Americans For The Arts 'Arts Watch': New York: Funding for Arts, Music Supplies in City Schools Falls 68 Percent

"Spending on arts supplies and visits by cultural institutions has dropped drastically at city schools over the last three years, even as overall education spending has grown, a new report shows. While education spending increased by about 13 percent between 2006 and 2009, funding for arts supplies, musical instruments and other equipment fell by 68 percent, the report by the Center for Arts Education found. Spending on partnerships with city cultural institutions decreased by 31 percent—although the system did hire 139 more full-time arts teachers. By some measures, the result has been a reduction of arts classes. The percentage of high school students taking three or more arts classes dropped to 28% last year from 46 percent during the 2006 school year, Education Department data show. And only 39 percent of elementary school students met state arts education mandates. Arts advocates say the drop is linked to the Education Department's 2007 decision to stop requiring principals to spend a specific amount of their budget on the arts."