1. Arts Education Course Coding Highlights
February 2012

2. Course Coding Update Highlights:
Beginning, Intermediate, Proficient, Advanced courses in each discipline
Specialization by proficiency level in each discipline
AP and IB retain separate designations
GCS-L-004 – Recommendation is for proficient and advanced courses in dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts to receive honors credit.

3. High School Sequencing
Arts Education courses may be used to help meet the electives requirement of the Future Ready Core. Additionally, students at the high school level will have the option of studying an individual arts discipline as an area of interest, or specializing in studies to prepare them for further education and/or a career in the arts.
High School Courses in the Arts: Student Profile
Upon entry to high school level study, it is suggested that each student be assessed via a student profile
The profile documents previous arts education and student academic performance in any of the four arts education disciplines at the K-8 levels, as well as any arts studies that the student has completed outside of the school (private lessons, internships, studio classes, etc.).
This profile should be maintained throughout the high school career, so that each student has a history of his/her education, academic performance, and experiences in the arts.
Teachers and school counselors may use the student profile to help determine the appropriate placement of students at the high school level. Those students who have had limited or NO instruction in the arts discipline prior to the high school level will enter at a beginning level of study in any high school coursework.
Students may participate in a variety of electives from beginning through advanced levels in each of the arts disciplines.
Concentrations in the Arts
It is recommended that concentrations in the arts reflect a sequence of courses in an arts discipline to include at least one advanced level course. Courses beyond the intermediate level are considered advanced.
Standards at the proficient and advanced levels are aligned with the highest achievement standards at the national level and are intended to provide in-depth, rigorous, and challenging study for advanced level students. These would include honors, AP, or IB courses and specialization in any area of study within an arts discipline.
The completion of the concentration should lead to a culminating project or capstone experience which allows the student to demonstrate advanced skills in the arts discipline and which may also be used as part of a professional portfolio for entrance into institutions of higher education or a career in the arts. Examples of culminating projects include: producing a student-written play; choreographing a dance for a public performance; publishing and conducting a student-written musical composition; or, producing a student exhibition of original art.

4. High School Proficiency Levels
Beginning
Intermediate
Proficient*
Advanced*
Standards are for students with no or limited K-8 progression in the arts education discipline (dance, music, theatre arts, or visual arts).
Standards are for students who have had a complete K-8 progression or who have achieved beginning level standards in the discipline at the high school level.
Standards are for students who have achieved intermediate level standards in the discipline at the high school level.
Standards are for students who have achieved proficient level standards in the discipline at the high school level.
Students who take coursework at the Proficient or Advanced levels are applying their skills and understandings in increasingly sophisticated, complex, and challenging ways.
The NC Arts Education Essential Standards reflect four levels of proficiency for high school courses for credit. The Beginning and Intermediate levels build the foundation for student success in continuing coursework at the Proficient and Advanced levels. GCS-L-004 – Recommendation is for proficient and advanced courses in dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts to receive weighted credit of 1 point.
Courses that are Eligible for Weights (Number 3 in the current policy) –new wording and rationale:
Arts education courses that are in the third or fourth year course component of a numerical sequence of courses in any discipline area of arts education meeting the standards for [proficient and advanced] music honors, dance honors, visual arts honors, and theatre arts honors [dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts] (1 point);
Arts Education no longer has a numerical sequence of courses due to organization by proficiency level; the recommendation is that courses meeting the standards for proficient and advanced dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts receive weighted credit of 1 point.
arts to receive honors credit.
Input:
Throughout the Essential Standards writing process, discussions, vetting, and input was gathered from Essential Standards writers, NC arts educators, central office coordinators, NC arts education professional associations, members from Institutions of Higher Education, and others. These individuals represented all regions of NC (lists can be provided).
The NC Arts Education Coordinators gave input via their spring and fall 2011 meetings.
An Arts Education Think Tank (comprised of central office coordinators and arts educators) provided input to the course coding structure and honors policy implications during the fall of 2011.
Students who take coursework at the Proficient or Advanced levels enter those studies having completed a minimum of hours of instruction within that arts discipline (dance, music, theatre arts, or visual arts), and are applying their skills and understandings in increasingly sophisticated, complex, and challenging ways.
Coursework at the Proficient and Advanced levels in the NC Arts Education Essential Standards aligns with SBE policy GCS-F-016 on academic rigor.
Coursework at the Proficient and Advanced levels in the NC Arts Education Essential Standards aligns with the highest identified levels of achievement in the National Standards for Arts Education.
It is therefore requested that the policy reflect this alignment and indicate that coursework at the Proficient and Advanced levels receive the honors weight of 1 point. The State Board of Education must take action on this recommendation (expected in March 2012).