Wrestling With Data
Happy New Year!
Recently, the Arts Education Data Project (AEDP) with the help of the Wisconsin DPI released an updated Wisconsin Arts Education Dashboard that is now on the DPI's Arts & Creativity page. The Wisconsin Arts Education Data Project highlights Wisconsin's arts education data story through an easy-to-use, interactive dashboard. The data provided through the dashboard is meant to foster school community conversations about arts education programming.
Specifics About The New WI Dashboard
The dashboard features arts content area coursework data from Wisconsin public schools from the 2019 through 2023 school years. This is the most recent data available and provides a picture of arts course enrollment for the content areas of art, dance, music, and theatre throughout Wisconsin. Site visitors are able to interact with the dashboard to see course enrollments for the specified years for each arts content areas. Please note that the current dashboard contains data for grades 9-12 for all years with the addition of grades 6-8 in 2023. Data for earlier grades is not available at this time.
A Love Hate Relationship
I'll be honest, I have a serious "love-hate relationship" with data. Take for example this quote by W. Edwards Deming, "Without data, you're just another person with an opinion." It is hard to argue with this logic. In fact, on many occasions I will find myself saying to someone "What evidence or data do you have to back up your opinion?" At the same time, I also reflect on this quote by Einstein, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Admittedly, at times, I read WAY too much into the numbers and don't consider how the they were generated, what they missed, and how quickly (or slowly) they change. Ronald Coase made this point by stating, “Torture the data, and it will confess to anything.”
At first glance, the concept of needing data but not trusting data seem to be at odds. Yet, I have seen how they both are necessary. Data are important to demonstrate and validate an opinion when possible. At the same time, we have to be cautious about the limitations of the data in the first place. George Box once said, "All models are wrong, but some are useful." You see, the dashboard doesn't provide you with all of the answers. Data alone has some serious limitations. However, the dashboard can offer more information resulting in better questions to ask and places to look next for solutions. To this point, Daniel Keys Moran once said, "You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data"; essentially highlighting that while data provides valuable insights, it needs interpretation and context to fully answer complex questions and lead to true understanding
Why Bother With Arts Education Data?
It is stated best by the Arts Education Data Project as they state on their website, "If the many organizations concerned about arts education in this country truly believe in the ideal that every child should have access to arts education as part of a basic education (and we believe they do) then the entire arts education field must confront the reality that there is no way to attain this goal without determining where arts education stands today so clear strategies may be developed to address the undeniable gaps in access persistent in various parts of the United States. Simply put: to get to where we want to go we must understand where we are."
I would encourage you to take a look at the dashboard and to see what stories unfold. Chip and Dan Heath once commented, “Data are just summaries of thousands of stories – tell a few of those stories to help make the data meaningful. Once you have done this you will be able to ask better questions that will lead to deeper understanding and better advocacy efforts.
Yours In Data,
Chris
Fort Atkinson High School’s National Art Honor Society Designs Ornaments for National Mall Tree in Washington, D.C.
Art students at Fort Atkinson High School are representing the state of Wisconsin with ornaments they crafted hanging this holiday season on a Christmas tree on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In all, 24 ornaments submitted by members of the high school’s National Art Honor Society as part of the America Celebrates ornament display at the National Mall. America Celebrates is a collaboration between the National Park Service, the United States Department of Education and the National Park Foundation. One school from each state and U.S. territory, as well as Washington D.C., were selected last spring to create ornaments.
Ballet opens doors for children to chase the joy of dance
Gabriela Rodriguez first glimpsed the magic of ballet in the third grade. The 7-year-old didn’t know a pirouette from a puppet when she first got tapped for the New Ballet School’s First Step program, which brings the joy of dance to low-income students in the San Jose Unified school district.
As a tiny tot, she loved to dance with her Wii every day after school. Now she’s 19, studying Level 6, the highest level at the ballet school, and is also a member of the studio company, a stepping stone to becoming a professional ballerina. The supple dancer with a sunny personality seems to float across the studio at a recent “Nutcracker” rehearsal, twirling like a spinning top.
Dance has changed her life forever, she says. She’ll never forget the first time she watched the beauty of “Swan Lake” unfurl on stage.
Have Something To Share?
Send your local arts news to Chris Gleason - christopher.gleason@dpi.wi.gov
NPR's Student Podcast Challenge returns for 2025
An opportunity for students in grades four through 12 all around the country to record their stories and share them with NPR, the 2025 Student Podcast Challenge will open on Jan. 6 and close on May 2. Go here to learn more.
National PTA Reflections Student Arts Showcase
Tune in to National PTA's YouTube channel at 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 29 to celebrate the annual Reflections Student Arts Showcase! This virtual showcase will feature a selection of awarded artists from across the country and recognize all national-level winning artists from the 2022-23 National PTA Reflections program.
Attend the WMEA 2025 Conference Planning Event - Sat, 1/4, Online!
We are thrilled to share that 162 sessions have already been proposed for the 2025 conference!
Join us on Saturday, January 4 from 8:30am - 12:00pm to participate in the 2025 Conference Planning event!
Register! All participants, including leadership, need to register to receive the Zoom link for this meeting: https://bit.ly/2025ConfPlanningWI
ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS (Jan 1 - Apr 1, 2025)
We’re inviting teens (ages 13-19) to submit 10-minute plays addressing gun violence. Six selected playwrights will each receive a $500 stipend, have their work published, earn a membership to The Dramatists Guild, be featured in our Nationwide Reading, and be flown to Washington, D.C. for our flagship event at The Kennedy Center. Learn more, view our resources, and share with your community: ENOUGH! Call for Submission Resources.
JOIN OUR NATIONWIDE READING (Oct 6, 2025)
We’re also inviting organizations to participate in our nationwide staged reading. Interested? Schools and organizations can sign up here to participate!
You Asked For Them. Here Are MORE Grants To Consider!
Description: This grant is specifically designed for K-12 Teachers who need
professional development. These grants are designed by the teacher applicant and
can range from $5,000-10,000.
McCarthey Dressman Teacher Development Grants
Description: This is perfect if you’re looking to try out some new teaching strategies,
like Arts Integration and STEAM. These grants are available for up to $10,000/year for
up to 3 years. This would be a great chance to apply for those larger learning
opportunities, like our Arts Integration Certification Program.
Description: We all love the Donor’s Choose platform for crowdfunding our classroom
needs. But did you know that they also offer a way to get your professional
development crowdfunded? You can now create a Professional Development
Project and specify what trainings you need, why and how much it costs. Then put it out
there just like you would a regular Donor’s Choose project.
NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants
Description: This funds high-quality professional development experiences, such as
summer institutes, conferences, seminars, travel abroad programs, or action research.
Provides up to $5,000 for public school teachers, education support professionals, and
faculty/staff in public higher education institutions. Applications are from December to
February
Association of American Educators Classroom Grant
Description: This grant is provides up to $500 to fund classroom projects and
materials, including books, software, calculators, math manipulatives, art supplies,
audiovisual equipment, and lab materials. Applications close October 1 and March 1
annually.
Toshiba America Foundation Grants for Teachers
Description: These grants are designed to support innovative, project-based learning
in science and mathematics. Award amount varies by grade level and project. Awards
for under $5,000 are available on a rolling basis. Grants for more than $5,000 are due
May 1 and November 1.
Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program
Description: These grants are to recognize innovative and effective projects that
improve student learning. Award amounts are $2,000 to 50 finalists; additional awards
of $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000 to top three projects. Applications typically due in
April.
Description: These grants support educator-led initiatives that enhance student
learning and success, including projects with an arts integration focus. Award amounts
are between $1,500 to $5,000 for public school educators in the United States.
Government Grant Opportunities
National Endowment for the Arts:
U.S. Department of Education:
Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships:
Alliant Energy offers 25 Innovation Scholarships
$1,000 scholarships available for students in Wisconsin and Iowa
Madison, Wis. (December 2, 2024) – Alliant Energy seeks applications for its 2025 Innovation Scholarships. Across Iowa and Wisconsin, up to 25 students will receive $1,000 scholarships to further their academic goals.
“The generosity of this scholarship helped fund my future,” said Alyson Melssen, 2024 Innovation Scholarship recipient and Dodgeville High School graduate. “I am planning to go into physical therapy, which requires seven years of school. Receiving this scholarship lowers my expenses and allows me to focus less on the financial burden and more on learning.”
Applicants will write an essay that identifies a problem in their community and presents their own innovative solution using science, technology, engineering and/or math.
Scholarship recipients will be selected based on essay content, participation in leadership roles, volunteer work, community service, activities and grade-point average.
Guitar Center Music Foundation award $100,000 in musical instruments and equipment
Each quarter, our friends at the Guitar Center Music Foundation award $100,000 in musical instruments and equipment in-kind to public schools and music programs in need.
The deadline for this quarter's grants is coming up soon, so we wanted to send you a friendly reminder to take a moment to apply for a grant for your music programs.
Instrument grants range from up to $1,000 to $5,000 based on need, and the application is quick and easy.
To qualify, eligible programs must fit one of the categories below:
- In-school music classes in which the students make music
- After-school music programs that are not run by the school
- Community music programs which offer music instruction to the community
- Music therapy programs in which the participants actively make music
Additional conditions apply, so be sure to visit the grants page to see if your program qualifies.
Les Paul Foundation Grants (Due Jan 15)
The Les Paul Foundation aims to inspire innovative and creative thinking by sharing the legacy of Les Paul through support of music education, recording, innovation, exhibits about Les Paul, and medical research related to hearing.
The foundation invites applications for grants to support programs and projects that encourage innovation in music production and/or performance and innovative STEM or STEAM programs for students and others in challenging situations. Proposals for medical research related to curing tinnitus and other hearing impairment issues are considered. All organizations must describe how Les Paul’s story will be shared.
For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Les Paul Foundation website.
Wisconsin's Own Screenwriting Competition
Wisconsin’s Own Screenwriting Competition is open to anyone born in Wisconsin or current state resident, former state resident for one or more years, Wisconsin’s First Nation’s members, and students or alumni of any UW system school or Wisconsin college or university.
Grand Prize Winning script will be announced during the Wisconsin Film Festival at the Wisconsin Screenwriting Symposium and will be performed at a Live Table Read with actors on the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus.
Submissions Open for 2024-2025 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge
The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, an initiative of the NEA in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, is now accepting submissions for the 2024-25 program, an opportunity for high school students to develop and showcase musical compositions that could be a part of a musical theater production. Students will have access to the Writing is ReWriting Resource Center, workshops, and constructive critique opportunities to cultivate their songwriting skills throughout the submission window, which ends January 31, 2025. More details and information on how to register at namt.org/challenge. Read the full announcement »
Poetry Out Loud 20th Anniversary
Schools and Organizations Invited to Host Their Own Poetry Out Loud Competition
The 2024-2025 school year marks the 20th anniversary of Poetry Out Loud®, an arts education program and dynamic poetry recitation competition for high school students that lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Poetry Foundation, and state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud takes place in all 50 states, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Schools and organizations are encouraged to contact their Poetry Out Loud state coordinator to get involved in this year’s competition.
An Easy Way to Bring Art & SEL Outcomes to Your Students
Looking for fun ways to incorporate the arts in your new lesson plans? Check out smART breaks, an interactive social and emotional learning children’s video series by Hope Stone Inc.! Hope Stone, founded in 1997 by Jane Weiner, is a non-profit arts organization currently serving over 900 underserved Houston-area children and adults. They accomplish this with The Hope Project, its mindful healing and creative arts education outreach program.
Want To Incorporate the Arts Into Other Classes? Let These 7 Art Books Inspire You
Who doesn't love a good book? These 7 selections offer guidance for educators seeking to infuse arts into different subjects. They steer educators away from superficial approaches — such as replacing a written report with a diorama, which can reinforce the idea that the arts are secondary or optional — and toward an approach where art is integral to the learning process.
Theater Research and Advocacy
Theater & Musical Theater Research Spotlight
A core value of the NEA is to research the value and impact of the arts in the United States. From the NEA’s position with a national view on the arts ecosystem, we strive to add to the body of research as a service to the field. The Theater & Music Theater division released two important materials in partnership with the Office of Research and Analysis that are now available on the Research page of the NEA website.
Defying Gravity: Conversations with Leaders from Nonprofit Theater
In response to the unprecedented closures of theaters nationwide following the COVID-19 pandemic, the NEA Theater team hosted several listening sessions first in 2021, and then in the summer of 2024. The participants delved into the myriad of challenges facing the field and explored creative solutions that were implemented across the country. View the report and accompanying Blog post by Theater & Musical Theater Director, Greg Reiner. (Updated December 2024)
- Report Link
- Reflections on New NEA Report, “Defying Gravity: Conversations with Leaders from Nonprofit Theater”
Curtains Up: Critical Factors Influencing Theater Resiliency
This literature scan examines the current challenges facing U.S. theaters and identifies strategies and tactics that theaters adopted to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout. (Updated November 2024)
New Crayola Children's Study Reveals a Powerful Link Between Creativity and Confidence
EASTON, Pa., Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New research commissioned by renowned children's creativity brand Crayola highlights how creativity and confidence are deeply connected, revealing its role as a powerful catalyst for educational, emotional and cognitive growth. The study1 found that among 6 to 12 years old surveyed, 92% believe that being creative boosts their confidence. The results further highlight Crayola's evidence that creativity not only helps children express themselves but also helps build the self-efficacy and resilience needed to navigate life's complexities.
"Creative activities help children recognize their unique talents and develop a deeper belief in their abilities – giving children an incredible sense of joy and accomplishment," said Cheri Sterman, senior director of education, Crayola. "By prioritizing creativity, we not only enhance children's immediate happiness but also equip them with the confidence and skills they need for future challenges."
WMEA Capitol Conversations - February 4-6
Plan now to participate virtually in the annual WMEA Capitol Conversations, connecting constituents throughout the state with their Wisconsin legislators, all in support of music education. Joining others for one 20-minute virtual meeting with your legislator can make a very meaningful difference for music education in Wisconsin!
In order to ensure that all assembly and senate districts in Wisconsin are represented, WMEA is collecting the names of individuals who may be interested in participating this year. Participants will be placed on legislative district teams. Ideally, each team will be made up of 2-4 WMEA members.
The Goal: To pair constituent music educators with their legislators, with special focus on districts in which state legislators serve on the WI Committees on Education. Please join us virtually from your community to advocate for music education – we need your voice at this important event!
Unsure of how to effectively speak with your state legislator?
The WMEA Capitol Conversations includes online training approximately one week prior to the event via Zoom.
MORE Research In The News...
Research Brief on Arts Engagement and Social Connectedness
The brief, Arts Attendance, Art-Making, and Social Connectedness: Spring/Summer 2024, was released in October by the NEA’s Office of Research & Analysis (ORA) and examines recent patterns of arts engagement among U.S. adults, and the relationship between arts engagement and social connectedness. The findings come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey from April to July 2024.
Special Issue on Dance and the Brain
An international interdisciplinary workshop, focused on the theme of “Social and Neural Bases of Creative Movement,” was convened April 7–10, 2022, with support from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the NEA. The culmination of this event is summarized in the new BMC Neuroscience special issue on "Dance and the Brain," in an editorial coauthored by the NEA's Sunil Iyengar, “The social and neural bases of creative movement.”
NASERC Indicator Updates
The National Arts Statistics and Evidence-based Reporting Center (NASERC) provides the public with frequently updated statistics on the health and vitality of the arts in the United States. Updated indicator reports featuring data on artists and other cultural workers, arts and cultural industries, and higher education degrees are now available online.
NEA Research Lab Spotlight
The Music and Arts Education Data Lab (MADLab) at the University of Maryland is readying to host the 2025 Arts Education Research Methods Summit on Jan. 13-14, 2025. The in-person event will provide training and professional development for those interested in research related to arts education, arts education interventions, and arts-based educational program evaluation. Summit participants will choose from a “Qualitative” or “Quantitative” strand of interactive workshops, and plenary sessions, designed to communicate the latest rigorous research methods. For more information, visit MADLab's website.
It’s Never Too Late to Learn an Instrument
A 2022 survey run by the National Endowment for the Arts found that about 11 percent of American adults play a musical instrument. Kids receive plenty of music education, but as people get older, they fall out of practice. Many stop picking up their instrument.
NEW New Study Reveals Strong Support for the Arts, but Equal Access Remains a Challenge for Half of Americans
The results are in, and the message is clear: Americans view the arts as essential to their personal lives, their communities, and the nation’s future. Yet, despite its undeniable value, only half (51%) of Americans believe everyone in their community has equal access to the arts. This finding comes from Americans Speak Out About the Arts in 2023, a national public opinion survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Americans for the Arts (AFTA). The study, one of the most comprehensive of its kind, examines Americans’ perceptions and attitudes towards arts and culture.
Introducing the NEA Tech Check
This monthly blog series will take you on a journey across the nation to learn how leaders in the arts and cultural field are approaching the intersections of technology, culture, and society. Inspired by findings from the NEA arts and technology field scan conducted in partnership with Knight Foundation and Ford Foundation, our goal is to enhance public awareness about creative approaches to technology that engage local communities, explore ethical issues, and increase digital skills through the arts.
Check out:
Claudia Alick of Calling Up Justice
Nandini Ranganathan of CETI—A Creative and Emerging Technology Institute
CMP Winter Workshop January 24-25
This hands-on workshop presents the Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance (CMP) model of music teaching and performance. Participants will explore the points of the model (selection, analysis, strategies, outcomes, and/or assessment), participate in demonstration rehearsals using CMP, and will explore teaching plans implementing these points in a music classroom. Learn more and register here.
5th Annual Hip-Hop Pedagogy Virtual Music Educator Workshop February 8
Register to attend the 5th Annual Hip-Hop Pedagogy Virtual Music Educator Workshop, which includes power-packed sessions for band, choir, orchestra and general music. Learn more and register here.
Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin Project – Mashkiiziibii Youth Singers March 5
Join WSMA and PBS Wisconsin Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin curriculum writer, Natasha Verhulst, as she shares insight, lesson ideas and additional resources on the student-led performing groups chosen for one of this year’s new lessons – First Nations drumming and singing with Mashkiiziibii Youth Singers. Come share your ideas and resources as we learn together about cultures from our state. Learn more and register here.
My Creativity Advice for 2025: Read the Newspaper
The best way to increase your creativity is to make sure that new and different information is always flowing into your brain. Learn something new every day. You don’t have to take a class or get a degree. It doesn’t take a big investment of time. But the kicker is that it only works if that new information is very different from what’s already in your head. This is why Internet search is bad for creativity: It always gives you information that’s related to what you already know, or information that you’re already interested in. How can you go beyond the algorithm and be exposed to new information? New information that you didn’t even know existed?
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Chris Gleason
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
This publication and previous issues are available from: Division of Academic Excellence> Teaching and Learning Team> Arts and Creativity. https://dpi.wi.gov/fine-arts/newsletter
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Email: christopher.gleason@dpi.wi.gov
Website: https://dpi.wi.gov/fine-arts
Location: 201 W. Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53707
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