Sample Letter - School Board Member

(Your Address)
(Date)
(School District Address)

Dear (Dr. or Mr. or Ms.) ___________,

I am the parent of (your child's name) at (name of school). I am concerned that s/he is not getting a strong enough education in the arts.

Research studies (Champions of Change, 1999) show that students with high levels of involvement in the arts improve their performance at school in many ways, and that the arts are also a means of reaching students not currently being reached, such as those at risk of not learning and those exhibiting delinquent behavior. The arts help narrow the gap between low socioeconomic status (SES) students who are not highly involved in the arts and their higher SES peers.

For a district-wide view of arts education success stories, you may be interested in the report Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessons Learned from School Districts that Value Arts Education (p.11�12). The report revealed how a school board can support arts education by valuing the arts equally with other subjects and considering the specific needs of the arts when building or renovating school buildings.

As a school board member, you are in the unique position to craft, implement, and fund policies that encourage administrators and educators to improve the quality and delivery of instruction. Please support a strong arts education program based on national or state standards and let me know how I can further support this effort.

Thank you for all that you do on behalf of (your child's name) and the other students. Please support a strong arts education program based on national or state standards and let me know how I can further support this effort.

Sincerely,
(sign and print your name)

(Remember, you can also write to thank a school board member for including the arts in your child's education and for taking a strong public stand. And you can attend a school board meeting to voice your concerns or praise.)

(Part of this material is adapted, with permission, from the National PTA.)