Arts Education Building Steam in L.A. Area Schools

Midway through a 10-year initiative to restore arts education in Los Angeles-area schools, the program has expanded to 27 districts serving some 450,000 public school students.

At a time when regular offerings of art, music, dance, and theater have generally declined around the country, one-third of the 80 districts in Los Angeles County have agreed to provide such programs, and many have hired arts administrators and educators to carry them out.

Through Arts for All , the county’s blueprint for strengthening its arts programs in grades K-12, more schools are providing regular, separate arts lessons, hiring artists in residence, acquiring more instruments, hiring arts staff, and...