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Q&A
Update on ArtCounts accountability initiative for arts education
0:59:03
ยท
3 min
Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about the ArtCounts accountability initiative introduced in 2007. Paul Thompson from the NYC Department of Education provides an update on the ongoing survey and data collection efforts, highlighting new focus areas such as arts integration in schools' core instructional missions and the role of arts in social-emotional learning practices.
- The ArtCounts survey continues with adjustments to align with current work
- New questions added to assess the centrality of arts in schools' instructional missions
- Emphasis on working with principals to understand the importance of arts education
Rita Joseph
0:59:03
Thank you.
0:59:03
Accountability.
0:59:04
So in 02/2007, New York City Public Schools, you introduced ARTCOUNTS, a quality improvement accountability initiative.
0:59:10
Could you provide an update on that initiative?
Paul Thompson
0:59:25
Are you referring to the survey?
0:59:27
We just wanna make sure we answer the right question.
Rita Joseph
0:59:29
Yes, sir.
0:59:30
Thank you.
Paul Thompson
0:59:43
Could you repeat that again, please?
Rita Joseph
0:59:48
In 02/2007, New York City Public Schools introduced ArtCounts, a quality improvement accountability initiative.
0:59:53
Can you provide an update on that initiative?
Paul Thompson
1:00:00
Right.
1:00:01
So the survey continues.
1:00:02
We continue to make adjustments to how it aligns with the present work that we're doing.
1:00:07
Again, one of the things that I have found truly remarkable in this position is all of the different forms of data that come into our office that loosely speak to each other as we try to create an accurate understanding of how the arts are living in schools.
1:00:31
So presently we use the survey as part of collecting supplemental data from hard data, quantifiable data from either STARS or DHR.
1:00:49
Yes.
1:00:50
And so one of the things that we initiated as we've tried to reimagine how our art survey works are some questions which did not previously exist in our historical reporting.
1:01:07
And so we're asking questions like percentage of schools reporting that the arts were central to instructional mission to their school's core instructional mission.
1:01:20
These were not a focus area historically.
1:01:23
Another question is the percentage reporting that the arts were a driver of school wide SEL practices.
1:01:32
Again, this is the data that we're getting from the survey and it gives us some grounding in how we think about working with principals because not all principals have the luxury of also having a life as an artist.
1:01:47
Many principals really understand, you know, the running of their buildings, how to deal with compliance, making sure that that all the the the babies in their building are taken care of.
1:01:58
So we really emphasize working with principals and understanding just the liberating force of having the arts at the core of their school's instructional mission, creating that safe space for SEL practice to happen.
1:02:10
Because really without that safe space, you can't create the community where productive struggle takes place which is the home of all learning.