Candidate Kathy Moffat's Answers:

1. What meaningful experiences with the arts (visual arts, dance, drama and/or music) did you have growing up?
As a child of 7 and 8 years old, I took tap and ballet dance lessons from a local dance instructor. I sang in the church choir during my Junior High years, and while in High School, I had a supporting role in the senior class play. I enjoyed and learned from all of these experiences.

2. What role do you think the arts can play in supporting key education priorities such as closing the achievement gap, reducing the dropout rate and preparing more students for college eligibility and the 21st century workforce?
There is no question about the fact that the arts play a tremendous role in the academic and social development of children. Many researchstudies bear that out. In addition, the arts are frequently the part of a student’s day that is most engaging and motivating. Because of theseconsiderations, it is very important to offer students opportunities to learn and participate in activities in all of the visual and performingarts. However, since California has entered this period of extreme budgetary crisis, local school boards are making brutal cuts to schools and programs in response to drastic cuts in funding from the state. In addition to sharp cutbacks in district administrative and support staff, including custodians, my district has closed schools, increased student-teacher ratios in all grades, reduced pay for all employees, instituted five furlough days shortening the school year, and cut the number of library media specialists and arts specialist teachers. These regrettable measures are all painful, and not in the best interests of children. Some Orange County school districts are fortunate to be the recipients of significant levels of ongoing private funding donated specifically to support specialist teachers and materials, thereby sustaining arts programs in their schools and districts. Orange Unified is not blessed in such a way.

3. A standards-based arts curriculum is one of the five core subjects in NCLB and critical for developing job skills vital in the
creative economy and the 21st century workforce. Yet, most often only "what is tested is taught" in our schools. How do you
envision bringing balance back for a comprehensive education and ensuring that all students have access to a quality, standards based arts education curriculum?
In my personal experience, schools that I attended, and OUSD’s schools at the time of my three children’s attendance offered no arts
instruction or programming taught by specialist teachers in elementary grades, except in rare cases where they were funded by PTAs. In grades K-6 art, music and drama were taught by classroom teachers and integrated into the curriculum. My children’s middle school and high school offered instruction and student participation in instrumental and vocal music, art, and drama under the direction of specialist teachers. Those offerings are still available in our schools. In recent years, OUSD’s elementary music programming was expanded to include instrumental and vocal music classes taught by specialist teachers. Today, California’s budget crisis has made that all but impossible. Classroom teachers will be asked to provide the arts curriculum for their classes, along with all the other areas of study. Having been an elementary classroom teacher myself, I know how difficult it is to plan and teach so many subjects. In addition, district and school level administrators will support classroom teachers with programs and methods to supplement what they do. Interestingly, when I taught years ago in another state, my elementary school had a fantastic arts program for every child taught by a full time PE teacher, a full time art teacher, and two full time music teachers – all assigned to only our school. These teachers were provided for and funded by the school district. What a difference from what is funded and provided in California!

4. If elected, how will you engage classroom teachers, arts teachers, parents and community arts organizations to shape your
agenda for arts education or implement your district’s strategic arts plan?
To bring to our schools a program of arts instruction and activities taught by specialist teachers will take commitment and funding. I will continue my efforts to encourage partnerships with arts organizations, foundations, patrons of the arts, businesses, parents and teachers to make this type of offering possible for our students. I will also continue to work for a system of public school funding that is stable, adequate, predictable, and competitive with that of other states in our nation. With California near the bottom of all the states in per pupil support of public schools, and near the bottom in every measure of adults per child in our schools – teachers, counselors, administrators, librarians, nurses - we have a long way to go. But what we do have in our schools are highly qualified, committed and talented classroom teachers, administrators and support staff. These teachers will be the front line for our children in providing arts education. We also have great kids, and parents who are always willing to work to provide the best for their children. By tapping in to these resources, and giving them encouragement and support, our efforts can bring forth good things for students.