throughout this session and for continuing that support in your community.

Check back at www.GoArts.org as we will continue to provide further information about the implementation of this bill. If not signed or vetoed by the Governor by June 21, the bill automatically becomes law.

Texas Music Educators Association
www.tmea.org