California voters have given their thumbs-up to a ballot measure that aims to boost arts education in public schools.
Proposition 28 will provide $500,000 a year for the next five years to the Sonoma Valley Unified School District to be used for its Strategic Arts Education Plan, which was presented to the district's board of trustees last week, the Press Democrat reports.
"We are encouraging the board and administration to begin soon to do their own district strategic planning process regarding this very challenging issue," says Connie Schlelein, co-chair of Creative Bridges, a coalition of arts organizations.
Under the plan, the district would focus on providing equal access to the arts for all students.
"For so long in Sonoma Valley, organizations have existed in narrow silos, making an organized, collaborative effort challenging," board memberCeleste Winders says.
"This plan addresses that challenge head-on and brings together many arts organizations into an organized plan that delivers so many arts opportunities directly into the classrooms to ensure each and every student has equal access to these opportunities," adds superintendent Jeanette Rodriguez-Chien.
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