Many public schools have significantly reduced or completely cut funding for art education programs. States have cut their arts budgets by $93 million in the past two years. Art education budgets could reach the lowest in a decade.(Newsweek) In President Bush's 2004-2005 budget proposal, 38 education programs were "slated for extinction", including a $35 million Arts in Education program. (Fram AP)
Officials at state or city levels may feel the need for art education is not as significant as the need for more academic based programs like mathematics, history and science. School officials believe that students must prepare and become accustomed to standardized testing to prepare them for higher education and their future. "History is basic, and art history is part of history, but, by itself, art history is not to be considered a requirement." (qtd. in McLennan) The "real world" is not always composed of multiple choice questions, and rarely is there a certain right or wrong answer. …
