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First Lady Michelle Obama welcomes MPS to national Turnaround Arts program

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President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities program, Turnaround Arts, infuses high-need schools with the arts as strategy to help close the achievement gap and provide equitable access to arts and music education

 

King, Jr. African DrummersWashington, D.C. (May 25, 2016) — Today, during the White House Turnaround Arts Talent Show, First Lady Michelle Obama announced that Milwaukee Public Schools is joining the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities signature program, Turnaround Arts. Four MPS schools – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lancaster, William T. Sherman Multicultural Arts, and Roosevelt Creative Arts Middle School – will kick off the 2016 -17 school year as four of only 68 schools selected as Turnaround Arts schools in the nation. The MPS schools are the only schools in the state of Wisconsin receiving Turnaround Arts intensive arts education resources and integration as a strategy to close the achievement gap through a highly-competitive application process.

“Turnaround Arts is proven to not only provide greater arts access to students, the program has also increased student achievement using the integrated arts model,” said MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver. “Over a four-year period, Turnaround Arts schools in other communities experienced on average a 12.6% improvement in reading proficiency and a 22.5% improvement in math proficiency. Attendance increased and suspensions decreased following the implementation of the Turnaround Arts’ program.”

Dancers from ShermanTurnaround Arts is the signature program of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. It empowers high-need schools with innovative arts, dance, theater and music programs, arts integration across subject areas, arts resources, musical instruments, and high-profile artist mentors, as a proven strategy to help address broader school challenges and close the achievement gap.

In MPS, the Turnaround Arts effort will focus on three key areas: additional professional development for arts educators and arts integration education; integration of the five arts disciplines – visual arts, music, dance, theater and media arts – within all content area classrooms; and working with the district’s arts partners to provide both in-school and after-school enrichment programs to foster student engagement in learning and incorporating the arts into academic supports.

Several of Milwaukee’s top arts organizations, including Danceworks, First Stage Children’s Theater and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts/Arts ECO have confirmed their partnership with MPS in the Turnaround Arts initiative. In addition, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Cardinal Stritch University are working with the district to support the recruitment, training and ongoing support of MPS arts educators.

Lancaster students are excited for Turnaround ArtsMilwaukee Public Schools continues to make strong investments in the arts:

  • Since the 2012-13 school year, MPS has added 126 art and music teachers and every school now has at least part-time positions in these areas
  • $1.5 million is allocated annually for the MPS Partnership for the Arts and Humanities to support after-school and summer arts opportunities for children and families
  • MPS is a key member of the Cre8MKE, a city-wide collaborative of more than 100 district leaders, community arts and business partners, higher education institutions, funders and elected officials working together to ensure that children have equitable access to high-quality arts programs

Six million children nationwide still do not have access to arts or music instruction in their schools, and millions more school children have only minimal exposure to the arts. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which President Obama signed into law in December 2015, provides more funding and new guidelines for states and districts to invest in arts and music education for all children as part of a well-rounded education.

Roosevelt Chorus“The arts are central to who we are as a people, and they are central to the success of our kids. This is not an afterthought,” said President Obama. “This is not something you do because it’s kind of nice to do. It is necessary for these young people to succeed that we promote the arts.”

Nationally, Turnaround Arts is made possible through a collaboration of government agencies, non-profit partners, and generous corporate and private donations. Locally, the MPS Foundation coordinated support from the Herzfeld Foundation and the Zilber Family Foundation for the Milwaukee Public Schools’ Turnaround Arts effort.

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Local Turnaround Arts Media Contact: Denise Callaway, callawde@milwaukee.k12.wi.us, 414.531.0213

National Turnaround Media Contact: Lora Bodmer, lora@deep-communications.com, 307.690.1630

Photos: Milwaukee Public Schools celebrates the Turnaround Arts Announcement Wednesday.

For more information about Turnaround Arts in MPS, visit mpsmke.com/turnaroundarts.

Contacts

Stephen Davis, Media Relations Manager

davis2@milwaukee.k12.wi.us
(414) 475-8675
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Milwaukee Public Schools is committed to accelerating student achievement, building positive relationships between youth and adults and cultivating leadership at all levels. The district’s commitment to improvement continues to show results:

  • Ninety-four percent of 2022-23 budget dollars go to support schools;
  • The MPS Class of 2023 earned $121 million in scholarships and grants; and
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