At the meeting of the Steering Committee for the Los Angeles Arts Consortium - representing the Professional Community of Los Angeles Artists, Arts Organizations, and Cultural Institutions - on February 12, 2010, the following resolution was proposed and approved:

The Los Angeles Arts Consortium and its full Steering Committee support funding for the Los Angeles Unified School District's elementary arts instructional program for the 2010-2011 budget year. This organization recognizes the importance of quality, sequential arts education for all students, based on a shared delivery model which includes classroom teachers, arts teachers, and professional arts organizations.

In November of 2009, funding for community arts partnership with LAUSD was cut, thereby denying children access to quality programs developed by professional companies during the past ten years within the ACPN program. A drastic reduction in the number of arts teachers risks to further erode a model which has received national accolades.

The Steering Committee urges the LAUSD School Board to reconsider the proposal to eliminate 50% of the entire elementary arts instructional program, releasing 173 of the 350 arts teachers.

Historically, the LAUSD School Board has expressed unanimous support of arts education by endorsing a strong arts education infrastructure within the District, including arts teachers and partnerships with arts organizations. The School Board's continued support at this critical juncture is vital to providing every student in LAUSD a complete education that will prepare him or her for success in school, in society, and in life.

Signed,

The Steering Committee for the Los Angeles Arts Consortium - representing the Professional Community of Los Angeles Artists, Arts Organizations, and Cultural Institutions.