To the Editor:

93% of Americans consider the arts to be vital to providing a well-rounded education. Parents and teachers know that the arts help students succeed. Studies demonstrate that access to arts education increases student engagement in learning, decreases truancy and drop-out rates, and helps students develop skills such as effective communication, critical and innovative thinking, cooperation, and flexibility. These are essential to California’s economic future, as one in five jobs in the state will soon be related to the creative industries.

As of January 2006, 11,464 people were employed in 1,634 arts-related businesses in Santa Monica. According to an August 2006 phone survey, 43% of Santa Monica residents said that they work in the arts for part or all of their living.

Our local officials have many difficult choices ahead of them. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District school board meetings on March 4th in Santa Monica, and March 5th in Malibu, may well decide the future of arts education in our district. If you support arts education, tell your school district leaders to provide a complete and well-rounded education for every child — an education which includes access to a quality education in the arts.

Contact information for Board of Education members is listed at http://www.smmusd.org/board/index.html

Zina Josephs