Restore Funding for LAUSD's Arts Partners

Please sign this petition to encourage the Los Angeles Unified School District to release the funding for the District's Arts Community Partners Network (ACPN) program.  

In mid December 2008, LAUSD instituted a "funding freeze" for all financial activity.  As part of this freeze, the district canceled all ACPN programs and services effective immediately for the remainder of December and the first three weeks of January.

Over 80 artists and arts organizations are affected by this funding freeze, all of whom are under contract with LAUSD schools to deliver high-quality arts education to thousands of District students.  Hundreds of scheduled arts activities (many of them culminations of semester-long work on the part of educators, arts professionals and thousands of LAUSD students) are on hold indefinitely or canceled.

LAUSD's funding freeze is supposed to apply only to District contracts, not individual school contracts.  Many ACPN contracts have already been earmarked for programs at the school level.  However, the District funding freeze applies to all ACPN contracts, even those designated for programs at the school level.  This cuts off existing arts education programming in many district schools.  Payments are delayed for work already completed and all new work has been suspended.  November, December and future payments are delayed for an unknown period of time.  This decision was made by LAUSD and not the State.

LAUSD has been recognized as a national leader in providing quality arts education on a systemic basis.  While we appreciate the enormity of the budget shortfall facing LAUSD, the budget freeze threatens arts education programs and puts the dynamic partnerships between LAUSD and community arts resources at serious risk.

Please sign this petition to encourage the LAUSD School Board to restore ACPN contracts to ensure that students continue receiving high-quality, professional arts instruction within the District.
We the undersigned urge the Los Angeles Unified School District to continue it's commitment to providing high quality K-12 education that will prepare all of its students to compete in  21st century workforce. 

LAUSD is truly a national leader in providing quality arts education on
a systemic basis.  Over these past nine years, the District has
sustained a long-term commitment to arts education and now stands on the
verge of institutionalizing a quality program for all students and all
schools.  Your recent grant from the Wallace Foundation is important
recognition for the national importance of this work. While we
appreciate the enormity of the budget shortfall facing LAUSD, we want to
alert you to how the current budget freeze threatens the arts education
program and could undermine all the progress you have made.

The one thousand three hundred thirty two signature captured in this petition represent students, teachers, parents, and arts education providers - all committed to ensuring the District does not loose traction on the great progress it has made in restoring quality arts education. 
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