2026 Hawaiʻi State Legislature measures include HB 2436, Relating to Arts Integration in Public Schools. SFCA Arts Education Specialist Danica Rosengren gives us a one-minute explanation of the measure and how it would benefit public schools and the arts education program Artists in the Schools.
Transcript
Danica Rosengren: The bill is about bringing in an arts education specialist into every complex area. This would be amazing because the national core standards were just passed through the Department of Education, and so by having someone dedicated at the complex area level who understands the national core arts standards, they’re going to be able to be an extremely great help to teachers throughout the state.
We [State Foundation on Culture and the Arts] run an education program called Artists in the Schools. And right now we’re in about 100 schools. And the goal that Rep. Kapela has shared is for Artists in the Schools to be in every school. Now schools, they apply with the teaching artist and sometimes schools hear about it a little late, maybe there’s less capacity. Or sometimes we just need to find that advocate at the school who’s really excited about taking time to apply with the teaching artists, and by having a complex area arts education specialist, those are going to be the folks who know who those advocates and champions of the arts are going to be in each school.