The following is part of a series of profiles highlighting various local education agencies’ (LEAs) efforts to develop quality arts education programming for their students. These profiles intend to support LEAs in generating ideas for effective arts programming that school leaders could implement with Prop 28 funding in different contexts.
San Diego COE: Wide-Reaching County Support for the Arts
Overview
San Diego County Office of Education is one of the largest K–12 county offices of education (COEs) districts in California, supporting about 780 schools across the county in 42 school districts. COEs in California provide services to the state’s school districts located within that county. SDCOE staff believe every child who graduates from a San Diego area high school should be prepared for what they want to do, and prioritizing arts education helps students build connectedness to their community and themselves. Pauline Crooks, the instruction and curriculum content coordinator for SDCOE, provides support to districts and schools throughout the county and to leaders by empowering them to make decisions that prioritize arts education in their local education agency (LEA). Learn more about what this support looks like in the profile below!
Background Information
- Regional information
- County Office of Education Name: San Diego County Office of Education
- County Name: San Diego County
- California County Superintendents Service Region: Region 9—Southern
- School information
- Number of Districts: 42
- Number of Schools: 788
- Urban, rural, suburban classification: Urban
- Teacher information (2021–22)
- Total number of full-time equivalency (FTE) teachers: 23,293.5
Table 1. Snapshot of 2021–22 Teaching Assignments by FTE: San Diego County Office of Education
Data from the California Department of Education. Retrieved October 3, 2023, from https://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/DQCensus/TchAssgnOutcome.aspx?agglevel=County&cds=37&year=2021-22
4. Student information (2022–23)
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- Number of students served: 476,760
- Percentage of English language learner (ELL) students: 18.3%
- Percentage of students with disabilities: 15.1%
- Percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL) students: 51.0%
- Demographics of students
- Number of students served: 476,760
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- Percentage of African American students: 4.1%
- Percentage of American Indian or Alaska Native students: 0.5%
- Percentage of Asian students: 6.7%
- Percentage of Filipino students: 3.5%
- Percentage of Hispanic or Latino students: 49.1%
- Percentage of Pacific Islander students: 0.4%
- Percentage of White students: 28.3%
- Percentage of students who identify as two or more races: 6.7%
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5. Arts course information (2018–19)
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- Total number of arts courses offered: 4,836
- Total number of students in arts courses: 88,830
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Program Description
Like most county offices in the state of California, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) provides support to school districts throughout the county on a variety of topics in addition to operating its own schools. What sets SDCOE apart is the support it provides to school districts related to arts education and prioritizing support for implementing comprehensive, standards-based arts programming. The county has a rich history of arts education with organizations such as Arts Education Connection San Diego, which has been in operation since 1963, and other arts education projects that have existed in districts for decades. Even with this rich history of prioritizing arts education, “There’s more work to be done. Depending on where you go to school, what teachers you have, you may get access to certain arts disciplines, but the classroom next door might not,” shared Pauline Crooks, instruction and curriculum content coordinator for SDCOE. SDCOE staff believe every child who graduates from a San Diego area school should be prepared for what they want to do, and prioritizing arts education helps students build connectedness to their community and themselves. Crooks supports districts and schools throughout the county and leaders by empowering them to make decisions that prioritize arts education in their local education agency (LEA). SDCOE provides data, stories, research, and messaging to leaders and provides space for art leaders to connect to one another across the county. Crooks stated, “Lots of my job is connecting people; connecting those who have questions and those who have good solutions.”
Leadership for the Arts
Across the county, 18 of the 42 school districts have a staff member, such as a district visual and performing arts (VAPA) coordinator or an arts curriculum director, dedicated to arts education, and the COE has a full-time employee to support arts education in Juvenile Court schools. Many other districts plan on adding a similar role with Prop 28 funds. Other districts may have teacher leaders who take on additional responsibilities related to arts education programming. At the county level, Crooks’s role includes providing support for these leaders through running leadership groups, coordinating professional learning opportunities, and serving as a thought partner. This support covers a variety of topics, including budgeting for materials and equipment, working with districts on scheduling, and ensuring the arts education curriculum is standards-aligned and high-quality. Following are some specific examples:
- Arts Material and Equipment: SDCOE offers support to districts as they think through implementing their arts programming, which often includes thinking through the materials and equipment needed and how to pay for them. SDCOE often guides districts to Charter 10: Instructional Materials of the California Arts Education Framework, which details the criteria for evaluating instructional materials for arts education.
- Scheduling: According to Crooks, “Scheduling is different in every school site. What works in one school may not work in another.” What does work for SDCOE is utilizing the California Arts Education Framework. Crooks collects ideas, talks to administrators, and builds relationships with leaders across the county. At the elementary level, scheduling can be more of a puzzle, and for many smaller school sites, it may be appealing to hire a full-time arts teacher but not feasible when it comes to scheduling, funding, or finding space. SDCOE helps make connections so districts can share staff or share ideas about howthey staff and schedule their arts education programs.
- Standards-Based Curriculum: Much of the support SDCOE offers relates to ensuring all curriculum and instruction are standards-based and of high-quality. Crooks uses the California Arts Education Framework consistently, which includes all arts disciplines, courses, and standards. This is also part of the professional development the COE provides to art teachers and leaders in districts across the county.
Overcoming Perceived Constraints
A major challenge for schools across the county is related to prioritizing arts education given the financial constraints. Crooks stated, “Many people think that you need to spend a lot of money and have fancy equipment to have arts education.” In San Diego County, schools and districts have started by building a small arts program and establishing a vision for growth. A similar challenge is presented when it comes to finding funding for staffing. At the elementary level, Crooks supports many multiple-subject classroom teachers who want to integrate the arts into their instruction, not just certified arts teachers. These classroom teachers may lack the expertise or confidence needed to integrate art into their classrooms, but they can gain both with SDCOE support. Crooks observed,
“Change is hard. We need to give people resources to try new things that they are not comfortable with, let them know it’s okay to make mistakes, and model trying with our students.”
Culturally Relevant Arts Instruction
Another major challenge Crooks noted is the need for arts education to be culturally responsive to students. Many traditional arts courses are rooted in White Eurocentric ideals, which do not always meet the needs of students in schools across San Diego County, approximately half of whom are Hispanic. Part of Crooks’s role includes encouraging staff to think about how to add to their arts programming based on what students and communities want. Crooks stated, “It doesn’t mean we have to get rid of what’s always been done, but how can we add to what already exists?” Crooks encourages districts to talk to the community and students to understand what new types of arts courses are desired.
Program Impact on Students and Families
Arts education has had a positive impact on students, families, and communities throughout San Diego County. Families have shared stories about watching their child gain confidence and joy by participating in the arts. Students shared personal experiences of graduating from schools in San Diego County and moving into professional careers in the arts and finding professions they love. Crooks and staff at SDCOE continue to collect stories of impact, and she shared, “I’m proud of all of our school districts that are working to prioritize the arts.”
Appendices
- San Diego County LCAP
- SDCOE Visual and Performing Arts website
- 2020 California Arts Education Framework
This profile was made possible by the generous support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and developed by Create CA, WestEd, California County Superintendents Arts Initiative, Association of California School Administrators, California Latino School Board Association, and the Small School Districts Association.
Create CA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.