“Over the summer, New York City announced the harrowing news that they were slashing the DOE arts education budget by $15 million, a 70% reduction from the previous $21.5 million budget,” writes Heather O’Donovan on Thursday (10/22) at NYC classical music station WQXR. “The cut has the potential to decimate arts education in the city’s public schools, and to widen the already vast achievement gap between schools in more affluent areas and Title 1 schools in underserved ones. For luckier, specialized schools like the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music and the Special Music School at the Kaufman Music Center, planning for this unprecedented fall semester has boiled down to some common themes, including online vs. hybrid instruction, space constraints, and technological considerations.” The article reports on plans and educational models being used by the above two schools as well as the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and the Harmony Program, which are in underserved areas of NYC that rely on DOE funds to bring the arts to students.
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