The arts left behind in schools

SOURCE: Times Union
By DANIELLE FURFARO, Staff writer
First published in print: Sunday, November 16, 2008

"As Greenville High seniors, Brittany Case and Emily Valentine have taken every art class offered at their small-town school. Now, both participate in independent study, Case focusing on graphic design and Valentine on photography.

"They really offer only the basics here," said Valentine,17, who plans to attend the Hallmark College of Photography in Turners Falls, Mass., in the fall. She believes the Greene County school's art program has suffered from a lack of funding. As a result, students are using outdated, hard-to-use software and the school's darkroom has been replaced by an office. "The software's so old. It's easier for me to just do my work at home," she said.

Across the Capital Region, art, music and dance programs at public school districts have been affected by the continued scramble to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which requires schools to meet required standards on core subjects such as math and reading. In addition, budgets increasingly spend a higher percentage on health and energy costs and a lower percentage on education..."

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