Research from the Washington State Arts Commission indicates that 63% of Washington principals are dissatisfied with the quantity of arts education in their schools. Correlating with this fact are dramatic findings from a recently released National Endowment for the Arts study that examined long-term declines in Americans’ reported rates of arts learning. Researchers found that declines are not distributed evenly across all racial and ethnic groups. In fact, the study notes that “while the decline of childhood arts education among white children is relatively insignificant, the declines for African American and Hispanic children are quite substantial, with a 49% decline for African American children and 40% decline for Hispanic children.”

A complete education cannot be defined without the arts and for all students to have the best chance of fulfilling their potential, learning in and through the arts must be provided equitably in school. As schools continue to seek out educational opportunities that all their students can participate in – regardless of capacity or ability – the arts play a vital role in fulfilling that need.  In fact, most principals consider the arts as a critical component in their students’ educational curriculum.

It is common to hear from principals about how the arts played a key role in helping them complete their own education, providing the spark of excitement and engagement in learning that many elementary school students seek today. Seeking to help meet the growing arts demands from principals, ArtsEd Washington stepped in with a solution to help principals’ support equitable delivery of the arts to their students during regular school hours.

Arts Ed Washington’s Principals Arts Leadership (PAL) program, launched in 2005, takes a systemic approach to arts teaching and learning. PAL positions principals as instructional leaders in the arts, helping them develop and sustain powerful arts programming and providing the needed support, guidance, and tools for success.

To date, PAL has supported over 40 schools across Western Washington. One of those schools, Van Asselt Elementary, represents one of the most diverse schools participating in the PAL program.  With a population of more than 500 students, approximately 85% of its K-5 multi-cultural student body participates in the free or reduced lunch program, 43% of students are English Language Learners (ELL), and more than 19 different languages are represented within its school community.

When Van Asselt Principal ElDoris Turner heard about PAL at the Association for Washington School Principals (AWSP) conference last fall she expressed immediate interest. In applying to the PAL program Turner sought to tap into the arts as a means to nurture the multi-talents of the school’s students and families, and help support the academic success of the entire student body.

We asked Ms. Turner to talk with us about how her own arts experiences including what inspires her dedication to supporting school arts programs and the importance of arts programs to support a diverse multi-cultural community.  We also invited her to share examples of her students’ successes, as well as discuss what principals can do to promote and ensure successful arts programming in their schools.

1.  How have the arts personally inspired you?

I have always had a personal passion for the arts. Before I was a principal, I taught music and I loved watching students blossom when they were able to express themselves in creative ways. I enjoy seeing the live performances at my school and looking at the artwork that is displayed in the hallways. It reminds me of how important it is for students to have creative ways to express themselves and share their talents.

2.  What motivates your passion for arts programs in school?

My motivation for stressing the arts at our school has come from my own passion for the arts, as well as the teachers and families at Van Asselt Elementary. We are building a community that comes together to see how amazing all of the students truly are! We have specialists in dance, music, and visual arts. In addition, our school offers opportunities for students to participate in choir concerts, dance performances, and instrumental music. Parents often comment on the quality performances and posted artwork they see at our school. For example, at our multicultural assemblies, students often use Readers’ Theater as an outlet to both improve their reading comprehension and share what they know.  This is so important because it allows our students to engage in learning, while having the chance to explore the arts in school – as they might not have exposure to the arts component at home.

3.  Can you share an example of how the arts have impacted students at Van Asselt Elementary?

Here at Van Asselt Elementary, students are more engaged in their subjects because the arts are giving them an outlet to be creative. Because we have a school with such diverse needs, we need to have different avenues for students to be engaged. The arts give our students “school purpose” because it is linked to what matters to them; it’s culturally relevant.  The arts give students the opportunity to listen, communicate, speak, read, and write at our school.  It allows them to think and have discourse around what matters to them. Students at our school create artwork that is posted for others to see, notice, and think about. We have concerts and performances that bring community engagement to our school.  The arts is an important way for us to build school community, an opportunity for students to show their creativity, and the chance to practice the thinking skills we want students to be prepared for in the future.

4.  Explain how ArtsEd’s Principals Arts Leadership (PAL) program is supporting you to catalyze change and how you see the program and the arts contributing to the greater success of your school community?

The PAL program has helped us to begin thinking about what we mean by the arts at our school.  We are working to create a vision, so that we are on the same page as a school, on what we value about the arts. The program is giving us the tools and guidance to work with our teachers to individualize our own arts program and work from our strengths. The vision will be a major factor in ensuring our staff has aligned beliefs around what a quality arts program looks like. Overall, the PAL program has provided us with a school-wide staff discourse and common language around the arts at our school.

5.  Based on your experience at Van Asselt, what might you suggest other principals should do to ensure the arts can be provided to all students?

Since the decline for the arts has been particularly strong as the pressures on schools and teachers have been on test scores, principals need to advocate for the arts in all of our schools. This means that the arts becomes like the quality work that we see happening with all strong programs. Principals need to provide teachers with time to collaborate, and be as intentional as other parts of their day, to design high caliber teaching around the arts. Principals also need to discuss with their staff how important the arts are to their school’s mission, and be creative in their efforts to advocate for how the arts serve as an outlet for students to be thoughtful and critical thinkers, supporting their work throughout all subject areas.  Although we know there are challenges with budgeting, principals need to be creative with ways to fund the arts in order to enhance the whole child to have both emotional and academic success.

ElDoris Turner is the principal of Van Asselt Elementary School located in the South Beacon Hill area in Seattle. The school stands on part of the 300-acre original homestead donated by Henry Van Asselt, one of the first pioneer settlers of King County.  It was the first school built on the South end of Seattle as a one-room school house in 1862.  In 1907, a four-room school building took its place.  This historical landmark, having been upgraded twice, is still in use today and is fondly referred to as the “Old Building.” The “new” building was constructed in 1951.

Share your inspirational arts education or arts advocacy story! Where have you see the arts change outcomes for a student? How has your personal engagement made a difference in a policy or budget issue? What arts teacher changed your life? Let us know. Your submission may be selected for a future Take 5 member profile.