With crayon scribbled pictures adorning the walls and children's laughter filling the room, one would think these were the halls of a local community school. However, with recent budget cuts and the push for standardized testing, art education programs are being cut and supplemented with a community arts center.
The State
Even though the Mitch Daniels Administration announced this year it would not be cutting the Indiana education budget, schools around the state are still suffering from the $300 million budget cut made in 2009.
The cut last year is roughly 3 percent of the money schools receive, and Daniels said in an Associated Press article that he wants schools to make cuts without laying off teachers or increasing class sizes.
The shrinking budget left the state with few options. With the push of programs in science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM programs) as well as the stress of standardized tests, fine arts, music and theatre programs were the first to be cut.
According to the Department of Education, nearly half of Indiana's 385 public high schools fell in the academic probation category this year, which means their standardized tests will be more closely watched by the state and focus will be taken away from non-essential programs.
The Teachers
Christina Lamb, assistant professor of General Music at Burris Laboratory School, said she has seen firsthand the changes forced on schools by budget cuts.
"The school does not give me any money anymore," Lamb said. "The only thing we used school money for was [sheet] music for choir music and outfits. The only money I have now is after I charge the kids a fee to be in the choir."
At Burris, the music fees are included in the book rental charges for each student, but at other schools, many students cannot afford the extracurricular activity prices.
With the prices of sheet music alone, Lamb said the cuts affect what she teaches.
"For years I have had to pull old music from the cabinets, so it affects the curriculum the most," she said.
Since Burris is a charter school, Lamb said they aren't as affected as public schools, but there is still room for concern about art programs.
The Lack of Support
Don Ester, professor of Music Education at Ball State, said the benefits of art programs on students are enough for the administration to support and fund the education.
"Art education is important because it includes gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking and verbal skills," he said.
While the administration only cuts the budget and not the programs, Daniels held an impromptu meeting to discuss recommendations for school corporations on what to cut.
Ester said those recommendations are never in the interest of the arts, music or theatre programs.
"There is no priority of these programs from the state," he said, "State Superintendent Tony Bennett is not a friend of the arts."
With the lack of support from the administration and necessary state budget cuts, Muncie Community Schools have been able to keep traditional fine arts and music programs alive.
Muncie Community Schools
Ermalene Faulkner, director of Elementary & High Ability Education, said MCS has a very extensive program unlike many other programs in the state.
"We value the whole child, the full experience and all the gifts and talents academically as well as in the fine arts; our superintendent and staff has secured that," she said. "It's a choice we made to stand by our programs. We have been frugal and work toward maintaining that."
Where communities like Muncie have found a way to balance the budget, there is no way to say if the programs will last the next round of cuts.
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