Proposition 28

The Arts Task Force was formed to assess our current Arts Program and needs to further expand opportunities and increase access to the arts and music for all students.

Explore additional opportunities for ALL students to have access to the five disciplines of the arts:

• Music
• Visual Arts
• Theater
• Dance
• Media Arts

Prop. 28 allows ongoing dedicated funding to Arts Education

• Roughly $1 million for WSD VAPA Programs
• 80% needs to go towards staff
• 1% admin support
• Remaining for equipment and supplies

Feedback from our educational community.

• School administrators in collaboration with teachers, families, and students together will make the choice that best serves students in their local school community.

• Content

  • Curriculum and instruction
  • Student centered assessment
  • Professional learning

• Sustainability

  • Values and policy
  • Funding
  • Ongoing evaluation
  • Communications and advocacy

• Infrastructure

  • Admin/coordination
  • Teaching personnel
  • Spaces, equipment and supplies
  • Community partnerships and collaborations

Focus Areas

Arts for All

Students should have access to quality arts education programs

Qualified Staff

High-quality instruction from well-trained staff

Curriculum and Professional Development

Teachers and administrators receive appropriate training to implement a comprehensive, standards-based curriculum

Program Management

Students have adequate facilities, equipment, and supplies

Equitable and Sustainable Funding

Funding is allocated now and in the future

Community Outreach Education

Engage families and the community

Program Design:

• Elementary School Music

  • Weekly Arts Instruction
  • TK through 3rd: Arts Wheel
  • 4th, 5th, 6th: Choice of Instrument or Musical Theatre

• Elementary School Visual Arts

  • Visual Arts class once a month

• Middle School:

• • Electives: Art Wheel: Theatre/Drama, Visual Arts and Digital Media (based on site need)

Staffing

• One WSD Arts Coordinator
• Eight Arts Teachers
  • Five elementary and two teaching assitants
  • Three Middle School and three Teaching Assistants

Westminster Three-Year Arts Strategic Plan

Westminster Arts Values:

Strengths; we celebrate that:

• Our elementary music program is provided at all sites.
• Musicals and other kinds of student performances are part of our district culture.
• We have teachers who are experts in the arts within our district.
• Parents value and want to be supportive of the arts programs.
• Student improvement is linked to high quality teachers both for discrete and integrated arts instruction.
• Leadership (site and district), teachers and staff are committed to increasing student access to the arts.

Challenges; we are committed to:

• Hiring and training additional qualified teachers to teach the arts.
• Hiring qualified substitute teachers for the arts so that students will not miss instruction.
• Allocating time for Visual Art and Music teachers to be trained to design and plan arts curriculum which will.
  • Scaffold/articulate curriculum between Elementary and Middle School.
  • Serve as a model for other arts disciplines.
  • Seeing more dedicated space for Arts Instruction and storage at each school site.

Methodology:

Westminster contracted with the Orange County Department of Education to implement the Strategic Arts Planning Guide from Create CA. Our first step was to form a strategic planning team, survey sites for baseline data for current programming and begin the strategic planning process. The OCDE Arts Coordinator aligned a county draft Arts plan with Westminster’s District Goals.

Day 1, March 20, 2023: We learned about Prop 28, reviewed baseline data for current arts programming, updated the draft county plan to match Westminster’s needs and began identifying reasonable goals in alignment with Westminster’s District Goals.

Day 2, April 20, 2023: We reviewed baseline data in an asset map of Westminster’s arts programming, reviewed the key components of equitable and sustainable arts education for content, sustainability and infrastructure, identified our current
strengths and challenges to determine immediate steps that can be taken and those that may require additional time.

From the strengths and challenges activity we identified our “Westminster Arts Values” statements and further refined our outcomes.

Between day 2 and day 3, the OCDE Arts Coordinator held two zoom meetings with site principals to share the draft plan and receive their input regarding site needs. District leadership then met with elementary music teachers and the OCDE Arts Coordinator to develop four possible options for year 1.

Day 3, May 19, 2023: The Strategic Planning team prioritized outcomes based on identified strengths, refined the four options to become three options for year 1 and selected the presenters for the Board presentation on June 22, 2023.

We reviewed current baseline data through a Qualtrics survey provided to site principals and examined current feeder programming through a district arts asset map. Our findings from respondents revealed these facts in each of these areas of Create California’s “Components of Equitable and Sustainable Arts Education:”

Content

Curriculum and Assessment

• These are either teacher created or based on expired Arts Framework and Standards

Instruction

• The majority of Arts programming was serving less than 50% of Westminster students
• Dance instruction was offered the least frequently district-wide (23% of school sites).
• Music instruction was provided more than any other Arts Discipline (92% of school sites), although with limited frequency, especially at the elementary level, once every 4 weeks or 8 hours a year.
• Theatre was offered at some Middle School sites and at a few elementary sites based on arts partnerships and parent-supported programs (31% of school sites).
• Media Arts instruction was offered at some school sites at the elementary level through site programming (46% of school sites).

Professional Learning

• The majority of our sites are not providing professional development for Arts teachers

Sustainability

• Values and Policy - We have a supportive community and appreciate the district’s commitment to creating a strategic plan for the Arts.
• Funding - Funding has been limited and we are hopeful for the positive effects of Prop. 28.
• Ongoing Evaluation - We began program evaluation through the Qualtrics Survey and updating our district Asset Map.
• Communications and Advocacy - We identified opportunities to communicate and advocate for Arts Education.

Infrastructure

Administration, Coordination

• There is currently no full-time dedicated staff assigned to support the Arts

Teaching Personnel

• Teaching aides were provided to special education students during arts classes less than 50% of the time
• Instruction in the Arts by a single subject credentialed teacher was offered 30 minutes or less weekly or not offered weekly.

Spaces

• There is a need for dedicated space for instruction, performance and storage

Equipment and Supplies

• There is an ongoing need for equipment and supplies for Visual Art classes.
• While there have been recent purchases for Elementary Music, additional purchases for instruments need to be researched.

Community Partnerships and Collaborations

• There are some collaborations with community partners at some elementary sites.
• Westminster has begun collaborating with the Orange County Department of Education to support the Arts.

Student Achievement

Strengths; we celebrate that we have:

• Students who are eager to learn
• Administration, Coordination and Teaching Personnel
  • Talented Teachers
• Music at all elementary schools
  • Music curriculum created by teachers
  • Student progress in music
    • Rhythms, reading notes, playing instruments and singing
• Performances for the community at some elementary and middle schools
  • Webber, Sequoia, Schroeder
• OC Arts and Disability and other student art showcases

Challenges; we are committed to addressing these areas:

• Student access
  • Currently not any or not enough across the district equitably
• Inadequate curriculum,
  • Especially in Elementary
  • For different levels, schools and distriplines
• Credentialing requirements
  • Highly qualified/trained teachers
• Ongoing program evaluation to always improve
• Student-centered assessments
• Optimize student learning by utilizing high quality teaching practices and innovative technologies
• Time for professional development and implementation

Personal and Professional Growth

Strengths; we celebrate that we have:

• Community partnerships and collaborations at some schools, not at all sites and PTA Paid
  • Disney musicals in schools (not all all sites) currently at Sequoia and Webber
  • Coding/CS with OCDE at Finley and Wilmore
  • Arts Masters and Arts Explorers
  • Viet Culture Club currently at DeMille
  • Danza currently at Wilmore
• Previous Arts Advantage trainings and curriculum
• Quality evaluations at specific school sites
• Some trainings and conferences are provided
• OCDE guided support
• A commitment to provide professional learning opportunities to promote ongoing and continuous improvement

Challenges; we are committed to addressing:

• Coordinating access for all teachers
• At elementary sites - provide all students to all 5 Arts Disciplines
• Trained district experts to coach and train
• Rubrics based on arts standards to evaluate progress (vertical progression)
• PBL integration of the Arts
• Time to plan and implement
  • Subs are needed
  • Planning time is needed within all Arts Disciplines
• Need to know who are the arts focussed teachers within each school site (surveys)

Strengths; we celebrate that we have:

• A commitment to having students be central to all fiscal decisions.
• An increase in funding provided through Prop. 28
• A vision for equity for all students including additional funding through LCAP to designated student sub-groups
• Administration, Coordination and Teaching Personnel
• A new WSD Arts Task Force
  • Includes site and district administration and teachers
• We will ensure fiscal health through investing in today while planning for tomorrow
• Short and long-term planning aligned with purpose and goals in 2023.
• Community Partnerships and Collaborations
• Segerstrom/Disney Musicals in Schools at some school sites

Challenges; we are committed to addressing:

• Equity in district funding for all sites.
• Learning more about Prop 28 implementation requirements
• Determining how to add to existing programs equitably
• Evaluate, monitor and ensure cost and performance effectiveness of programs, resources and services.
• Re-evaluate scheduling and planning
• Having students central to all fiscal decisions including
  • Qualified Substitutes for Arts Instruction
  • Special Needs Modifications, Supports and Accommodations

Fiscal Stewardship

Strengths; we celebrate that we have:

• A commitment to having students be central to all fiscal decisions.
• An increase in funding provided through Prop. 28
• A vision for equity for all students including additional funding through LCAP to designated student sub-groups
• Administration, Coordination and Teaching Personnel
• A new WSD Arts Task Force
  • Includes site and district administration and teachers
• We will ensure fiscal health through investing in today while planning for tomorrow
  • Short and long-term planning aligned with purpose and goals in 2023.
• Community Partnerships and Collaborations
  • Segerstrom/Disney Musicals in Schools at some school sites

Challenges; we are committed to addressing:

• Equity in district funding for all sites.
• Learning more about Prop 28 implementation requirements
• Determining how to add to existing programs equitably
• Evaluate, monitor and ensure cost and performance effectiveness of programs, resources and services.
• Re-evaluate scheduling and planning
• Having students central to all fiscal decisions including
  • Qualified Substitutes for Arts Instruction
  • Special Needs Modifications, Supports and Accommodations

Learning Environment

Strengths; we celebrate that have:

• Wonderful schools, teachers, staff and students.
• Some Arts Training
• Elementary Music offered 8 hours annually in elementary.
• Some Art Programming:
  • Differentiated at each school site including some dance and piano labs.
  • Some Middle Schools have Band, Art and Media Classes.
• Media Arts Materials
  • Finley, Webber, Sequoia, Warner MS, Schroeder, Stacy, Wilmore and Johnson)
    • Robotics, 3D Printers Green Screens
• District purchased instruments
• Student performance stages at Middle Schools and some Elementary Schools.

Challenges; we are committed to:

• Availability of dedicated instructional and storage spaces at all sites, specifically
  • Dedicated spaces to teach music
  • Space to store musical instruments
  • Media Arts Classes
  • Arts Classes
  • Innovation Labs
• Availability of dedicated equipment and supplies at all schools.
• All students, regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, disability or gender will be prepared for college and career opportunities.
• Updated curriculum to inform instruction
• Increased Communication and Advocacy
• Project based learning and cross curricular connections

Initial Recommendations/Three Options for Year 1:

Option A

Hire:

• One full-time WSD Arts TOSA
• One Classified support staff dedicated to the Arts.
  • Supply management, materials orders.
• Three additional elementary music teachers.
  • Elementary music is provided for one hour twice a month.
  • These new classes (second class that month) are not tied to contractual release/prep time.
• A team of six additional Arts Teachers: of 6 teachers (2 Elementary Dance, 2 Elementary Theatre, 2 Elementary Visual Art)
  • Disciplines taught on a trimester rotation twice a month, alternating days with music.
  • These new classes are not tied to contractual release/prep time.
• Additional teaching assistants to support special education and students with disabilities to participate in Arts classes.
• Two additional itinerant Middle School Teachers (1 Theatre and 1 Visual Art)
  • One Theatre and one Visual Art class taught at all middle schools.

Maintain a WSD Arts Task Force to meet three times annually to assess progress on the WSD Arts Strategic Plan and update it every three years for board adoption.
Implement dedicated teaching, performance and storage facilities policy and determine the number of additional spaces needed.
Review and select updated curriculum in one discipline.
Professional development to update teacher-created arts curriculum in Elementary and Middle School through The California Arts Project.
Update two middle school art class descriptions and purchasing the related needed instructional materials.
Determine the amount of needed elementary instruments.
Annually assess baseline data at all sites.

Initial Recommendations/Three Options for Year 1 (continued):

Option B

Hire:

• One full-time WSD Arts TOSA or identified lead teacher
• One Classified support staff dedicated to the Arts.
  • Supply management, materials orders.
• Two additional itinerant Middle School Teachers (1 Theatre and 1 Visual Art)
  • One Theatre and one Visual Art class taught at all middle schools.
• One additional elementary music teacher
  • Any new classes (second class that month) are not tied to contractual release/prep time.
• A team of three additional Arts Teachers (1 Elementary Dance, 1 Elementary Theatre, 1 Elementary Visual Art)
  • Disciplines taught on a trimester rotation once a month.
  • These new classes are not tied to contractual release/prep time.
• Additional teaching assistants to support special education and students with disabilities to participate in Arts classes.

Maintain a WSD Arts Task Force to meet three times annually to assess progress on the WSD Arts Strategic Plan and update it every three years for board adoption.
Implement dedicated teaching, performance and storage facilities policy and determine the number of additional spaces needed.
Review and select updated curriculum in one discipline.
Professional development to update teacher-created arts curriculum in Elementary and Middle School through The California Arts Project.
Update two middle school art class descriptions and purchasing the related needed instructional materials.
Determine the amount of needed elementary instruments.
Annually assess baseline data at all sites.

Initial Recommendations/Three Options for Year 1 (continued):

Option C

Hire:

• One part-time WSD Arts TOSA
• One additional elementary music teacher
  • Any new classes (second class that month) are not tied to contractual release/prep time.
• A team of three elementary additional Arts Teachers (Visual Art or Media Art)
  • Disciplines taught on a trimester rotation once a month.
  • These new classes are not tied to contractual release/prep time.
• Research art masters or similar program to be offered at each elementary site
• Two Elementary Theatre teachers will be hired to provide theatre after school through ELOP funding.
  • Ed Services supports.
• Additional teaching assistants to support special education and students with disabilities to participate in Arts classes.
• One additional itinerant Middle School Theatre Teacher shared between sites as needed.
  • One Theatre class is taught at all middle schools.

Maintain a WSD Arts Task Force to meet three times annually to assess progress on the WSD Arts Strategic Plan and update it every three years for board adoption.
Implement dedicated teaching, performance and storage facilities policy and determine the number of additional spaces needed.
Review and select updated curriculum in one discipline.
Professional development to update teacher-created arts curriculum in Elementary and Middle School through The California Arts Project.
Update two middle school art class descriptions starting in summer 2023 and purchasing the related needed instructional materials.
Determine the amount of needed elementary instruments.
Annually assess baseline data at all sites.

Proposition 28 - Board Consent Memos

WSD Plan for Proposition 28 Funds Arts and Music in Schools