The years 2012 and 2013 are a key "political window" as No Child Left Behind federal policy expires and, with it, the associated testing. New Common Core Standards and the Smarter Balance test are coming. We have a politically supportive environment from the Governor on down. We are proposing this initiative as part of the Governor's larger economic development plan, as a way to reduce the drop-out rate, increase graduation rates and educate kids for creative industry jobs for the 21st century. Dr. Yong Zhao, a leading expert on education issues, says we have been misguided as a nation, narrowing our curriculum and increasing standardized testing, in an effort to score higher on international tests....tests that do not correlate to GDP, royalties, licensing fees, or patents.....all of the measures of creativity and innovation for which America has been the world leader. Ironically, China has put creativity on its national agenda, and is making efforts to reduce testing and school days—and add more arts education.

Here are goals of CREATE CA, some of which are already in process:

• We will hire a planning firm to design the political strategy and implementation plan.
• State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson will appoint an inter-agency task force that will work on the new Blueprint for Arts Education, a policy document that will guide the initiative.
• We will seek to restore the dance and theatre credentials for California, which numerous other states currently have.
• We will support the organization of teaching artists statewide, to coordinate with credentialed arts teachers in providing quality curriculum, professional development and expertise in our schools.
• We will discuss the consolidation of redundant tests, new distinctions for excellent schools providing quality arts education, assessing where the gaps are, and celebrating successful models, both public and private, that can be built upon.
• We will support the expansion of the Los Angeles-area Otis Report on the Creative Economystatewide, as a potent advocacy tool in discussing the economic impact of the creative industry.
• We will explore raising private equity funds to match the Arts and Music Block Grants, in an effort to leverage existing money that is currently not being spent on arts education in school districts.
• To build on the statewide gathering to engage partners in October 2011 in Los Angeles, we will host another statewide conference in San Diego in March.
• We will plan "listening tour events" all over the state, and present at related events, similar to the Arts Education Partnership gathering in San Francisco in September.
• We are working with higher education institutions to address pipeline issues, teacher credentials and K-12 curriculum.
• We are building a statewide advocacy campaign, promoting the California Arts License Plate as an important means of raising funds for art in schools and communities, as well as promoting the critical need to restore arts education, to engage students, to foster creativity and to raise test scores in all subjects.
• We are discussing what research needs to be done and funded to move our agenda forward, and also how equity and access will be considered in delivery of high quality education for every student in this state.