OK: Arts Council Urges Oklahomans to Re-Prioritize Arts Education After Pandemic
April 4, 2021
Darlene Parman, chair of the Oklahoma Arts Council, is urging students, teachers, and families to call for fully funded arts education from state lawmakers. She asserts s that arts education represents a key tool in fighting rising student mental health needs in a time of great disruption and uncertainty. Parman additionally cites the increased focus on arts education since the passage of ESSA, which included the arts as a factor in a well-rounded education and includes grant programs to further encourage innovative arts programs in schools. Notably, Stillwater Public Schools, just north of Oklahoma City, was recently given national recognition by the NAMM Foundation as one of the Best Communities for Music Education.