SmartTranscript of Senate Education 2025-02-12 1:30PM

[Will Slattery]: You are live. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: This is the senate education committee, February twelfth, one thirty in the afternoon. First thing we're gonna do today is hear from Vermont Council on the Arts. They're here. I think you'll tell us why you're here. And and we'll let you introduce yourselves when the time comes in just a minute, but we are I know where one absent member is. Senator Weeks was in the morning committee in which he heard the whole this morning, so he's taking up. He's gonna be over there and kill a little more time. I'm Seth Bower's in the Bennington district, senator Terry Williams from Maryland. And senator Steve Efren from the Madison County district. So welcome. We're glad you're here. Thanks. And the floor is yours. Start by introducing yourselves, and then off we go. Okay. Great. [Susan Evans]: Well, I'm Susan Evans of Florida. I'm the executive director of the Vermont Arts Council. Say your name. Hi, Maddie. And where are you going to school? Oh, sorry. [Maddie (unknown last name)]: I'm going to, Phillips Green Academy, Saint Albans. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Go ahead. [Susan Evans]: They have a great age. I'm a sophomore. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: You're a sophomore. Okay. [Susan Evans]: So we are here today just, to give a tiny brief overview of the arts council's work, but really to focus on the role that arts education plays for students in Vermont. And that is gonna share her story of being a student who is an arts education student in Vermont. I'll do the I'll try to keep my explanation brief because we're really we're really here to hear Maddie. And I'll just say that the Vermont Arts Council is the state's arts agency. We're the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Arts. And our mission is to cultivate and advance the arts and creativity throughout Vermont. Our work is really based in creating a state where artists thrive, where creativity is at the heart of our communities, and where everyone has access to their the arts in their lives and education. We work primarily as, grantmakers. So we can take state, federal, and private funds and invest them directly in our communities through grants to artists, educators, arts organizations, communities, public art grants. And then we do a lot of training for artists and the arts sector. We know that our grant funding will never support the entire arts and culture sector in the state of Vermont, But we also work to train the arts sector so they can have access to resources, business development training, really thrive on on their own as much as possible. The Arts Council in FY twenty three granted just over three point two million dollars funding to every county in the state. And while that is a substantial investment in the state, it is only forty five percent. We've only been able to cover forty five percent of the grant applications we've received in the past five years. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: And just to stop sharing, but where where did you get the money to that distribution? [Susan Evans]: So our the way our budget works is we're about forty to forty five percent federally funded and with a state required state match, and then we do private funding. So there's fifty six state and territorial arts agencies. Every state and territory has one. The National Endowment for the Arts gets their funding from the federal budget. They distribute it to those fifty six state and territorial arts agencies. That funding requires a dollar for dollar state match. And interestingly, the Vermont Arts Council is the only independent nonprofit arts agency in the entire country. So we were created in statute and we act as the state's arts agency, but we are an independent nonprofit, which means we are able to privately fundraise and we do. And we're very specific about our fundraising because we want to make sure we're not in competition with the arts organizations around the state. But instead, we focus on private donors who want mainly to grant directly to artists and don't have the interest, capacity, time to do that. So we're able to supplement our state and federal dollars with private funding. And we've really increased that over the past few years, the amount of private funds we're able to raise. And it's definitely an area where we continue to grow, but our base of funding is state and federal funding. So just a moment about the today is Creative Sector Day. So you'll hear from us today, but we invite you all to join us in the Cedar Creek Room at three thirty. We'll be doing a reception with circus artists from Circus Circus, which is always a fun way to end the day. They'll be stamped. And the creative sector is creative sector, again, is really about telling the story of impact that the creative sector has across the state. Arts and culture in our state produced one point two billion dollars in Vermont's economy in twenty twenty two. And [Maddie (unknown last name)]: on top [Susan Evans]: of the demonstrated economic impact of the arts and culture, we also know that the arts are a way to bring our communities together. They're what help us understand ourselves as people. And they really build bridges at a time where we all we all need some bridges in lots of ways. Art we do a lot of work, and I'll transition to art education here. We do a lot of work around art education at the council. We really know that we really know that learning in African arts is vital to living fulfillful fulfillful lives. And we do direct grant programs for early childhood arts programming, arts residencies in school, arts arts experiences for older Vermonters through our creative aging program, and we do a lot of training of artists teaching artists as well. Thinking about the impact of arts on students and our communities, in the twenty twenty four Vermonter poll, eighty seven percent of people agreed that the arts and culture are an important part of K-twelve education in Vermont. There are lots of benefits for students and communities on arts education and from art that result directly from arts education in schools, including a demonstrated economic return on investing in arts education and an increase in graduation rates for students who participate in arts education. But most importantly, and I could sit here and cite education outcome statistics linked with arts education all day long. But really most importantly, arts learning experiences help students understand themselves and communicate about who they are to the world. And all of the educational outcomes in the world can't fully explain the look on a student's face when they come off the stage after their concert performance or when their teacher reads their poem aloud to the class or when they see their artwork hanging in the hallway for other students to see. So we know that, it's really important as we move forward in the future of education in Vermont, which we see it needs to and is changing to ensure that arts education is really at the center of student learning. We often work with Vermont Music Educators Association and Vermont Visual Art Teachers Association. They recently did an op ed at VT Digger that outlined some really clear three steps that our sector and arts educators are requesting of the state to do in partnership with arts educators. The first is to conduct a statewide assessment. We just, and I have talked to our director of education about this, we don't have the data right now to be able to know what students are experiencing across the state in terms of arts education. We know there are gaps and we also know that there's often huge equity issues. And if where you go to school ends up determining the kind of level of arts experiences that you are getting, which becomes really problematic. We're also asking to establish minimum standards for K-twelve arts education in the state and to update the educational quality standards to include enforceable benchmarks for arts education. There are EPRS education funding standards now for arts education and if you choose to do that in your school, you can follow them. But what really and we're looking at a statewide solution to this, is making sure that those benchmarks are applicable to all schools across Vermont so that we can ensure that all of our students are receiving an equitable opportunity to experience the arts for themselves. I my background is in arts education data. I've been talking about it all day, but I don't wanna bore you with that. And I'm gonna I'm happy to take questions or Nadia, do you wanna take it away? Sure. [Maddie (unknown last name)]: So I play violin in my high school orchestra and in the Vermont Youth Orchestra. I'm a member of the Vermont Youth Orchestra string quartet, and I've been singing in the BFA chorus and chamber choir for about two years now. I've been playing violin for eleven years and been and I've been singing for as long as I can remember. I take private violin lessons with through the Vermont Orchestra Association. I've been in the VMEA District one choir for two years now. I've received two District one scholarships, and I had recently been awarded a Vermont All State scholarship. Last year, I had the privilege of being part of the All New England and Vermont All State Orchestras, and this year, I will be called semester of the All New England Orchestra. Music has always been a part of my life. Both of my parents are public school music teachers, and I'm fortunate to have such an amazing school music program at BFA St. Albans. My father plays piano and is the chorus director at BFA St. Albans, and my mother is a violinist and is the band and orchestra director at Swanton Elementary School. Outside of music, I like to run outside for cross country and track and field, and I love to learn about astronomy. I'm in BFA student government, and I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I remember the first time I went to the violin shop to get my violin. I was four years old, and I was very excited. The first time that I held my violin, I remember thinking, wow. I had seen and heard my parents playing instruments and singing for my entire life, and I instantly fell in love holding an an instrument for the first time. When I started violin, I had no idea what was to come of my love for it. I took private lessons soon after and gained more skills as time went on. I started playing in the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association when I was in sixth grade, and my friendships doubled, my my happiness doubled, and my love for the for music and the arts quadrupled. I I started in Vermont youth drinks where I made so many friends and had an amazing experience. I got to perform a live solo with a live orchestra at the Flint Theater, and that opportunity helps me to grow and become more confident in myself and my playing. Once I moved into the Vermont Youth Philharmonia, I started private lessons with one of my former teachers. He pushed me to become a better musician, and he taught me to be methodical as a student in school from applying practicing techniques to studying techniques and managing stress. Once I got into BYO, I gained many opportunities. Making it into the Vermont Youth Orchestra and being surrounded by supportive adults and talented peers has helped me gain the confidence to pursue a placement in the All New England Orchestra, Vermont All State Orchestra, Vermont All State Scholarship, and District one Scholarship. Having a busy schedule and practicing violin efficiently has helped me to learn time management as well. These meets and festivals give me something to look forward to and to work toward, and I'm positively affect impacted by the by the feeling of joy when I perform. From my experience, performing can lead to less anxiety and more confidence in presentations, social interactions, and speeches like this one. Numerous studies have shown that learning an instrument at a young age can positively develop the left and right hemispheres of the brain to connect them more. The Portland Chamber Orchestra reports that after only fifteen months of playing an instrument as a child, multiple structural changes can be found in the brain. When a child learns to play an instrument, the hippocampus, a part of the brain, involved in memory and and learning skills, increases the neural connections showing improved memory and learning in students. Another aspect of learning an instrument regarding development is that I noticed that a lot of people in BYO and also kids in band, orchestra, and chorus are in accelerated classes and are generally on honor or high honor role in school. They are also usually involved in many activities and sports both in and outside of school. It is proven through studies that students engaged in musical activities in schools academically perform higher, and they generally have a higher attendance than for students who don't participate participate in music performance or sorry, courses. A major reason why some of my friends come to school is solely to play music in band, orchestra, or chorus because they have such a connection with musical students and teachers, and it makes their day. Through my musical journey, I have learned at least musically about other cultures. In the BFA Chorus, we perform songs with German, French, Swahili, African American, spiritual, Irish, and other influences. We dive into the history of these traditional songs and learn in a way you can't learn in history class. In music, you have to put tone and expression into the performance the way the composer wrote it. This gives the audience and performance and performers a chance to understand what the composer expresses or tries to say with this music. It helps us to understand historical references in the music and how the composer felt in these events. In the BFA Orchestra and BYO, we perform pieces with all kinds of influences from around the world like Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Czech, Greek, and more. Music and other arts classes are crucial to include for students in school. Not only is it an emotional outlet and it teaches students to have emotional maturity, but it also advances the brains cognitively as well as creates bonds, connections, and relationships with many people. I'm fortunate to have an amazing music program, but not everyone will get equal opportunities regarding the arts in cuts and music schools. Music has made such an impact on my life, especially at an early age, and it can similarly influence other students, give even giving them a purpose to go to school. I am very lucky and glad to be part of the creative sector day and Vermont Outdoor Recreation Day at the Vermont State House. I have actually dreamed of speaking in an environment like this for years, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to speak in front of all of you. I would love to play out to play violin outside of my deck in the summer sometimes because I can feel more connected and focused. This this may also be why I love running outdoors too. Music is often inspired by nature and the outdoors. For example, Ludwig Ludwig von Beethoven brought a lot of his inspiration from the woods, birds, and other forest animals. Many famous composers took inspiration from rivers and even the planets of the solar systems to make their interpretation of them through music. The music then inspires me to play outside where I can interpret it and truly perform. Thank you for having me. I'm honored to speak today. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Very good. Thank you. A couple of questions. And informative. Very important, actually. So do before we get any questions, do you wanna any follow-up or anything else, Seth? [Susan Evans]: No. I'm not gonna talk that. So I'm gonna Okay. Like, No. We're happy to take that. So I'll be happy. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: How how many students play in the youth orchestra? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: I think there's about seventy five kids just in the youth orchestra. But in the entire program, we have over two hundred. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Yeah. How how often do you do you get together? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: We get together on Sundays for about three hours. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: After Sunday? Are you focused there? Some people come from all over Vermont? Yep. Okay. Where do you where do you do that? Burlington? Or [Maddie (unknown last name)]: We do that at the Elie Wong Music Center in at Saint Michael's College. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Saint Michael's. Okay. [Susan Evans]: And Rosina Chincazaro, executive director of BYOA too, but she's here as well. Okay. Welcome. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Any questions? And how about the new you you said you're you also are participating in New England. Yes. For is that? Summers, or is that year round as well, or how does that work? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: So it's a it's a music festival that is pretty prestigious to make it into. And you like, people from all over New England come to it and yeah. But so it meets in in March for about three days, but you have you have to practice the music a lot before then. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: So you have to get invited to be there? Yes. And how does that happen? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: So you have to audition for that. And I think for violin, at least, only, like, thirty people make it out of many who audition. Will. Yeah. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Okay. I think your point, by the way, and I've heard school peep like, principals and others say say in a way, you talked about it through music, but I've heard principals say that students like you who are deeply involved in something and defend the passion for something, in your case, it's music, also tend to do better at school. Mhmm. And so the connection that you're making to from the importance of the arts to overall achievement is really well taken. That's the point that it's good for this community here. So thank you for doing that. Okay. [Speaker 4 ]: Right. I mean, I I played the violin. I'm sorry. I came [Maddie (unknown last name)]: to play, and I am [Susan Evans]: I heard the end of [Maddie (unknown last name)]: what you were saying. Is there do you do you feel like [Speaker 4 ]: and and I'm sorry if I missed this. Do do you feel like kids are getting access to instruments that like, is there just [Susan Evans]: a really big gap if [Speaker 4 ]: you don't have parents that that can support you? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: Well, I mean, I think financially sometimes it's hard. So I think equity could help with that a little bit more because some students might not have the money to buy a violin or instrument or whatever instrument they wanna play. But so I think that there could always be progress made towards that, towards being able to access instruments. Mhmm. But I think in my school district, it's we have a very good music program. [Susan Evans]: Okay. And I'll speak to that from a statewide level that and on a personal note, when I moved to Vermont twenty years ago, I thought, oh, I'll just be an art teacher. That's my background. Mhmm. And becoming an in school art teacher in Vermont was, like, harder than winning the lottery. It was, like, there were no open slots. Everyone wanted to do it. It was the most qualified people in America. And now there are significant openings in all of the arts disciplines in public schools across the state. And what we're really hearing from arts teachers is that it really depends on your school. Right? Some schools really value the arts and have amazing programs and really see their arts teachers as kind of part of the faculty. Because arts education is not cemented in Vermont's statewide school stand well, as as far as they are as far as they are statewide standard, the arts aren't always on equal footing. What happens in many schools is that arts teachers are not treated as full faculty. Sometimes they're not even a full FTE position or an arts teacher where they're split across four schools. And actually what we've really seen coming out of the pandemic is the pressures that arts educators are under to meet the mental health needs of students. There's often an assumption that the arts are kind of touchy feely and we can handle that kind of thing. But what we're hearing from a lot of arts teachers is that they are often the students who for schools that don't have enough mental health support services for kids, they say, oh, well, we'll just put you in an art class. So the art classes well, often this this often is a place, right, where students can express themselves and learn who they are. And also, that's not the training of our arts educators. They are trained to be arts educators, which is a, a trained and certified profession. But that puts a lot of pressure on them, and it's a really hard job right now to be an arts educator in Vermont. You also see arts educators who are, like, doing amazing things, was under incredibly high pressure situations. But it is something that we at the arts council wanna take a lead on looking at across the state of how do we ensure that we're working in partnership with the agency of education on setting those standards and then also supporting the teachers to meet the needs of students. Mhmm. Yeah. When I was [Speaker 4 ]: in elementary school learning the violin, the my my music teacher stayed with me after school and taught me, you know, more songs, like the songs the middle and high school kids were learning at the time. And what I don't think he knew or he didn't ever ask was that was my after school care. You know? Like, I didn't really have another option that he'd save me from, you know, just being lost somewhere on [Susan Evans]: the streets. So it's really glad glad to hear that it's it's been such a life changing. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Anna, it's your week's other question. Martin, did you ever play any other instruments? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: Well, so violin, since I have have worked so much, the like, being able to read sheet music and and, like, being able to express myself through violin and singing has been able I've been able to to learn other instruments much easier than Mhmm. If I didn't know how to play vinyl. So I've I've learned a little bit of guitar, ukulele, piano. [Susan Evans]: It's a disco ball. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: That's for sure. Yeah. So so did you play in the band at your high school? [Maddie (unknown last name)]: Well, in when I was when I went to elementary and middle school, I played clarinet for around a year. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Right. But yeah. Great. Thanks. [Susan Evans]: And we often find that the skills that you learn through art education, you know, many people I I also did a lot of music. I'm not a professional musician anymore, but, you know, you're not always taking, taking arts classes or learning arts to become a professional artist. If you do, we love that, and we want you to succeed in Vermont too too. But, really, we see that the the things you've learned through arts education are really the skills you need to be a human being in the world and to succeed in any job or any career path that you have. [Speaker 4 ]: The person who encouraged me to run for the legislature, who ran herself with a graduate student at UVM and we were both in the lab job. [Susan Evans]: Oh my god. I love that. Yeah. That's the fuck. And I don't know. I think you I agree with you as they say. I don't know if this is a fact, but I'm gonna say that I think the Vermont legislature has more artists and performers and creatives than any other legislative body in the country. I understand that. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Okay. Well, thank you. [Maddie (unknown last name)]: Thank you so much [Susan Evans]: for having us and for all the work you're doing in a really complicated education landscape right now. And, hopefully, we'll see you at three thirty for our certificate to reception and theater to bring up where it's all going. [Will Slattery]: Once that that you may or may not know, you were speaking on, you know, like, you go to a larger high school. Are you finding that the more rural rural are are lacking just because they don't have the people and they don't have the it it mainly the people. I know. I don't even think the money is the worry as much as having as many people interested in the arts. [Susan Evans]: We often find that it is definitely a bigger challenge in rural schools, and it's often because they Yeah. They they don't have the teachers. It's not really the interest level. I think the kids would would do it if it was offered there. Sometimes you can't get teachers to go, or the school is so small that they'll split the position between like four or five schools across the region. But what we are, which I think this is a really important equity issue with arts education. When schools in major cities or bigger areas cut their programming, there are often nonprofits that step in to fill those gaps. But when schools in really rural areas cut their programming, there's no one to step in. So, you know, if a school in Burlington cuts their arts programming, there's incredible arts organizations that, I don't know if they shouldn't step in, but they do. Right? That's not their only role, but they can fill some of those gaps. But if you're in a really rural area and you cut your arts programming, like, that's it. There's no there's no one to fill those pieces, which I think it feels like a huge equity issue in our state that you shouldn't be punished for living in a rural area as some students are in terms of arts education. But thank you. That's an important question. Skill. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you so much. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: Thanks for coming in. Good luck in your future. Can I have [Will Slattery]: a professional finalist? That that you can put forward. [Susan Evans]: Maybe. Yeah. No. Future. [Chair Seth Bongartz]: We'll stay we'll stay on, actually, because you're you're about to come up right now.

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SmartTranscript of Senate Education 2025-02-12 1:30PM

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